This function has regularly shifted from a December to a November custom, leaving more room for subsequent month’s sprawling end-of-year countdowns. Over the following few weeks, I’ll be taking a look at a lot of Ok-pop’s largest businesses and providing my ideas about how their 2022 went. Following SM Leisure‘s evaluation earlier this week, it’s time to dive into YG Leisure.
As regular, the ideas are my very own and aren’t aware of any insider info. The aim of those articles is to find out how properly Ok-pop businesses are serving their artists and followers. Due to the timing of this submit, I’ll be together with the previous few weeks of 2021 as a part of my evaluation.
The Good
Over the previous few years, I consider I’ve opened YG Leisure’s write-up with the identical title: BLACKPINK. Although there are different profitable acts throughout the company’s roster, none wield the identical affect as these 4 girls. In 2022, YG continued their custom of 1 launch per yr, however they managed to squeeze three singles from the quick (eight observe) album. And although BLACKPINK undoubtedly had competitors within the woman group chart battle, their 2022 choices did reliably properly. Each Shut Down and Pink Venom are nonetheless charting excessive on the time of this posting.
Although Treasure suffered some huge line-up modifications this yr, they bookended 2022 with mini albums that boasted very robust bodily gross sales. Like BLACKPINK, the precise music was of blended high quality. However, it’s good to see a YG boy group given a couple of comeback per yr after their preliminary debut-era blitz. And, I admire how Treasure are leaning into new territory for the company. There are components of latest single Hey that sound very Bigbang in execution, however they’re couched inside a lighter, younger picture that YG has but to totally leverage.
Talking of boy teams, each iKON and Winner launched new materials this yr. For no matter purpose, YG appears to have all-but deserted promo for iKON, however Winner’s album did fairly properly and maintained their reputation with most people. Each albums have been fairly robust.
Comeback alternatives appeared to be unfold extra evenly in 2022, with soloists Kang Seungyoon and Lee Chanhyuk filling within the gaps between group promotions. As regular, YG favored a “high quality over amount” strategy to releases, which solely works if the standard is universally excessive. Quite than “constantly nice,” I’d fee their 2022 output as “constantly stable.” Whether or not that’s well worth the lack of amount is as much as you!
The Unhealthy
Although nonetheless thought-about a part of the “huge 4” businesses, YG Leisure capabilities extra like a boutique company at this level. They’re nonetheless influential and embody just a few wildly profitable acts. However, the dimensions of their roster and scope of their imaginative and prescient is dwarfed by HYBE, SM and JYP.
With this in thoughts, it turns into extra necessary how the company nurtures their particular person artists. Sure, they’re raking within the cash with tens of millions of album gross sales, however an evolution in sound isn’t actually occurring. BLACKPINK are nonetheless doling out the identical schtick, as profitable as it could be. iKON took the largest musical danger with their newest mini album, however they weren’t rewarded with excessive gross sales or elevated consideration. I fear the company will proceed to play it protected and spin their wheels fairly than evolving into one thing larger and higher.
Bigbang’s long-awaited comeback ought to have been 2022’s largest Ok-pop story. Nonetheless Life turned out to be extra of a “track for the followers”-style ballad, launched digitally with none promo. That is positive if it had all the time been the plan from the start. However, the company by no means quashed rumors of an enormous Bigbang reunion. This led to years of hype amongst followers, solely to be dampened by a really fairly — however fairly un-momentous — single launch.
That is the place YG actually struggles. Whereas SM Leisure is ready to retain long-term expertise and proceed to develop their discographies all through the years, YG appears to maneuver from one shiny factor to the following. Older artists are not often given an opportunity to thrive – and even launch materials. I don’t know if the Bigbang members need to launch new music or not, but when they’d fairly simply retire from this aspect of the enterprise I want the company would make that clear so we will all transfer on.
And, with the latest departure of Bang Yedam and Mashiho from Treasure, it appears YG is having a difficulty maintaining their newer artists as properly (although Yedam has been with the company since he was a child). Treasure appears to be on a roll, however it will likely be fascinating to see if they’ll preserve their upward trajectory with these two key members formally out of the group.
Trying ahead, I’m involved that YG Leisure is caught in a holding sample. Until I’m lacking one thing, they don’t have plans for any new teams within the quick future. Other than Treasure, the teams they do have appear to both be deserted or caught in an countless cycle of releasing sound-alike songs. To this point, the company has managed to show this marketing strategy into enormous international success. However, I can’t say I’m excited for the course most of their acts are going. It actually looks like YG’s most dominant days are behind them (BLACKPINK apart, after all). I want they might regain a way of imaginative and prescient for the long run.
What I’d wish to see in 2023:
- Decide an artist and make 2023 their yr. It doesn’t even matter who it’s. Simply give them a ton of comebacks and actually cement their standing within the trade
- BLACKPINK comeback with a drastically new sound
- New producers and ideas throughout
Earlier years: 2021 // 2020 // 2019 // 2018 // 2017 // 2016
