To start this off, I’ll define what counts as the “YG sound”. YG’s brand of kpop usually involves a certain formula in regards music structure, instrumentals used and lyrical choices; obviously these elements did not come from YG and you can easily trace them to black music but it’s Kpop and the general fandom has the habit of generalising sonic identities so I’ll keep it within that context.
The YG sound is a rather notorious brand of kpop music as it has a huge fan base behind it as it also has very vocal detractors. The usual critique for the music YG usually pumps out is the perceived lack of innovation and the company’s inability to follow musical trends; the critique has merit and I understand where people are coming from with this but I can’t help but notice the flaws and hypocrisy of how YG groups’ music is viewed on here.
YG groups(and affiliated groups) who release songs that go against this formula are quickly ignored without fail or criminally underrated but when these same groups release what their company is notorious for, teeth’s are sharpened and voices are gained and the critique of “they all sound the same” gets blasted from every corner when this fundamentally could not be far from the truth. An obvious example of this is Treasure whose concept and music are mostly bubblegum boy crush music, but they are mostly known for songs like Jikjin and Bona Bona and people criticise them for not doing anything new when literally most of their discography is right there; same can be said for Babymonster whereby their most popular songs are Sheesh and Drip, and songs like Forever,Like that and Hot Sauce are paid dust despite these songs been very distinct from whatever their seniors have put out; Winner just been overlooked in any conversation about YG also proves this.
The Kpop fandom, I don’t know if intentionally, nitpicks the discographies of YG groups to furnish discourse about the YG brand of music and in the same breath praise other groups for releasing music that use the same formula( the success of Huntrix and Saja Boys from Kpop demonhunter proves this point) which makes me ponder that is the problem really the music?
Note: I’m not invalidating genuine criticism, I’m talking about the discourse farming and exerggerated nature of the topics that surround the elements of music released by YG groups
submitted by /u/Zestyclose-Bridge830
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