Every SEVENTEEN song ranked in order of greatness

There’s nothing much to write home about with this song – it’s a brief, introductory track on the ‘Teen, Age’ album that serves as a mash-up of the other offerings on the record.

Utilising much of the instrumentation we hear on ‘Clap’, ‘Outro. Incompletion’ does a perfunctory job at both recapping the album’s highlights and leaving space for curiosity about what’s to come next. Again, nothing noteworthy.

SEVENTEEN take a bold crack at EDM and blaring synths on ‘Hit’, and while other attempts have produced exemplary results, ‘Hit’ unfortunately doesn’t stick the landing. Still, a concert staple.

The band’s first studio album ‘Love & Letter’ was a mixed bag of hits and misses, and unfortunately this track was one of the latter. It’s always been a tradition for SEVENTEEN to include a song per unit in each album, and this is where it all began, but unit-based remixes of loved songs are hardly the way to approach it.

The sparse instrumental of ‘Getting Closer’ might not be everyone’s cut of time, but SEVENTEEN’s approach to the song’s structure and vocals does intrigue and makes the song a unique listen.

This reworking of their beloved debut song draws focus on the Vocal Team’s innate talents. Yet, the song barely makes a case for much else, especially on the fronts of creativity and personality.

‘Space’ is an earnest attempt by the Hip-hop team to create a song that would resonate emotionally. Though, we’ll do give the quartet some grace here, considering that it likely set the foundation for them to eventually find their sweet spot in later releases.

This ‘Heng:gare’ B-side serves the album as its opener in the right ways, but aside from the overtly macho touches of baritone chants and powerful vocal performances, ‘Fearless’ barely leaves an impression when compared to the rest of SEVENTEEN’s discography. We love the callback to ‘Fear’, though.

Many ballads have come and gone in K-pop – ‘Don’t Listen In Secret’ is just one of many. With piano-heavy instrumentals and crystal clear voices, fresh life is breathed into the track when the Vocal Team’s innate talent for singing with unparalleled passion shines through.

‘Rock’ is an earworm of a track that repeats the hook “rock my head” regrettably ad nauseam. On the bright side, it is undeniably catchy, and serves as a cute callback to SEVENTEEN’s rookie days.

As a pop-rock remix of ‘Mansae’, the Hip-hop Team make ample use of the material they’re given. But it is nothing remarkable, considering we already have the original (and superior) ‘Mansae’ to turn to.

Straight from the playbook of hyperpop mainstay A.G Cook, Vernon unapologetically leans into his experimental side with this zippy, energetic Hip-hop Team song. This song has some fans divided for obvious reasons, but its contagiousness is hardly containable.

Another emotionally charged ballad, except with a ‘Without You’ callback. There’s nothing much else to say about this one, really.

It’s really surprising that a pop ballad as poignant as this was a unit song from the Hip-hop Team. Although there is hardly any room within the confines of pop ballads that give them space to experiment, ‘I Can’t Run Away’ is the unit’s response to naysayers who reduce them to just rappers.

With the sickly sweet vocal tones of Jeonghan and Joshua, it’s hard to deny their confessions when backed by such a feel-good jazz tune. The duo prove their prowess, even if they aren’t the belters of the group.

SEVENTEEN have always excelled at creating summer anthems. This is just one of many, although they do have better ones in their oeuvre.

When released in 2017, ‘Don’t Wanna Cry’ was a breakout hit for SEVENTEEN and continues to be a milestone for the group. The song itself, though, reflects a specific electropop sound from the era that hasn’t exactly aged as well as some of their other hits have.

SEVENTEEN have always been called the theatre kids of K-pop, but many fail to realise that ‘Chuck’ was the progenitor of the TheatreTeen concept. They play with a number of different genres on ‘Chuck’, and although it might sound like a recipe for disaster in theory, the actual product is a catchy power anthem.

Is it that obvious SEVENTEEN (or at the very least, Woozi and his co-producer Bumzu) had a fondness for pop-infused EDM in the late 2010s? At least this one aged a bit better than ‘Don’t Wanna Cry’ did.

Seungkwan and DK – undisputedly two of K-pop’s most powerful and versatile vocalists – join forces on this affecting if pedestrian ballad. We need them to release another duet together soon.

The Hip-hop Team look inward on this stirring, grungy track, lamenting about the uncertainties that plagued them as they navigated young adulthood beneath the spotlight.

This song has earned its title as one of the must-listen songs ever put out by the Vocal Team. ‘Habit’ is a true showcase of the quintet’s vocal ability and performance synergy.

Performed by S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Mingyu, The8 and Seungkwan, ‘Drift Away’ is a relatively simple, feel-good pop number that urges you to live life one day at a time.

‘Home’ was a sign of the times, when pop music started picking up moody vibes and to evoke some sort of angst. But the song continues to be a compelling, complex piece of songwriting. Plus, that pre-chorus anti-drop still hits every time.

Hip-hop Team once again tap into sincere, heart-rending hip-hop with the intention of touching the hearts of listeners who struggle with hardship. It’s a great comfort song for those who need a pick-me-up.

SEVENTEEN have a real penchant for writing the most heartfelt songs, and ‘Not Alone’, an original Japanese track, is testament to that ability. “You’re not alone, / In your heart, I’ll remain as warmth. / Don’t you worry, the dawn will definitely come after the night,” they sing.

‘Thinkin’ About You’ is so unapologetically youthful, thanks to the masterful addition of SEVENTEEN’s trademark funk and enthralling momentum that makes this the perfect song to soundtrack a summer roadtrip by the ocean, with the windows rolled down.

We think of this track as the more sensible older sister of ‘Don’t Wanna Cry’. It does take several listens before it begins to resonate, but once it does, you grow to appreciate the care put into its dynamic melody. Not many groups are able to get away with such a formulaic structure, but SEVENTEEN does it with ease.

A lot more meta and self-aware than SEVENTEEN’s usual songs. ‘Hit Song’ is charmingly self-referential (“The title is ‘Hit Song’ / Like the title, I hope it becomes a hit song / You can easily sing along”). It reflects SEVENTEEN’s own modus operandi as a band – good music without taking themselves too seriously.

This acoustic pop track could not have received a better name and ticks all the right boxes as a fan-dedicated song. This is definitely one for your outdoor camping playlist – preferably while you’re by a bonfire.

Up till this song was released in 2016, The8 and Jun hardly had much opportunity to really showcase their talents and proclivity for theatrical performance. They artfully adopt the concepts of yin and yang to show two polar opposites of the self – one can only hope the duo reunite for a fitting follow-up.

Introspection and vulnerability takes centre stage on this Hip-hop Team track off ‘Teen, Age’. Each of the members are given their own verses on the track to open up about their own struggles, despite appearing as picture-perfect idols, though the structure is a bit cookie cutter.

Another Vocal Team ballad with soft guitar and soaring high notes by DK and Seungkwan. Not exactly something we haven’t seen before, but it’s still good all things considered.

Woozi indulges in a limelight of his own on this understated solo track on the ‘Love & Letter’ repackage album. Despite being only a year into his career at the time of the track’s release, Woozi displays masterful vocal control and the rare ability to tap so effortlessly into his emotions.

Real ones know this was a track that premiered for the first time on their pre-debut television show, performed with a concept inspired by blockbuster film Kingsman. Just based on the sentimentality of the song alone, ‘No F.U.N’ is a must-listen for any Carat, old and new alike.

Penned by S.Coups, this reflective piece speaks about what it means to navigate early adulthood while mourning the abrupt conclusion of your childhood. “I’m here like the child I am / But where did he hide? / To you in which every day is more brilliant than sorrow,” Hoshi sings in the pre-chorus, before the chorus takes flight with lines about not having to go through this transitional period in our lives alone, because we have SEVENTEEN with us every step of the way.

The Vocal Team have a go at tropical house that adds necessary edge to their discography, proving that a vocal-centric team needn’t always resort to ballads just to showcase their vocal prowess.

This underrated B-side from their debut mini-album proves their potential as superstars from the very beginning – safe to say, their discography has grown by leaps and bounds since. Still, ‘When I Grow Up’ is what this writer thinks of when asked to name a “feel-good song”, even if the lyrics are a little sad.

We may not talk about The8’s once-iconic “dirty dirty jam jam” aegyo, but we can talk about how this song has that sneaky earworm quality.

During SEVENTEEN’s early days as rookies, this was the fan ballad. Many tears and boxes of tissues were involved.

Every Carat knows how much Woozi loves anime, so ‘Run to you’ drawing inspiration from the high-octane, shoujo-esque nature of anime openers makes a lot of sense.

With the amount of fan-dedicated songs K-pop groups pump out, it’s sometimes hard to find one that truly resonates, but ‘All My Love’ definitely does. Again, it’s no surprise how sincere SEVENTEEN really are when it comes to showing their gratitude to the fans who have brought them to new heights time and again.

“Shoot, shoot, shoot!” Woozi and Hoshi cry out in the chorus. It’s a great song to get yourself hyped before a SEVENTEEN concert, we just can’t decide if we prefer the original version or the cover by DK and Jeonghan more.

Performed by S.Coups, Dino, Seungkwan, The8, Jeonghan and Wonwoo, ‘Flower’ is a hidden gem on their 2017 ‘Teen, Age’ album that taps into the angst that, at the time, was in meagre supply on their discography. The choreography, however, remains one for the books.

Even without the mention of Marshmello’s involvement, you can definitely hear his influences on the song, for better or worse. As the group’s second English song, this definitely meets the high expectations SEVENTEEN have set for themselves, but the question lies in whether the song surpasses them.

Ah, the mawkishness of teenage infatuations. Only rookie SEVENTEEN could have framed it as endearing as they did on ‘Fronting’.

‘Highlight’ was mid-2010’s camp and testament to the fact that you can make a good music video on a tight budget. All they had was an empty studio, strobe lights, a projector, some stock videos of fireworks and a dream.

Very boyband-in-the-mid-2010s in the best way. This feels like SEVENTEEN’s answer to One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ – this song should have taken the world by storm instead.

The latest Hip-hop Team track from their ‘17 is Right Here’ compilation is a little disappointing after the same team released two bangers back to back prior to this, but it does give their discography some needed edge. Vernon’s experimental proclivities definitely had a heavy hand in this.

As far as SEVENTEEN title tracks go, ‘Ready To Love’ is far from being the worst, but also far from being the best too. That being said, this song is the first song on this writer’s karaoke playlist.

We know the taste of tequila cannot be more bitter than anyone’s heart, even if Mingyu says otherwise. But we more than appreciate the sentiment.

Timeless tearjerker. Does exactly what it says on the tin. How could we ever hate this one?

Giving all 13 members a chance to shine and put each of their unique vocal tones on display is a really hard task, but ‘If you leave me’ pulls that off perfectly. Although they chose the minimalist route with piano instrumentation, they more than make up for it with gorgeous vocal layering and harmonisation.

This pensive, flirty mid-tempo track from ‘An Ode’ toys with the concept of reincarnation. What would you do if you received a second chance at life? Would you make the same choices? SEVENTEEN don’t really have all the answers, but there’s some beauty in the endless possibilities of the unknown.

Our first-ever SVT Leaders track – S.Coups, Hoshi and Woozi, for the unacquainted – has, over the years, become a classic for any Carat and for good reason. This chill-hop gem still has us vibing along with every listen.

“This is the story of the day white snow fell,” Wonwoo narrates at the start of this Japanese power ballad. First snow has always been symbolic of new beginnings and sentiment, and SEVENTEEN capture that wistful feeling perfectly.

You just had to be there when DK, Jun and Mingyu performed this song at their concerts in 2017 and 2018, serenading to stadiums full of Carats as they tossed roses to the crowd as a gesture of their undying love.

And the best music video award goes to…

Rain is usually synonymous with the tail end of spring, as the group sing on the overtly titled ‘April shower’. It’s one of the best album closers they’ve ever put out, signifying both the end of a collection of songs while looking forward to a new season.

With a cheeky reference to their debut song ‘Adore U’ and the return of that signature Freshteen sound to boot, ‘’bout you’ is a fun callback to the lightheartedness of SEVENTEEN’s earlier sound, and a pleasant look back at just how much their sound has expanded since.

This is the song with this verse: “Vernon, yeah / Pull up on you wacks with a Mac fully loaded, ah / Pour down like monsoon season / Beehives increase and block my vision (Wow) / They don’t even know what they’re saying / All those barking rabid dogs (Bow-wow) / I hope you’ll be healed with this verse / ‘Cause I’m the vet, you know it.” Speaks for itself.

‘You Made My Dawn’ was one of SEVENTEEN’s moodier albums, but the Performance Team’s contribution with ‘Shhh’ upped the ante with future bass synths and electronic flairs. As far as the Performance Team’s unit songs go, ‘Shhh’ is one of the most on-brand.

This writer really wishes they could rank this gem of a song higher, but SEVENTEEN just has too many good songs.

As one of their earlier Japanese releases, ‘Happy Ending’ marked a very promising start to what would later become a near-flawless Japanese discography. This writer’s personal favourite lines: “Bash, broom, broom / Oh, boom, boom / Wait, brr, brr / Hit, drr drr.”

‘Snap Shoot’ was one of those songs that took a few listens before it hit, but when it did, it was a glorious home run. And now it’s a bonafide fan favourite and concert staple. Extra points to Mingyu for directing that masterpiece of a music video.

This is another one of those songs that we wish we could rank higher, but alas. Those ’90s pop-ballad flairs just add so much charisma and character to what would have otherwise been just another vocal-focused ballad.

Another Vocal Team song, this time accompanied with strong riffs of guitar, drums and a sentimental chorus made to sob violently to.

“Made it this far, got nothing to prove / Just look back at our footprints,” flaunts Vernon on the chorus. ‘Back It Up’ is an undeniable statement of the group’s achievements throughout their career.

Anyone who dares label ‘OMG’ a bad song has clearly never watched the Performance Team perform the rock version live. This is mandatory viewing for any Carat – you’re welcome.

Can someone check on Vernon and Dino? They may have experienced a herniated disc or something after carrying this song on their backs.

We always get the “life is beautiful” schtick thrown in our direction every once in a while, but ‘Beautiful’ feels like a timeless version of that message delivered with sickly sweet vocals. For those three minutes and 36 seconds, life truly does feel like there’s magic even in the most mundane.

Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference – basically we love it, and they need so many more songs like this.

Skipping this should be considered a breach of international law.

‘Pinwheel’ has always been a staple in any Carat’s playlist for crying (or at least, for this Carat). The song was born after Woozi, who wrote the song’s lyrics, had a dream of a pinwheel sitting in the middle of an empty path – a lovely reminder that a beacon of hope can be something as simple as just that.

One of the many beauties of music is its ability to capture soaring emotion in vivid, sonic detail that touches the heart. ‘Yawn’ is testament to that. Like a sanctuary for the soul, ‘Yawn’ offers much-needed respite amidst the chaos of life.

If ‘Super’ was a declaration of SEVENTEEN’s intention to lead the charge toward a new world, ‘F*ck My Life’, as the title suggests, is an expression of their disgruntlement at whatever the hell is going on right now. Very valid.

Performed by Vernon and Joshua, this all-English bonus track from ‘Attacca’ is a head-banging pop-punk callback to the early 2000s. All hail Avril Lavigne.

As one of their most radio-friendly tracks, ‘_WORLD’ is perfectly safe to recommend to friends who aren’t familiar with K-pop. This summer track might be a lot more commercial, but still managed to showcase how dynamic and flexible SEVENTEEN have always been with their music.

Someone put this on during the opening of the upcoming Haikyuu! movie right now.

“This is your favourite song get down / On repeat for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight hours,” Vernon raps on the intro of this Hip-hop Team track. He is correct – it has been on repeat for about five hours now.

This song came out to a divided audience of those who either really loved or hated it. This writer was kind of on the fence at the time, but one thing’s for sure now: ‘Chilli’ has aged like fine wine since.

City pop that pulls at your heartstrings will always win. Always.

This author has experienced 21 (yes, I counted) ‘Very Nice’’s in a row, so forgive us if our perception of this song is a bit skewed. Though, we can’t deny that this is now and forever a K-pop classic.

A race car concept, skin-tight tops, angsty guitar riffs and sexy choreography? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

One of the most iconic SEVENTEEN openers to date. It’s hard to describe this as an offshoot of any genre because it sounds so rich and unique – except for that only SEVENTEEN could ever be behind a song like this.

It’s hard not to fall head first in love with this song the second it starts playing on those beats that creep up on you just before Joshua opens the song with a “You’re okay. Solve the problem, what are you worried about?”

Real ones remember Wonwoo’s feather pen and those khaki pants worn for live performances for ‘Crazy In Love’. History was made.

Although not exactly a stand-out, ‘Back 2 Back’ is an experimental, maximalist electro-pop track that bursts right out the gate. Although different from what we usually get from the band, this is a welcome addition.

SEVENTEEN’s Japanese discography has always been flawless, ‘Sara Sara’ just continues that streak. The 13-piece are experts at creating uplifting atmospheres in their music while exuding a playful, boyish charm with their vocal performances – this track might just be the peak of that talent.

Another SEVENTEEN-classic coded track that closes off the ‘Seventeenth Heaven’ record with gusto and nostalgia in equal measure. Not exactly new material, but still a tear jerker at concerts.

As with much of SEVENTEEN’s earlier work, ‘Oh My!’ has a lot of light funk influence that makes for that innocent charm they were known for in the earlier half of their career. Laidback and coy, ‘Oh My!’ is an instant earworm and a summer playlist essential.

The latest Vocal Team track from ‘17 Is Right Here’ goes back to the quintet’s roots of nostalgic lyrics and harmonies. It’s extravagant and celebratory in instrumentation, which is a nice contrast to their usual gentle voices. We love the addition of edgy, chugging guitar, which just turns this track into a holistic, feel-good song – just not good enough to put on repeat for an hour or so.

This song will go down in history as the song with one of SEVENTEEN’s best outros to date.

It was a bold move to try their hand at tango, Latin-inspired sounds just a year after debut, but with Woozi as your chief producer you can do just about anything. ‘Fast Pace’ has now become an underrated early B-side, only because she was way too ahead of her time.

They go back to the punchiness of their debut with ‘Clap’, except with a lot of rougher edges and crunchy electric guitar. It’s raucous and momentous with no apologies, and that’s what we all love about it.

Everyone say thank you to Vernon for his life-changing verse.

SEVENTEEN are called K-pop’s theatre kids for a reason. This is the reason – and a great one at that.

S.Coups, Joshua and Jeonghan take slow jazz for a spin on this unsuspecting ‘Semi;colon’ B-side, with lyrics full of lush imagery and sultry vocal tones. If the perfect love song ever existed, ‘AH! LOVE’ would be markedly close to that benchmark.

The Performance Team have always been standing on business. Deep house and whistle melodies come together to create this beautiful hazy atmosphere that feels like the perfect kind of heat on a summer’s day spent by the beach.

Speaking of hazy atmospheres, there is none like that on ‘Dream’. It feels like an intentional callback to the wistfulness and unapologetic embrace of youth in their debut material, except with the vocal performances of real veterans.

‘Mansae’ was their first-ever comeback – of course we’re going to call it a classic. From Dino’s questionable hair to the choreography for the final chorus, there is really nothing you can say about this song that will change its cult status.

Alas, their iconic debut track. Made with $5, a green screen and a dream, ‘Adore U’ is a stark reminder of SEVENTEEN’s humble beginnings. It’s been nothing short of a remarkable experience to watch them soar to such stratospheric heights.

K-pop (or J-pop, in this case) formulas have always loved following repetitive structure, but the beauty of ‘24H’ is that it is a work in motion. Constantly unravelling, taking new paths, diving into new depths. Maybe that’s why it’s such an addictive listen – you can never really predict where it’s going to go, but it always sounds and feels right.

‘Shadow’ deserves an entire essay just unpacking the depth and meaning of its lyrics, but TLDR: the self is a complex entity and light cannot exist without the dark. There is no happiness without hardship, and SEVENTEEN encapsulate that dichotomy in the most beautiful way possible.

‘Light A Flame’ is a decidedly instrumentally rich song – trumpets, jazz, bossa nova sultriness and the range of vocal tones from Wonwoo’s low whispers to Jun’s light falsettos. At a certain point, it’s no longer just a song – it’s an experience.

‘Dust’ feels like SEVENTEEN have held the essence of spring in their hands and translated that to song. It’s like a light, cool breeze, the earthy scent of freshly cut grass and the subtle heat of the sun’s rays on your face. There is delicate longing, but also the opportunity for a clean, new slate. Things are changing. Life is moving forward. ‘Dust’ is what it feels like to stop and soak in the moment in the midst of the movement.

Looking back, ‘Left & Right was the perfect transitory song for SEVENTEEN, combining the magic of older upbeat title tracks with the more mature vibes of their future relaeses. This hit simples invites you to just dance along: “When you’re feeling good without any worries / More, more confidently follow me”

Hoshi drew inspiration for this song’s mouthful of a title from a comment from a fan he chanced upon during a livestream. He loved the concept of an emotion as powerful as love being able to transcend linguistic boundaries and turned it into one of the group’s sexiest songs.

“We’ve been touring domes now / Haven’t you heard it now? / Stadium tours too, hey / Release it now / Denial of injustice, victory, yes, I can now, hеy / Boy band making bands / Twelve years, SEVENTEEN got my back, hеy,” Vernon gloats on his opening verse, atop one of the nastiest beats SEVENTEEN have ever put out. You tell ‘em Vernon.

Although released to little fanfare in 2019, Woozi has said that ‘Fear’ was ahead of its time – and he’s right. This was one of SEVENTEEN’s first proper forays into a richer, darker adult sound, and it has only aged like fine wine since.

What is life if not for love and friendship?

As the case with most of their Japanese releases, electric guitars and rock vibes take centre stage on this emotionally charged single. Even then, ‘Ima’ has a refreshing air of fluidity and ease, telling us that even if the world ends tomorrow, we are going to be okay.

We will not let that Boys’ Planet audition marr the good name of this banger. Even if that’s all we can think about when the song starts.

This is a cult classic coming-of-age rom-com film in song form – think the charm and nostalgia of 10 Things I Hate About You and 13 Going On 30 packed in three minutes and 27 seconds.

Many Japanese singles have come and gone, but their high-octane debut with ‘CALL CALL CALL!’ remains undefeated. So does Vernon’s “moshi moshi?” line.

Jun, The8, Vernon and Joshua come together for this ‘An Ode’ track, which rightfully deserves a place in the SEVENTEEN deep cut hall of fame with its explosive deep house and EDM, as they croon about the idiosyncrasies of romance only made alive in a digital space.

This Performance Team song was, at the time of its release, one of the band’s more experimental songs. It’s a masterclass in blending dance performance and engaging production to paint a complete picture of something so otherworldly – a listen is not complete without watching its accompanying dance.

The Hip-Hop Team dip their toes in different waters with ‘Monster’, choosing to go for a concept song that feels fit for spooky season. This was the best decision they could’ve possibly made – no matter the beat, they always deliver.

Woozi wrote this song as a dedication to Wonwoo and his late mother; a heart-wrenching ballad about the resilience through shared music and the cyclical nature of time, which heals all wounds.

Although simple in production compared to the band’s other songs, ‘Rock with You’ feels very SEVENTEEN in its simplicity. Despite its name, the song is rather soft and laidback, but still an incredibly strong track that brings out their sensitivities in the best ways possible. S.Coups’ subdued bridge also makes for a brilliant standout.

It’s been eight years and we’re still in 2016 with this funk-inspired B-side from ‘LOVE&LETTER’. You’ll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Any OG Carat would start convulsing at the first note of ‘Diamond Days’ – it’s a sweet, nostalgic and emotionally charged song calling back to their early days in the Pledis Entertainment basement. It feels like 2015 again, in the best way possible.

But of course, no callback will ever best the original. ‘Shining Diamond’ was the SEVENTEEN song when they debuted. “Slip into the diamond life!” their youthful, innocent voices demanded, and slip we did.

What’s not to love about silly, goofy songs that don’t take themselves too seriously? Sure, this is going to be a controversial placement, but how can you look Dino in the eyes and deny that he’s not a balloon.

Harnessing a darker, more aggressive side to the boyband, ‘Maestro’ is a menacing and powerful testament to their influence on the K-pop industry. They are the real maestros, we’re just following their lead.

The pure aural harmony of Joshua’s sweet voice and Vernon’s rougher, vocoder-tinted rap verses should be studied in labs. ‘Rocket’, despite its age, remains one of the best SEVENTEEN album cuts to date with funk, pop and hip-hop influences.

This synth-driven banger reminds us of walking home (maybe slightly drunk) alone at 3am from a fun night out, feeling like you’re on top of the world. You’d catch this writer dancing to this on the sidewalk at the crack of dawn.

The production on ‘Domino’ is so engaging and playful, it feels like a conversation between SEVENTEEN and the listener. It’s a call-and-response, holding back with hesitation at certain moments before soaring to new heights that opens doors to a new world. The alluring push-and-pull effect of this wonderful track is what makes this song such an experience.

Pulling inspiration from the rising popularity of Amapiano, ‘Spell’ is a masterclass in the Performance Team’s fluidity and range. You could chalk this up to recency bias, but we believe ‘Spell’ has proved itself as one of their best songs to date.

Lifted from 2021’s ‘Your Choice’, this hazy deep house anthem feels like a smooth cascade over ocean waves, as they croon promises of freedom beyond horizons only if you dare traverse that far. While no longer our choice for number one, ‘Wave’ remains terribly understated and still one of the group’s best.

‘God of Music’ is a more mature, but still equally as fun, callback to the boyband’s earlier discography – specifically ‘Very Nice’ and ‘Pretty U’. The song plays to their strengths and with upbeat, feel-good hooks and raps. It’s just one big ball of sunshine and we love it.

Taking cues from the Spanish epic of the same name, ‘Don Quixote’ is a bass-heavy saga that blends the literary classic with the boyband’s signature, powerful pop sound. Pledis Entertainment, if you’re reading this, we demand that this song be given the music video it deserves.

As SEVENTEEN shown over and over on this list, high-energy is what they do best. With elements of power metal in its killer guitar work and hard-hitting rock, ‘March’ evokes the grit of the Old West, as they sing “like a cowboy”.

The Korean title for ‘Super’ takes its name from the famous Chinese mythology character, Sun Wu-kong from the story, Journey to the West. Here, they are the heroes of their own story, travelling across the globe and overcoming hardship with the help of each other. It can’t come as a surprise that this song is so high on our list, considering it was also named by NME as one of the best K-pop songs of 2023.

“I spill something out on the piano / No kick, no snare but the rhythm’s freaky (Freaky) / Everybody come with me, this ambiance, shake it / We build a building from our basement unit,” S.Coups chants on the opening of ‘Cheers’, in something that can only be compared to a warcry.

Fitting for a song performed by the pillars of SEVENTEEN – Hoshi, Woozi and S.Coups, who are also the leaders of their respective units – it’s an immediate headbanger and bravado of a track. The trio give themselves the well-earned space to brag about the heights and milestones they’ve reached since starting out as a group with barely anything to their names.

We can already foresee it – this is going to be a controversial number one, but hear us out. This ‘Face The Sun’ closer deserves the praise. It embodies the very essence and spirit of rebelliousness, liberation and unapologetic authenticity. It’s easy to give in to the temptations of AutoTune, but ‘Ash’ finds the perfect sweet spot.

There’s also the way the boyband meld hypnotic trap with hip-hop elements to weave a tale of transformation, as they rise from the ashes. As Vernon declares on his verse, “To the sun, to the moon / Another world, blaze up anew,” what better way to draw a chapter to a close than by challenging the norms and embracing destruction as a catalyst for renewal?