Dancing, rapping, beatboxing: K-pop group Seventeen really can do it all.
On the go since 2015, the band consists of 13 members – S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino – formed into three units: Performance, Vocal and Hip-Hop. Their fanbase numbers in the millions, and their streaming numbers are even bigger: in the hundreds of millions.
With the band about to make their Glastonbury debut in just a few days (becoming the first ever K-pop group to play the Pyramid in the process), what better time than now to rank their top ten songs, once and for all, from their huge back catalogue.
Mansae (2015)
Seventeen’s first big single was released all the way back in 2015, and it still slaps almost a decade on. Set in a high school, it features the boys mooning after a girl in their class. Bright and sunny, it’s a cult favourite for a reason: there’s an infectious beat, the energy is off the wall and the choreography is of course immaculate. Though pour one out for Dino’s hair; did he really deserve that severe bob?
HOT (2022)
A chance for the band to show off a grittier side to their image and music: a refreshing change from their mostly wholesome vibe. HOT is a song that’s bursting with attitude – there’s a music video shot in a desert, clips of people fighting robot soldiers and liberal use of distortion-laden guitar riffs as well as (weirdly) the sound of car alarms.
Spell (2024)
Who said K-pop has to be all about pop? This easy breezy amapiano-influenced number proves that Seventeen can master pretty much any genre they turn their attention to. Featuring silky smooth beats and great vocals – the Performance Team are really showing off what they can do – it sounds like South African star Tyla on steroids.
Plus, the music video is absolutely gorgeous. Hoshi, Jun, The8 and Dino look great (dressing up Jun as Apollo is of course a masterstroke) and the tarot-themed visuals make this one of their best-looking songs yet.
Rocket (2017)
The lead single from the Rocket album spotlights the vocal talents of Joshua and Vernon – one singing, one rapping. Their harmonies are ethereal, the beat is catchy and the lyrics, while simple, are characteristically feel-good.
March (2022)
About as Wild West as Seventeen get. March sees them dialling up the hard rock and thudding rhythm to something reminiscent of Bon Jovi – mix in the excellent guitar work and repeated references to doing things “like a cowboy” and what you have is something that feels very on-trend for summer 2024. Where’s the music video for this underrated banger?
Pretty U (2016)
A song so sweet it should come with a warning. The bubblegum-pink Pretty U takes its inspiration from all the Eighties romcoms ever made, and the music video duly comes saturated in an old-timey filter. It’s no surprise, then, that this sounds like the intro to a sitcom (in the best way, think Gilmore Girls). All in all, a very charming slice of nostalgia.
God of Music (2023)
A song that takes the band’s original hits of Pretty U and Very Nice and dials them up to 11. This sunny, summery track is an ode to the power of music and its ability to connect people – it’s funky, fun and crammed to bursting with basslines, raps and upbeat hooks that get stuck in the head. Plus, it’s a chance for Woozi’s particular brand of feel-good music to have its moment. No wonder it was absolutely everywhere last year.
Cheers (2022)
Seventeen’s lead performers Hoshi, Woozi and S.Coups take the wheel in this rallying cry for the band’s success: “we built a building from our basement unit”, they sing. With the trio centre stage, they take the opportunity to brag about what they’ve accomplished so far, set against slick beats and a slightly eerie flute solo. We defy you to listen to this without tapping toes; it seems crafted for stadium chanting.
And the winner is… Super (2023)
A masterclass in how to craft a pop song. NME called this one of the best K-pop songs of 2023, and it’s not hard to see why: it has banger written all over it, as the team celebrate the work that has gotten them to where they are now.
Super gives us Jeonghan rapping, and a rare opportunity for Joshua to show off his vocal skills, as well as callbacks to the Chinese myth of Sun Wu-kong from the story Journey to the West. “I love my team, I love my crew,” they rap. Indeed.
