Hard | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 26, 2023 | |||
Recorded | 2023 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 31:31 | |||
Language | Korean | |||
Label | SM | |||
Shinee chronology | ||||
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Singles from Hard | ||||
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Hard is the eighth Korean-language studio album by South Korean boy band Shinee. The album was released on June 26, 2023, through SM Entertainment. It was the group's first album since the youngest member, Taemin, completed his military service, and marked their 15th anniversary. It consists of ten songs of various genres, including the lead single, "Hard". The album was described as the start of a "new chapter" for the group, who sought to continually reinvent themselves and experiment with new genres. It was commercially successful, peaking at number two on South Korea's Circle Album Chart, and received largely positive reviews from music critics.
Shinee's youngest member, Taemin, enlisted in the military in May 2021, several months after the release of their seventh studio album, Don't Call Me . [1] The remaining members, Onew, Key and Minho, focused on solo activities while they awaited his return. [2] In January 2023, reports surfaced that they were planning to release their eighth album in May to celebrate their 15th anniversary, following the completion of Taemin's military duties. [3] This was corroborated by an SM Entertainment earnings report the following month. [4] Taemin was discharged from the military on April 4, 2023, and resumed idol activities, [5] while Key confirmed that the group had begun recording. [2] The album was delayed from its originally scheduled May release, and in an interview with Clash , Taemin expressed regret that they'd had limited time to prepare. [6]
According to Onew, the album marked the beginning of a "new chapter" for the group. Their agency said that it would contain genres they had not explored before. [7] For the lead single, Shinee decided to select hip hop song "Hard" over their agency's choice of "Juice" because they felt it would be a "new experience" for them. They expressed a desire to constantly seek a new identity and keep evolving. [6]
The album contains ten songs of various genres. Lead single "Hard" is a hip hop dance song, written by Kenzie, that incorporates boom bap, R&B and 90s hip hop. The lyrics contain the catchphrase "We go hard" and reflect Shinee's determination to face challenges without giving up and trust their own beliefs. [8] "Juice" is a high tempo hip hop dance song with energetic rapping, a strong bassline and brass sounds. It is about falling in love with someone who enjoys life to the fullest, and carries the message of living with confidence and embracing each moment. [9] The lyrics to the third song, "10X", express instinctive feelings towards another person. The track combines jazzy piano sounds with conga rhythms, tambourine and shakers. [10] "Satellite" is an electropop song in which Shinee compare themselves to a satellite, unable to get closer to the object of their affections. The melody is driven by claves and pluck synths, mixing major and minor keys to create a "strange atmosphere". [9] "Identity" is an uptempo dance song with a heavy funk bass, rough-textured synths and brass sounds. It is about the artist's determination to reveal their true identity, rather than keep it hidden. [10] "The Feeling" belongs to the drum and bass genre, and includes a fast-paced breakbeat and bassline. Directed at fans, the lyrics contain messages to the people who have supported Shinee in the past, present and future. [11] Dance-pop song "Like It" contains a repetitive synth line on top of a "cheerful" beat. It features rhythmical vocal lines and a falsetto chorus, while the lyrics use sensory expressions to describe attraction to another person. [9] The album contains two breakup songs: "Sweet Misery" and "Insomnia". "Sweet Misery", an electropop song with synth sounds, reminisces about happy memories from before a breakup, while "Insomnia" describes the insomnia felt post-separation. It is a midtempo R&B hip hop song with guitar riffs, piano and vocal effects. [12] The final song on the album, "Gravity", is a midtempo R&B song with minimalistic instrumentation and a lyrical melody. It expresses the feeling of missing a loved one. [10]
On May 21, 2023, a billboard appeared in Seoul proclaiming that Shinee would return in June. [13] They held a fan meeting event titled Everyday is Shinee Day: Piece of Shine on May 27–28 to commemorate their anniversary, where they previewed new song "The Feeling". [14] The album was officially announced on June 1, with a confirmed release date of June 26. Pre-orders began the same day. [15] On June 9, SM Entertainment announced that Onew would sit out of album promotions due to health issues. [16] A music video for "The Feeling" premiered on YouTube on June 10 as an anniversary gift for fans. [11] Shinee launched an interactive website where users could navigate through a 3D maze to discover hints about the album, including a schedule poster for their online content. Fans had to guess the website's URL using a "clue" poster released on their social media accounts. They also released a "mood sampler" video showing Shinee lost in a maze, [17] followed by teaser images in the same setting. [18] Ahead of the album's release, Shinee held a concert, Shinee World VI: Perfect Illumination, at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul, [19] where they performed the lead single for the first time. [20]
To promote the album, Shinee guested on various variety and reality shows. They also performed lead single "Hard" and album track "Juice" on music programs such as M Countdown , Music Bank , Show! Music Core and Inkigayo . [21] Key participated in promotions despite suffering from a wrist injury. [22] Taemin appeared on Omniscient Interfering View alongside his manager, showcasing their close relationship and daily life. [23] Minho and Taemin guested on DoReMi Market , where Key serves as a cast member. [24] Shinee featured in their own reality show, Shinee's 15m, to commemorate their album release and anniversary. The program, which was broadcast by JTBC, showed Shinee going on a roadtrip and included performances of new songs. [25] On July 3, they released a performance video of "Juice" on their YouTube account. [26] They appeared on the web show MMTG, where they remastered their 2008 song "Amigo". [27] They made an appearance on Music Universe K-909 , where they performed "Gravity" for the first time and were interviewed by labelmate BoA. [28]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
NME | [29] |
Hard received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Writing for IZE, Lee Deok-haeng said that Shinee continued to challenge themselves with new genres while still maintaining their core identity. He viewed it as consistent with Shinee's history of musical experimentation, and concluded that by constantly reinventing themselves, they were able to still appear "youthful and energetic" fifteen years into their career. [30] Kim Young-dae wrote that it felt like a greatest hits album despite being composed of entirely new songs, describing it as very "Shinee-like". He regarded it as the "highest level album that a K-pop boy group can present". [31] Grant Rindner of i-D said that the album's "joyful organized chaos" delivered "a sense of both poignance and catharsis". He stated that it showed Shinee continued to push boundaries and maintain relevance despite the adversity they had endured. [32] In a more mixed review, NME critic Rhian Daly described the album as "perfectly pleasant" but felt that it didn't live up to the standards set by their previous work. She deemed "Insomnia" and "Gravity" the most sonically interesting moments, and praised the overall quality of the lyrics, singling out "Identity" for its "impactful message". [29]
Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Paste | The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2023 | 20 | [33] |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hard" | Kenzie |
|
| 2:57 |
2. | "Juice" | Kenzie |
| Dwayne "Dem Jointz" Abernathy Jr. | 3:18 |
3. | "10X" | Lee Hyung-seok (PNP) |
| Felix Back | 3:42 |
4. | "Satellite" | Park Tae-won |
| Josh Cumbee | 3:29 |
5. | "Identity" | Choi Ji-yoon (153/Joombas) |
| Moonshine | 3:16 |
6. | "The Feeling" | Jo Yoon-kyung |
|
| 3:54 |
7. | "Like It" | 12h51m (Verygoods) |
|
| 2:45 |
8. | "Sweet Misery" | Jo Yoon-kyung |
|
| 3:06 |
9. | "Insomnia" (불면증;Bulmyeonjeung) | Kim In-hyung (Jam Factory) |
| Josh Cumbee | 3:47 |
10. | "Gravity" | Choi Ji-yoon (153/Joombas) |
| Ludwig Lindell | 3:17 |
Total length: | 31:31 |
Weekly charts
| Monthly charts
Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
South Korea (KMCA) [43] | Platinum | 250,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Program | Date | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Show Champion | July 5, 2023 | [44] |
July 12, 2023 | [45] | |
Music Bank | July 7, 2023 | [46] |
Show! Music Core | July 8, 2023 | [44] |
Inkigayo | July 9, 2023 | [47] |
Shinee is a South Korean boy band formed by SM Entertainment in 2008. The group originally consisted of five members: Onew, Key, Minho, Taemin, and Jonghyun, until the latter died in 2017. The group's musical impact in their native country has earned them numerous accolades and the title "Princes of K-pop".
Kim Ki-bum, better known by his stage name Key, is a South Korean singer and television personality. Born and raised in Daegu, South Korea, he later moved to Seoul after a successful audition at the SM National Tour Audition Casting. In May 2008, Key debuted as a member of South Korean boy band Shinee, who later went on to become one of the best-selling artists in South Korea. Key is widely recognized as a singer and dancer, but he has also ventured into different careers, notably as a television presenter.
Kim Jong-hyun, known mononymously as Jonghyun, was a South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer, radio host, and author under the SM Entertainment label. He was the vocalist of the South Korean boy band Shinee for nine years, releasing twelve albums with the group in both Korean and Japanese. He also participated in SM Entertainment's project group, SM the Ballad, for the release of two EP albums.
SM Entertainment (Korean: SM엔터테인먼트) is a South Korean entertainment company established in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. It is currently one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house.
Lee Tae-min, better known mononymously as Taemin, is a South Korean singer and actor. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band Shinee in May 2008 and the supergroup SuperM in 2019, both under SM Entertainment, and has subsequently been labeled by media outlets as the "Idol's Idol" due to the large number of idols citing him as an inspiration. As an actor, Taemin's first role was as Junsu in the 2009 MBC comedy Hilarious Housewives.
"Replay" is the debut single by South Korean boy band Shinee, recorded for the extended play of the same name. It was released on May 22, 2008, through SM Entertainment. A Japanese version of the song was later released on June 22, 2011, through EMI Music Japan.
The Misconceptions of Us is the third studio album released by South Korean boy band Shinee. It consists of two parts, Dream Girl – The Misconceptions of You and the second Why So Serious? – The Misconceptions of Me, that were later collected together as The Misconceptions of Us under SM Entertainment and distributed by KT Music.
Never Gonna Dance Again is the third Korean studio album by South Korean singer Taemin. It consists of two parts, Act 1 and Act 2, that were later collected together in the repackage album, Never Gonna Dance Again .
Don't Call Me is the seventh Korean studio album by South Korean boy group Shinee. The album was released on February 22, 2021, through SM Entertainment. It is the group's first release since three of the members completed their military service with the exception of member Taemin and also the group's first album not to feature late member Jonghyun in any capacity. Working with producers such as Dem Jointz, Yoo Young-jin, Kenzie, and Ryan S. Jhun, the album spans several genres such as pop, hip hop, EDM, R&B, and reggae. Shinee forwent an overarching theme for the album, instead opting for songs that marked the group's return after almost three years and presenting the record as a gift to fans. A repackage of the album, Atlantis, was released on April 12, 2021.
Advice is the third Korean extended play recorded by South Korean singer Taemin. It was released on May 18, 2021, by SM Entertainment, produced by Cutfather, PhD, Moonshine and Ryan S. Jhun, among others. The album contains five songs including the lead single, "Advice".
Bad Love is the first Korean extended play by South Korean singer Key. It was released on September 27, 2021, through SM Entertainment. Marketed as his first "mini album" release, it consists of six songs, including the singles "Hate That..." and "Bad Love". The EP was Key's first solo release since returning from the military. Conceptually, it follows a retro space theme, inspired by the science fiction films of the 1980s and 1990s. It peaked at number three on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart and received positive reviews from music critics.
Dice is the second extended play by South Korean singer Onew. It was released on April 11, 2022, through SM Entertainment. It consists of six tracks, including the lead single of the same name.
Gasoline is the second studio album by South Korean singer Key. It was released on August 30, 2022, through SM Entertainment. It consists of eleven tracks, including lead single "Gasoline". The album was commercially successful, debuting at number one on South Korea's Circle Album Chart, and received positive reviews from music critics. A reissue, titled Killer, was released on February 13, 2023. It features three new songs, including the lead single of the same name. Gasoline and Killer form the second and third parts of the "retro trilogy" Key started with his 2021 EP Bad Love.
Chase is the debut extended play by South Korean singer and rapper Minho. It was released on December 6, 2022, through SM Entertainment. Chase was the last in a string of solo debuts by members of the boy group Shinee. It contains six songs belonging to the hip hop and R&B genres, including lead single "Chase". It peaked at number four on South Korea's Circle Album Chart.
Circle is the first Korean-language studio album by South Korean singer Onew. It was released on March 6, 2023, through SM Entertainment. The album contains ten songs, including the lead single, "O (Circle)". It peaked at number three on South Korea's Circle Album Chart.
Good & Great is the second Korean extended play (EP) by South Korean singer Key. It was released on September 11, 2023, through SM Entertainment. The EP features an office theme, and contains six songs from various genres, including the title track as the lead single.
Guilty is the fourth Korean extended play (EP) by South Korean singer Taemin. It was released on October 30, 2023, through SM Entertainment. The EP is Taemin's first release since being discharged from military service. It consists of six songs, including the lead single, "Guilty".
Eternal is the fifth Korean extended play (EP) by South Korean singer Taemin. It was released on August 19, 2024, through BPM Entertainment. It contains seven songs, including the two lead singles, "Sexy in the Air" and "Horizon". The EP also marks his tenth anniversary as a soloist.