Universe | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 14, 2021 | |||
Recorded | 2021 | |||
Studio | SM Studios (Seoul) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 45:49 | |||
Language |
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Label |
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NCT chronology | ||||
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NCT studio albums chronology | ||||
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Singles from Universe | ||||
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Universe is the third studio album and ninth album overall by South Korean boy band NCT. It was released on December 14,2021,by SM Entertainment. Similar to their previous releases NCT 2018 Empathy and NCT 2020 Resonance ,NCT 2021 Universe is part of "NCT 2021" project;which saw all current NCT members from several units collaborating on a full-length release. This time,the album features 21 out of 23 members from three current units of NCT;NCT 127,NCT Dream,and WayV. Members Lucas and Winwin were unable to participate. [2] [3] Universe is NCT's final album to feature Shotaro and Sungchan,who both withdrew from the group in May 2023. [4]
On November 13,2021,it was announced that NCT would reunite for a third time as NCT 2021 following their second full group project, NCT 2020 Resonance ,in 2020. Five teaser videos,titled "NCT 2021 YearDream" and each labeled from Stage 0 through Stage 4,were released between November 21 and November 29. NCT groups NCT 127,NCT Dream,and WayV were confirmed to participate in Universe,with Winwin and Lucas being absent from the project. NCT released track videos for "Dreaming","Miracle",and "Earthquake",by NCT Dream,WayV,and NCT 127,respectively. The music video for "Universe (Let's Play Ball)" was released on December 10. The music video for "Beautiful" was released alongside the album itself on December 14. [5]
Universe surpassed more than 1.7 million pre-orders on the day of release,breaking their previous record of 1.1 million pre-orders for NCT 2020 Resonance Pt.1 [6]
Program | Date (3 total) | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Music Bank | December 24,2021 | [7] |
December 31,2021 | [8] | |
January 7,2022 | [9] |
Critic/Publication | List | Work | Rank | Ref. |
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Los Angeles Times | The 100 best songs of 2021 | "OK!" | 47 | [10] |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
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1. | "New Axis" (NCT U) (sung by Taeyong, Mark and Yangyang) |
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| 2:11 | |
2. | "Universe (Let's Play Ball)" (NCT U) (sung by Doyoung, Jungwoo, Mark, Xiaojun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang and Shotaro) |
|
| 3:51 | |
3. | "Earthquake" (NCT 127) | Park Seong-hee |
|
| 3:28 |
4. | "OK!" (NCT U) (sung by Taeyong, Yuta, Ten, Mark, Hendery, Jeno and Yangyang) | Kenzie |
| Timothy "Bos" Bullock | 3:49 |
5. | "Birthday Party" (NCT U) (sung by Johnny, Yuta, Jungwoo, Hendery, Jaemin, Shotaro, Chenle and Jisung) | Rick Bridges |
|
| 3:18 |
6. | "Know Now" (NCT U) (sung by Johnny, Doyoung, Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Jaemin, Yangyang and Sungchan) |
|
| dwilly | 3:48 |
7. | "Dreaming" (NCT Dream) |
|
| Sam Klempner | 3:10 |
8. | "Round&Round" (NCT U) (sung by Taeil, Ten, Jaehyun, Xiaojun, Haechan and Sungchan) |
| Vendors (Joombas) | 3:23 | |
9. | "Miracle" (WayV) |
|
| LDN Noise | 3:10 |
10. | "Vroom" (NCT U) (sung by Kun, Jaehyun, Jungwoo, Hendery, Shotaro, Chenle and Jisung) | Song Yoo (Joombas) | samUIL | samUIL | 3:45 |
11. | "Sweet Dream" (NCT U) (sung by Taeil, Kun, Jaehyun, Haechan and Chenle) |
|
| minGtion | 3:32 |
12. | "Good Night" (Korean : 별자리; RR : Byeoljari;lit. Constellation) (NCT U) (sung by Taeil, Doyoung, Xiaojun and Renjun) | Jisoo Park (Joombas) |
| Joombas | 3:58 |
13. | "Beautiful" (NCT 2021) |
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| 4:21 |
Total length: | 45:49 |
Credits adapted from Naver and QQ Music. [11] [12]
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Recording
Editing
| Mixing
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Weekly charts
| Monthly charts
Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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South Korea (KMCA) [29] | Million | 1,838,636 [30] |
Japan | — | 84,158 [31] |
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