This is deforestedmusic’s The Quarter Report. Every quarter, we present the newest trends, innovations and the top records that defined the past 3 months.

Enjoy the lists for the top Artists, Albums, Songs, B-sides, Music Videos, Performances, TrackScore of the quarter. Plus, a fun new prediction segment, which projects Award Season nominees (only for Daesangs) for the year. Enjoy!

Overview

Q2 2021 has officially ended. Honestly, I’m not really ready to leave it. I hope this quarter’s report doesn’t look rushed. I am very delighted to review a quarter that I honestly didn’t expect to continue amazing me. This past months has been filled with nothing but praises and amazing works from the world of music. I’m just bewildered by this quarter.

In the land of Korea, Atlantis defined the whole quarter with an amazing spree of acclaim from all over the globe. SHINee defended its place and killed the game both in sales and in critical acclaim, yet again. I’m really starting to believe it is gonna be a BTS vs. SHINee battle in this year’s Artist of the Year. Yuqi, fromis_9 and Brave Girls were the absolute female standouts in a quarter where it has been clear that the women rule music.

In Japan, I think this is where I got very worried. I am really shocked at the amount of pale releases compared to last quarter. I mean for starters, ONE OK ROCK did great with Renegades, Kenshi made sure to defend his record of amazing songs and Produce 101 Japan shocked me with a bop. I guess this quarter wasn’t just for Japan.

To sum it up, this list that I’m about to present to you are what I think shaped the whole quarter. Not just in sales, not just in quality but in musical, lyrical and transcendental achievement. Not really looked upon by many. Q2 2021 revved up the quality of music to significant levels. I’m giving the quarter a Very Strong standing. This is particularly rare since a Very Strong standing is usually for quarters that have produced the most memorable and classic songs you could ever hear in music.

Quarter Rating: 78

Top Artists

1. BTS

2. SHINee

3. OnlyOneOf

4. TXT

5. GWSN

6. SEVENTEEN

7. ENHYPEN

8. BRAVE GIRLS

9. WJSN

10. LUCY

Top Albums

1. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON (GWSN)

2. The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE (TXT)

3. Instinct, Pt. 1 (OnlyOneOf)

4. Your Choice (SEVENTEEN)

5. Gatcha! (LUCY)

Top Songs

1. Butter

English, Pop – Produced by Rob Grimaldi, Stephen Kirk, Ron Perry; Written by Kim Nam-joon, Alex Billowitz, Jenna Andrews, Rob Grimaldi, Ron Perry, Sebastian Garcia, Stephen Kirk (Big Hit/HYBE)

2. libidO

Korean, Alternative R&B – Produced by Shin Kyu-bin,
Jung Wook-Jin, BLUR, LVPS; Written by Shin Kyu-bin,
Jung Wook-Jin, Haeil, Xydo, BLUR, LVPS (8D)

3. 0X1=LOVESONG

Korean, Pop Rock – Produced by Slow Rabbit; Written by Kim Nam-joon, Slow Rabbit, Bang Shi-hyuk, Derek Smith, Andrew Migliore, Melanie Fontana, danke, Will Simms, Gabriel Brandes, Matt Thomson, Max Graham (Big Hit/HYBE)

4. Atlantis

Korean, Electronic – Produced by ARCADES, IMLAY, Yoo Young-jin; Written by Britt Pols, CHANGMO, Engelina Andrina Tekst, Gabriel Brandes, Hwang Yubin, James F. Reynolds, Matt Thomson, Max Graham, Yoo Young-jin (SM)

5. Stop For Nothing

Japanese, Pop Rock – Produced by Nicklas Eklund, Viktor Strand, Koos Kamerling; Written by YVES & ADAMS, Nicklas Eklund, Viktor Strand, Koos Kamerling (LDH)

6. Ancient Dreams in A Modern Land

English, Synthpop – Produced and Written by Marina Lambrini Diamandis (Atlantic/WMG)

7. Chi Mat Ba Ram

Korean, Pop – Produced and Written by Brave Brothers and Chakun (Brave)

8. Black Mirror

Korean, Pop – Produced by Kim Do-hoon, Seo Yong-bae, Lee Sang-ho; Written by Kim Young-jo, Kim Do-hoon, Basick, MONOTREE, Seo Yong-bae, Lee Sang-ho (RBW)

9. Bonnie & Clyde

Korean, Alternative Rock – Produced by Joel Strömgren; Written by Galeyn Tenhaeff, Catalina Schweighauser, Joel Strömgren, Benjamin Roustaing (CUBE)

10. Drunk-Dazed

Korean, Pop Rock – Produced by Wonderkidd, Bang Shi-hyuk; Written by Bang Shi-hyuk, LIL 27 CLUB, Michel Schulz, Melanie Fontana, Wonderkidd (Belift/CJ E&M/HYBE)

Top B-sides

1. tear of gOd

Artist: OnlyOneOf

2. No Rules

Artist: TXT

3. I Can’t Breathe

Artist: GWSN

4. Mixed Up

Artist: ENHYPEN

5. ONE BY ONE

Artist: LUCY

Top Music Videos

1. Scared

Produced by: Yu Yena; Directed by: Seong Won-mo (P1HARMONY)

2. libidO

Produced by: Sanrroksu; Directed by: Lee Sang-dok, Yoon Moon-seong (OnlyOneOf)

3. FIRST

Produced by: MOTHER; Directed by: Woogie Kim (EVERGLOW)

4. 0X1=LOVESONG

Produced by: LUMPENS; Directed by: Choi Yong-seok, Guzza (TXT)

5. WE GO

Produced by: Jo Su-yeon; Directed by: Kim Ji-yong (fromis_9)

6. Drunk-Dazed

Produced by: LUMPENS; Directed by: Choi Yong-seok (ENHYPEN)

7. Breathe Again

Produced by: TIGERCAVE; Directed by: Lee Gi-baek (BLITZERS)

8. Renegades

Produced by: A4A; Directed by: Toshi Atsunori (ONE OK ROCK)

9. SPIDER

Produced by: Na Hanul; Directed by: Yoon Rima (HOSHI)

10. Black Mirror

Produced by: Lee Hae-jin; Directed by: Hong Wonki, HYEYA (ONEUS)

Top Performances

1. Renegades

2. libidO

3. Atlantis

4. Stop For Nothing

5. FIRST

6. 0X1=LOVESONG

7. Poison

8. Butter

9. Like Water

10. Gambler

Top TrackScores

1. Butter

Score: 91 – Universal Acclaim

2. Gambler

Score: 90 – Universal Acclaim

3. Bonnie & Clyde

Score: 90 – Universal Acclaim

4. 0X1=LOVESONG

Score: 89 – Widespread Acclaim

5. I GOT U

Score: 89 – Widespread Acclaim

6. Atlantis

Score: 89 – Widespread Acclaim

7. Chi Mat Ba Ram

Score: 88 – Widespread Acclaim

8. SPIDER

Score: 88 – Widespread Acclaim

9. I Wouldn’t Look For You

Score: 88 – Widespread Acclaim

10. Like Water

Score: 88 – Widespread Acclaim

Projected Award Season Nominees (Part 2)

Welcome to the part 2 of our 3 part prediction series where I predict the top nominees for this year’s biggest events in deforestedmusic. By this time the nominees are basically 70% locks so the anticipation is higher than ever before if they can clinch any nomination in Golden Tunes, Music Critics’ Circle, Independent Noise, Oracle Awards and the Insider Awards.

Record of the Year

Golden Tunes (Media)

  1. Atlantis by SHINee
  2. Butter by BTS
  3. Beautiful Beautiful by ONF
  4. LILAC by IU
  5. Chi Mat Ba Ram by BRAVE GIRLS

Dark Horse: Gambler by MONSTA X

Music Critics’ Circle (Critics)

  1. Beautiful Beautiful by ONF
  2. Butter by BTS
  3. Atlantis by SHINee
  4. Gambler by MONSTA X
  5. Jayu by SE SO NEON
  6. Bonnie & Clyde by Yuqi
  7. 0X1=LOVESONG by TXT
  8. Chi Mat Ba Ram by Brave Girls
  9. LILAC by IU
  10. Poison by Pink Fantasy

Dark Horse: My War by Shinsei Kamattechan

Independent Noise (Independent Labels)

  1. Butter by BTS
  2. 0X1=LOVESONG by TXT
  3. Beautiful Beautiful by ONF
  4. Jayu by SE SO NEON
  5. Chi Mat Ba Ram by Brave Girls
  6. Dream by Song Gain
  7. Poison by Pink Fantasy
  8. MOON RIDER by BDC

Dark Horse: I GOT U by LUCY

Oracle Awards (Japanese Industry)

  1. My War by Shinsei Kamattechan
  2. Renegades by ONE OK ROCK
  3. Pale Blue by Kenshi Yonezu
  4. Wadachi by SPYAIR
  5. Universe by Official HIGE DANdism
  6. Bokuwa Bokuo Sukininaru by Nogizaka46
  7. Bokuga Bokuja Naimtaida by SixTONES
  8. Shadow by Produce 101 Japan (Season 2)

Dark Horse: Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai by Meguru Meguru

Insider Awards (Korean Industry)

  1. Butter by BTS
  2. Beautiful Beautiful by ONF
  3. Atlantis by SHINee
  4. Chi Mat Ba Ram by BRAVE GIRLS
  5. LILAC by IU
  6. 0X1=LOVESONG by TXT
  7. Tail by SUNMI
  8. WE GO by fromis_9
  9. libidO by OnlyOneOf
  10. Poison by Pink Fantasy

Dark Horse: Bonnie & Clyde by Yuqi

Album of the Year

Golden Tunes

  1. SHINee
  2. IU
  3. WJSN
  4. TXT
  5. NCT Dream

Music Critics’ Circle

  1. SHINee
  2. Baek Yerin
  3. TXT
  4. GWSN
  5. IU
  6. NCT Dream
  7. ONF
  8. WJSN
  9. OnlyOneOf
  10. YUKIKA

Insider Awards

  1. TXT
  2. SHINee
  3. GWSN
  4. IU
  5. NCT Dream
  6. SEVENTEEN
  7. Baek Yerin
  8. WJSN
  9. ONF
  10. YUKIKA

Song of the Year

Music Critics’ Circle

  1. Beautiful Beautiful by ONF
  2. 0X1=LOVESONG by TXT
  3. LILAC by IU
  4. Jayu by SE SO NEON
  5. I Got U by LUCY
  6. Butter by BTS
  7. Like Water by Wendy
  8. Dream by Song Gain
  9. Tail by SUNMI
  10. Gambler by MONSTA X

Dark Horse: IYAH by Kang Seungyoon

Insider Awards

  1. 0X1=LOVESONG by TXT
  2. Beautiful Beautiful by ONF
  3. Like Water by Wendy
  4. LILAC by IU
  5. Poison by Pink Fantasy
  6. Bonnie & Clyde by Yuqi
  7. I Wouldn’t Look for You by Kim Jaehwan
  8. libidO by OnlyOneOf
  9. Butter by BTS
  10. Jayu by SE SO NEON

Dark Horse: Atlantis by SHINee

Artist of the Year

Golden Tunes

  1. BTS
  2. SHINee
  3. IU
  4. Brave Girls
  5. TXT

Music Critics’ Circle

  1. BTS
  2. SHINee
  3. ONF
  4. TXT
  5. SEVENTEEN
  6. Baek Yerin
  7. IU
  8. SE SO NEON
  9. Brave Girls
  10. HYBE NGG

Insider Awards

  1. BTS
  2. SHINee
  3. IU
  4. Brave Girls
  5. TXT
  6. NCT Dream
  7. WJSN
  8. HYBE NGG
  9. MIRAE
  10. Seori

Best New Artist

Golden Tunes

Eligibility: November 9, 2020 – October 29, 2021

  1. ENHYPEN
  2. Seori
  3. aespa
  4. MIRAE
  5. Purple Kiss

Music Critics’ Circle

Eligibility: November 16, 2020 – November 12, 2021

  1. ENHYPEN
  2. MIRAE
  3. KINGDOM
  4. aespa
  5. Seori
  6. Purple Kiss
  7. Rolling Quartz
  8. TRI.BE
  9. HYBE NGG
  10. THE MIDNIGHT ROMANCE

Independent Noise (Independent Labels)

  1. Seori
  2. THE MIDNIGHT ROMANCE
  3. KINGDOM
  4. Purple Kiss
  5. Rolling Quartz
  6. TRI.BE
  7. BLITZERS
  8. B.I

Insider Awards

  1. Seori
  2. MIRAE
  3. KINGDOM
  4. HYBE NGG
  5. THE MIDNIGHT ROMANCE
  6. Purple Kiss
  7. BLITZERS
  8. JUSTB
  9. LIGHTSUM
  10. Rolling Quartz