An Essential Listening Guide: DAY6

Honestly, to become a true DAY6 fan (or My Day), you have to take the long route and listen to all of their songs. But if you're a bit confused as to where to start on the band's flawless discography, here are some great jumping points you should consider:

1. "Shoot Me" (2018)
DAY6's long-awaited 2018 comeback did not disappoint, delivering their most sonically-aggressive Korean song. With reggae leanings and a rather eerie, Halloween-esque production, "Shoot Me" shows how much the band has grown during their hiatus, and I look forward to what they have in store in the future.

2. "When you love someone" (2017)
As part of their monthly comeback release schedule in 2017, DAY6 pushed themselves to explore different music genres with each month. Their October song "When you love someone" offered a melancholy and relaxing song to the mix, which is perfect for fall. If you like calmer songs, "When you love someone" is your cup of tea. I'm especially in love with the way keyboardist Wonpil sings the chorus. I'm also a personal fan of the lyrics and the accompanying music video:

3. "Dance Dance" (2017)
DAY6's May comeback was with undeniably-jam-worthy bop "Dance Dance". As the title suggests, this is a feel-good track that can get even the people with two left feet to want to dance their heart away. Upbeat, deliriously fun DAY6 songs are rare, but that just makes them gems.

4. "Blood" (2016)
With the song's falsetto-heavy chorus, I get extreme Maroon 5 vibes from this song, and that's what makes the song so great. DAY6's early days saw them drawing inspiration from western pop-rock music, and "Blood" is a testament to that interest in that genre:

5. "I Wait" (2017)
DAY6 kicked off their Every DAY6 project with January song "I Wait", which is the type of moody, angsty, rock sound that you would want from a monthly comeback. The song also utilizes Korean and English wordplay really well with the background "I wait" and "아왜" ("ah wae") vocals. A creative touch that you might not have been aware of!

6. "Feeling Good" (2018)

Off the same album as "Shoot Me", "Feeling Good" is one of those rare feel-good DAY6 tracks that must be cherished at all costs. Perfect for summer, "Feeling Good" immediately sucks you in and is perfect for blasting during summer car rides or late-night beach parties.

7. "You Were Beautiful" (2017)

This song is one of those songs, if you know what I mean. It's the My Day cult favorite for most fans, and it speaks to a very profound human feeling that the song has managed to express so well. Arguably it is one of DAY6's saddest songs, but that's why it's so powerful. 

8. "Man In A Movie" (2017)

Yeah, this is an actual B-side for the group. Their B-sides are that good. Lyricist Young K, who wrote the lyrics for this song on his own, has said that he really loves this song, and that he was inspired to write it after seeing Me Before You in theaters. The production of this song is super unconventional, yet DAY6's personality continues to shine so clearly in the song. This has more of a classic rock feel to it, and honestly, it sounds like it would fit really well in a movie soundtrack.

9. "Congratulations" (2015)

The legendary debut song. Most K-pop artists can't claim that their debut song was that great (not a big deal, since the point of releasing music is to improve as musicians), but "Congratulations" remains a classic forever. I have yet to hear about a DAY6 concert that didn't have "Congratulations" on their set list. If you want to get into DAY6, "Congratulations" is a must.

10. "I'm Serious" (2017)

As part of their April release, "I'm Serious" offered a sound that's perfect for the transition of seasons. A favorite to perform by members after more than a year since its release, it makes sense that such a great and versatile song remains its longevity. It's also a personal favorite for me. For one thing, this is one of those classic sounds-happy-but-read-the-lyrics Day6 songs that add an interesting juxtaposition to it. Even with that said, listening to it just raises your mood.

11. "Letting Go" (2016)

After their debut in September of 2015, Day6 suffered a serious scandal in only a short few months: one of the members, Junhyeok, was accused of dating a fan and subsequently left the group in February of 2016 for the sake of choosing not to mar Day6's reputation. While the members wrote and recorded this song before Junhyeok's departure, it's safe to say that the music video and the lyrics of the song have remained tied to the former member. "Letting Go" bursts with the sort of angsty emotion that has become a trademark for Day6, but I think this song is the OG. It's so angsty that it almost makes the listener feel like they've let out their anger and hurt and despair in the song. Member and leader Sungjin is the real MVP in this song, especially when he belts out the heart-wrenching chorus. Listen to the rebooted version, and you're treated to a Bohemian-Rhapsody-esque bridge and more intense production.

Stan talent, stan DAY6!

Why You Should Stan DAY6

DAY6 in 2018 (from left: Young K, Wonpil, Jae, Dowoon, and Sungjin)

K-pop-rock band DAY6, under Big 3 company JYP Entertainment, has been making a name for itself with its organic rock-sound since its debut in 2015. With their latest comeback "Shoot Me" last month gaining them a considerable amount of new fans and an ongoing world tour, it's about time people should start learning more about the band. Here are some reasons why you should stan DAY6.

1. All of their members sing so well.
And so distinctly as well. Before I knew much about the members, I could easily pick out who was singing at what time in any DAY6 song. While drummer Dowoon has yet to have a vocal part in a DAY6 song, he is taking vocal lessons and has sang at DAY6 concerts in the past. The other four are all incredibly capable of belting out high notes in addition to delving into lower ranges, and the members know each other so well at this point that the parts that they assign to each other are perfect and make the song 100 times better.

2. They self-produce.
All DAY6 members have helped in writing and composing for the songs. Member Young K is considered the group's lyricist, as many DAY6 songs have been solely written by him, but all of the members are involved in writing their lyrics and composition. Talented, indeed! What's admirable is that member Jae has stated that he has never studied music theory in his life, yet he's credited for composing much of DAY6's discography. If anything, DAY6's discography proves that you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

3. They're hilarious.
Call it the perfect marriage between funny fans and a funny group of men, but YouTube is littered with funny videos of the boys getting up to their (un)usual antics as a group. LA-born Jae is known for having his own Twitter account and YouTube vlogging channel, where he constantly jokes around in English. DAY6 inside jokes are also hilarious, whether that be fans (and even the members) calling Dowoon "drum", leader Sungjin "Bob the Builder", or Young K as "Brian" and his ongoing love with all things food.

4. They all play instruments.
Yes, they can sing and play instruments. Members Jae and Sungjin are guitarists, Young K is on bass, Wonpil on keyboard and synthesizer, and Dowoon on drums. They're truly a band, and the energy around is truly electric when they perform live.

5. Pretty much every Korean celebrity loves them.
K-pop idols, new and old, pretty much all love DAY6. Actors, TV personalities, you name it. They're not widely known, but DAY6 has a considerable celebrity cult following. Even if you don't love DAY6, your fave probably does, so you should definitely check them out.

6. They literally have no bad song.
I'm not exaggerating. All of their songs are incredible. While not every song is going to be your cup of tea, they're all composed impeccably well, are sung incredibly well, are written flawlessly, and are perfect matches with the kind of vibe they aim for in all of the above. There is no bad song, so rest assured you will have the guarantee that you will be spending your precious time on something worthwhile when you get into DAY6.

Stan talent, stan DAY6!