Throwback Thursday: The Actual Best of DAY6

DAY6 is widely accepted as having one of the most impressive discographies in the Korean music scene. The band has conquered every genre from arena rock to bossa nova to disco, so much so that trying to pick a favorite song is like trying to pick a favorite child. For this week’s Throwback Thursday and as a celebration for their newest release The Book of Us : The Demon, we tried our hand at objectively ranking DAY6’s top ten best songs.

10. “How to love”

“How to love” is a groovy cut off of the band’s 2019 The Book of Us: Gravity mini-album and probably their most successful attempt at genre experimentation (which is saying a lot because like...every song where they experiment with sound is their best). “How to love” pulls from 70’s pyschadelic pop—think The Jackson 5 or Stevie Wonder—and the retro influence fits DAY6 like a glove. Add to that a relatable message of longing for love and Young K’s flawlessly delivered high note and you have a perfectly crafted song that makes you wonder how DAY6 hasn’t been making music like this all along. 

9. “When you love someone”

Featured as the October title track for their monthly “Every DAY6” project in 2017, “When you love someone” is a simple song on the surface—it’s driven by an acoustic guitar, there aren’t any flashy vocals, and there’s very little build. What makes this song stick out in DAY6’s very accomplished discography, despite its lack of theatrics, is the inspiration behind the lyrics. As revealed in an interview with Zach Sang, the song is based on the selfless love expressed by a fan in a fan letter. As fans, our favorite artists can be some of the biggest sources of healing in our lives; it’s only natural we’d want to ease their pain as well. In the same interview with Zach Sang, both Young K and Dowoon expressed that the song was their favorite for this very reason.

8. “Blood”

In the span of DAY6’s extensive discography, “Blood” is relatively underrated. The song is a B-side from the group’s 2016 sophomore release DAYDREAM and for this reason, it may not be the first to show up in a Google search. Between a grungy yet dulcet guitar line and an unexpectedly groovy chorus, “Blood” is not only incredibly catchy, but also lets the vocalists shine. Each of the singers in DAY6 have their own specific timbre, and in a song as beautifully gritty as “Blood,” every singer brings something different to the song from Wonpil’s falsettos to Sungjin’s raspy chorus. “Blood” is a song that doesn’t quite sound like anything you’ve heard before, which may be why fans of it are so diehard. The outcry for “Blood” was so rampant on social media that the band added it back onto their setlist in 2019.

7. “Chocolate”

2018’s “Chocolate” is the band’s first drama OST, featured on the tracklist for web series Want More 19. Co-written by Wonpil, Jae, and J.Y.Park, the song also marks the first time the JYP group collaborated with their company’s namesake. Despite their catalogue of extremely catchy songs, it’s not a stretch to say that “Chocolate” is DAY6’s catchiest track. JYP artists have a knack for releasing earworms as it is, but the funk guitar and dreamy synths in “Chocolate” make it simply impossible to get the song out of your head.

6. “Shoot Me”

Since its release in 2018, “Shoot Me” has disputably been DAY6’s most successful song. As the title song from Shoot Me : Youth Part 1, the track garnered the band newfound fame, seeing a large influx of fans, especially from overseas. “Shoot Me” is one of DAY6’s heavier songs, taking inspiration from punk rock with what is one of the band’s best guitar riffs. The anthemic “bang, bang” chorus is particularly unforgettable and easily resonates with anyone regardless of the language they speak, which may be why it’s practically a gateway song to becoming a fan of the group. For this reason, it remains the band’s most streamed song on both Spotify and YouTube to this day. 

5. “I Wait”

In 2017, DAY6 embarked on their unprecedented “Every DAY6” project wherein they released two new songs every month of the year. The tone of this ambitious venture was set by January’s “I Wait,” a high-energy rock song with a build almost as incredible as its bass line. Whereas much of the band’s earlier releases lean toward the pop side of rock, “I Wait” is bolder in everything from the instrumentals to the vocals. “I Wait” grabs your attention from its opening pulsing synths and holds it all the way through its explosive chorus to its electrifying bridge. Prior to the release of “Shoot Me,” this was the track that led many to the MyDay life.

4. “Sweet Chaos”

Though relatively recent, 2019’s “Sweet Chaos” from their album The Book of Us : Entropy is one of DAY6’s best crafted songs. Centered around the idea of the upheaval that newfound love can bring, “Sweet Chaos” is a fierce song that’s intentional in its seemingly tumultuous disorder. The song gets its appropriately off-kilter sound through its minor key signature, unexpected chord progressions, and smattering of ragtime-like piano runs. From a compositional standpoint, the song is easily DAY6’s most complex, but even those not privy to music theory can appreciate the rollercoaster ride that is “Sweet Chaos” because it is just. so. interesting.

3. “I’ll Try”

“Every DAY6” started with a literal bang in “I’ll Wait,” but the project closed in December on a much more somber note with the heartfelt B-side “I’ll Try.” Though the song was not the title track of MOONRISE (that well-deserved honor went to “I like you”), “I’ll Try” showcased a side of the band fans had not yet seen. Predominantly written and composed by Wonpil, this song about unconditional love was written with his mother in mind, and while the message behind the music is moving in itself, it’s the song’s final chorus that really pulls at the heartstrings. DAY6 is composed of spectacular singers, and the fully acapella, multi-layered harmony at the end of the song puts their vocal talents at the forefront. DAY6 succeeds at most things they set out to accomplish, but with a song as vulnerable as “I’ll Try,” their talent is positively unquestionable. 

2. “You Were Beautiful”

If “Shoot Me” is DAY6’s most successful track internationally, then “You Were Beautiful” is by and large their most domestically successful song. On top of being covered by everyone from SEVENTEEN’s Hoshi to Golden Child’s Joochan and Y to WOODZ, the song has been a regular on Korean charts since its release in February 2017. The song even saw a recent surge on the MelOn realtime chart this past January almost three years since its release, and honestly, it’s no surprise why. “You Were Beautiful” has it all: from soaring vocals to a gorgeous melodic line to a gut-wrenching bridge, this is the kind of song that changes you as a person the first time you hear it. It’s a perfectly executed change in pace for the group and their first proper ballad since “Colors” from their debut EP.  Wonpil’s lead-in to the final chorus alone is downright heart-stopping; you’d be hard-pressed to find a song with such emotional delivery. “You Were Beautiful” isn’t just a good song. In fact, calling it a good song would be the understatement of the century, and I’m not sure any fluttery adjective could truly do the song justice so I’ll just settle with “beautiful.”

1. “Congratulations”

Few songs can accomplish what “Congratulations” does. A classic rock ballad that flawlessly encapsulates the bitterness felt after a breakup, “Congratulations” is injected with a biting sardonic tone. With just the opening drum beats and Jae’s deceitfully soft intro, the song hooks you from the beginning, but it’s not until Young K’s first poignant “congratulations” in the chorus that you know this song isn’t just any regular hit—it’s a critical hit. As a song, “Congratulations” does not rely on flowery lyrics or showy vocals, and from a technical standpoint, it’s nothing special; instead, its captivation comes from the raw human emotion delivered by the vocalists. “Congratulations” sounds exactly as heartbroken and mocking as it should. Young K has even admitted he’d change the rap in the song if given the chance, citing the original verse as too bitter—a feeling all too familiar for those regretting past behavior following a breakup. But the true kicker in all this? It’s the band’s debut song. And for a song this good to be their first single is what makes “Congratulations” truly timeless.