Top 15 Most Iconic Girls Generation Songs Ranked- A Look Back at South Korea's Favorite Second Generation Girl Group

Hello to all of my fellow K-Pop and J-Pop fans. It has been a little while since I have engaged with you all. This morning, I wanted to discuss Girls Generation again, this time ranking some of their best hits. Hope you all enjoy my list below.

The Top 15 Most Iconic SNSD Songs:

15. You Think

All members of SNSD showcased their singing talent in this song/music video, especially with Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun. What I particularly liked about this song was the pre chorus build up and how both the main and supporting singers carried the song very well. Additionally, I thought the simple outfits in the music video was commanding because the casual choice of clothes fit well with the vibe of the dance and choreography. The short instances of floor work with their knees was fluid and kept me engaged with the music video throughout the whole time. As much as I liked it, there are still fourteen more songs which I would rank even higher (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2015).

14. Lion Heart

Another great song from SNSD, like "You Think" I enjoyed the build up in this song throughout the pre chorus. The chorus and verses were also delightful to listen to in this song. What stood out to me about the music video was the smooth transition in song story telling about the lion in the video conveyed through their captivating choreography in the middle of the music video. Additionally, the changes in their hair style at the end was perhaps the best way that they could match with the vibes of the song's story (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2015).

13. Baby Baby 

A very heart felt and touching music video that shows the unity and togetherness of their group, even though the song is about something different. It was satisfying to hear Seohyun, Jessica and Taeyeon lead into the outro/closing with their powerful voices. Overall the video was a vibrant collection of some of their best moments and it was incredibly heartfelt to watch as a fan (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2011). 

12. My J

For this song, the gentleness of their voices was featured and I happened to enjoy it because it is something that I have always known them to have in their performances. I appreciated all of their contributions to make the song sound unique, and I found Sunny's voice (as well as other members) to contribute to the main feeling of the song (GIRLS GENERATION, YouTube, 2019). 

11. Barbie Girl 

Although this is a K-Pop cover of the original by Aqua (1997), I thought that all the member sang very well in this song. The original was intended as a light hearted and fun song, and SNSD created the same effects in their cover that made it very funny and amusing to listen to (GIRLS GENERATION, YouTube, 2019). Below I embedded Jessica's solo because it is from an official YouTube channel, I could not find one with all of the singing from an official YouTube Channel.

 

10. Girls Generation

First of all, I thought the idea of them to name both their first full length album and one of their earliest songs "Girls Generation" to be hilarious, yet cleaver because it makes one wonder what the song is all about if they never heard the lyrics before. The video quality shows that it is one of their earlier songs which brings me back to the 2000s. Lastly, it was entertaining to see them play the keyboard and electric guitar and hear the synthesizers in the background. All of those combinations added to the quality of the song (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2011). 

9. Galaxy Supernova

Just to put it short, I like the name. Perhaps it is one of the best names of their songs. The music video features some of their best dance moves yet and the background looks very engaging. It is overall a very fun song to listen to (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2013).

8. Mr. Mr.

I know this is a song I mentioned in a previous post this month, but since this is a ranking list based on favorites, I feel that it belongs in this spot. Perhaps the greatest element in this song was the catchy lyrics in addition to the strong pulse of the beats in the background. It is highly recommended being a middle of list song (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2014). 

7. Hoot 

Another hit song from them. Like "Mr. Mr.", this music video has a great quality that makes it stand out. But instead of it being the lyrics and beats, it was the choreography. The choreography along with the eye-catching wardrobe transitions added to the rhythm and feel of the song very well. That makes it lean towards being one of their best songs in my view (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2010).

6. I Got a Boy

Very dynamic and strong dance moves throughout. The song has a great pre chorus build up and the best part of the song is featured in the second half. My favorite parts are the middle and ending of the song. The music video and song felt like a big combination of the lyrical nature of "Mr. Mr." and the engaging choreography of "Hoot". It was truly a very satisfying song to listen to when it comes to K-Pop music (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2012). 

5. Kissing You

This is one of their songs that I often revisit throughout the year. The song's lyrics are very meaningful and the simplicity of their outfits and dances is one of the reasons why I rank this music video so high. I would greatly recommend the song because of the type of story the music video/song tells which is very fitting for a K-Pop song (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2011).

4. Paparazzi 

One of my favorite songs of their's to listen to. It is another song I previously mentioned and for a good reason. Whenever I listen to it, I usually watch it on YouTube on my Nintendo Switch before I get ready for the day's major responsibilities. The reason why is because it is such an energizing song and music video, and is altogether very fun to listen to. Do you all listen to this song in the same way, or do you have a different way of listening to the music (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2012)?

3. Gee

One of their most popular songs worldwide and the third song on this list that I have mentioned previously. It is simply one of the best because it is one of the first songs I have ever listened to from them. Not only that, but a brief look at the comments on YouTube, you will find that fans assert how iconic the song is. For these reasons together, I believe it deserves to be in the top 3 spot on this list (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2009).

2. The Boys

A very powerful song of theirs and it's my second favorite from them. The song and music video goes hard with bold dance moves and upbeat lyrics. What was really strong about this song is giving Sunny and Yoona a lot of song time so that the audience could enjoy their singing talent along with the three lead singers and other supporting singers. As the audience, what was your reaction giving Sunny and Yoona more singing time by the producers, songwriters, SM Entertainment, and perhaps their vocal coach and SNSD members themselves?  Overall,it is truly one of their best songs of all time, but it is not my number one favorite (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2011). 

1. Oh*

My personal opinion here, but the reason this is my number one favorite song comes down to many reasons. First, it comes down to liking the locker room and cheerleader concept in the music video. Second, it comes down to the background music. Third, is because of the engaging choreography which I find to be my favorite choreography from all of their music videos. I feel this music video is a total standout to listen to when one feels like being entertained by K-Pop music with very talented singers (SMTOWN, YouTube, 2009).

Conclusion

And that concludes my ranking of the "Top 15 Most Iconic Girls Generation Songs Ranked". Instead of asking if you agree or disagree with me, this time I wanted to ask how you would rank Girls Generation's songs? It does not have to be up to 15, but you are free to add more than 15 if you want to show how big of a fan you are of Girls Generation's songs. 

Bonus: Learn how I became a fan of Girls Generation here:How I Became a Huge Girls’ Generation Fan (And Why They’re Legendary)

How I Became a Huge Girls’ Generation Fan (And Why They’re Legendary)

First Encounters with Girls Generation

Since Korean Pop is not often used as Japanese Pop in Japanese anime intros, K-Pop must be accessed by different forms of media such as through CD's or through YouTube. Being a 2000s kid/2010s teen, I was not as into Korean media such as Korean movies as much as I was into anime until I got a bit older. There is a memory I have, however, of being interested in creating a collection of Korean movies because of watching videos of people collecting them on YouTube. Therefore, coming across Girls Generation can be said to have occurred somewhat by accident.

The Impact of "Gee" on my K-Pop Interests

And let me tell you, I have no regret accidentally/unintentionally discovering them. It is through watching their music as a youngster that I learned more about my interests in Korean music that I never thought I had before. Their famous song, "Gee", is more than just a "sweet and energetic" song or a song that is made to appeal to a broader worldwide audience than Japanese Pop songs, it is a song with a creative music video and idea behind it (Girls Generation, 2009). The idea to film the music video in a clothing shop was so creative to me due to all of the vibrant eye-catching background colors (Girls Generation 2009, 0:00-0:25). What else stood out both with the song and music video was the dance moves which I have never seen such well rehearsed choreography before viewing the video.You might think that many music groups have dance moves like Girls Generation, but the dancing of these girls was unique because of how well they promoted their culture through their group effort (Girls Generation, 2009). Collectivism is something known to be central to East Asian cultures and through their song and music video, Girls Generation members illustrated what their culture was all about wonderfully.

Connections Between being a fan of both Girls Generation and Final Fantasy X

"Oh" (2010) was another song from Girls Generation that still impacts my music tastes today. Other than the energy from the song and the music video of them dressed up like cheerleaders, I found the music video to be iconic because it reminded me of a Final Fantasy X, which I started to play around the early 2010s era (Girls Generation 2010, 1:14) (Squaresoft/Kitase 2001). Not quite sure why, but maybe it was due to the coloring of the background and sets in the music video that sort of reminded me of Final Fantasy X. Whenever reading or watching videos online about Final Fantasy X, Girls Generation's song "Oh" seems to come to mind because I am the kind of person who tends to absorb media at later ages in life. In other words, I wish I would have known more about Final Fantasy and Girls Generation younger than 14 because it would have meant being a big fan of both for a longer period of my life. 

"Paparazzi" by Girls Generation

One last song of theirs that is quite memorable is "Paparazzi" (Girls Generation, 2012). The song generally has a more mature feel that the other two I mentioned due to the costumes and the deeper vocals. Therefore it it my favorite out of all the songs I discussed because it feels timeless and relatable at an older age. 

What is your experience with SNSD? Feel free to share in the comment section below. In the next post/episode, we will focus on specifics of K-Pop and J-Pop members themselves through commentary. Check back weekly for more surprises!