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BOYNEXTDOOR returned this week with their fifth mini album The Action. When the group spent time in Chicago last August for their Lollapalooza performance, fans caught glimpses of them filming a music video — signaling early on that the album would carry a ‘movie’ concept. On the day of release, the group held a showcase event in Seoul to mark their return.
The album’s title draws inspiration from the term “Hollywood Action,” referring to large-scale films — or metaphorically, to bold, exaggerated and daring attitudes. The track “Hollywood Action” is ultimately about taking action itself. During the media showcase, leader MYUNG JAEHYUN said, “We’ve worked hard, making four comebacks over the past year including our Japanese promotions. I hope that people who find it difficult to take the first step will be inspired by our actions to challenge themselves.” The youngest member WOONHAK added, “This song is for anyone who hesitates or feels intimidated about trying something new.” TAESAN elaborated, “If our last album’s keyword was No Genre, this time it’s about breaking all limits and diving right in.”
Released at 6 p.m. KST on Monday, The Action captures the emotions and moments BOYNEXTDOOR’s six members are currently experiencing. Built around the cinematic theme, the album consists of five tracks that vividly translate their present selves into sound. While their previous record No Genre leaned toward smoother, genre-fluid tracks (with the exception of the title song “I Feel Good”), this new release explores a broader range — from acid jazz and hip-hop to ballads. Sonically and thematically, it succeeds in expressing BOYNEXTDOOR’s distinctive emotional world.
The opening track “Live in Paris” reflects the creative struggles of the group, echoing the light self-reflection found in “Twenty” from their EP 19.99. The rock-driven “Bathroom” delves into the pain of a romantic relationship, reminiscent of the poetic metaphors in “Gonna Be A Rock.” Meanwhile, “JAM!” captures the members’ playful energy while keeping things ‘chillin’ within the rules,’ much like the clever self-awareness shown in the line “I never cross the line, trust me” from “Dangerous.”
Knowing how to perform freely while still respecting boundaries — that’s the essence of BOYNEXTDOOR, and it’s what sets them apart in today’s K-pop scene. From the synchronized choreography of “Hollywood Action” to the album’s varied soundscape, The Action offers plenty to see and even more to hear.
All four of BOYNEXTDOOR’s previous albums have charted on the Billboard 200, and fans are eager to see whether The Action will extend that streak. Judging by the strength of this EP, the outlook looks bright — and Billboard Korea has ranked every track on the project.
“Bathroom”
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Ranking the songs of a visual album can feel a bit like ranking scenes of a film — and yet, favorites always emerge. The scene that makes you weep, the one that motivates and inspires, or the one that reclaims power. With Something Beautiful, the ambitious and glamorous ninth album from superstar Miley Cyrus, she […]
A little over a year ago, Ariana Grande made the pop world a little bit lighter with the release of Eternal Sunshine, her seventh studio album. Crafted in the afterglow of her divorce from realtor Dalton Gomez during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes that paused Wicked production, Eternal Sunshine arrived atop the Billboard 200 (her sixth […]
Selena Gomez figured it out five years ago. With Rare, her third solo studio album, the former Disney Channel breakthrough-turned multi hyphenate superstar distilled her skills as a recording artist into a slinky, sumptuous dance-pop record, full of self-empowering lyrics and midtempo earworms that understood precisely how to utilize her singular tone. Gomez earned the […]
From ballads like “Die With a Smile” to dance-pop anthems like “Abracadabra,” see where every song on Gaga’s long-awaited seventh studio album wound up on our ranking.
Rapper, vocalist and now actress LISA continues to expand her solo artistry with the highly anticipated project Alter Ego. Fresh off her acting debut as Mook, a hotel staff member on HBO’s original hit series The White Lotus season three (which premiered Feb. 16), the Thai superstar leveraged the social satire’s cross-generational appeal to cement […]
Just over one year ago, in Dec. 2023, Tate McRae released her celebrated second album, Think Later. The punchy pop project debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 – and introduced fans to McRae’s alter ego: Tatiana. She said in her Billboard cover story at the time that Tatiana is her tour persona, and described her as being “ballsy, so loud and obnoxious.” Those traits came alive on Think Later, especially on breakthrough hit “Greedy,” which became McRae’s highest-charting Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 3.
On So Close To What, McRae dives deeper into that charismatic cool-girl confidence. She previewed the album with a three-peat of hits: “It’s Ok I’m Ok,” which hit No. 20 on the Hot 100; “2 Hands,” which hit No. 41; and “Sports Car,” which has hit a peak of No. 21 so far. The 15-track set, which clocks in at just under 45 minutes, features just two guests: Flo Milli on “bloodonmyhands” and McRae’s boyfriend The Kid LAROI on “I Know Love.” McRae teamed back up with songwriter-producer Ryan Tedder for much of the album, alongside collaborators including Amy Allen, Julia Michaels and Blake Slatkin, among others.
Earlier this week, Spotify hosted an intimate listening party of So Close To What in Los Angeles. McRae was not only in attendance, but also spoke with her friend and social media personality Jake Shane about the album’s inspiration and challenges. “The album title encapsulates how I felt turning 21,” she shared, “feeling like you’re finally a woman while also wrestling with how the media portrays you.”
She also confessed that “Tatiana, my alter ego, wrote a lot of the songs on the album – including ‘Sports Car.’”
Come March, McRae will head out on her second world tour, named after this album’s lead track, “Miss Possessive.” The outing begins in Mexico City and includes dates across Europe and North America, wrapping in September.
Until you can catch McRae in your city, So Close To What is out now. Below, find Billboard’s ranking of the album’s 15 tracks.
“Purple Lace Bra”
