Stray Kids

Artist ∙ K-Pop

Stray Kids is a Korean boy band founded in 2017.

∙ The group was first came to fame in 2017 through the reality TV series Stray Kids.
∙ They made their debut in 2018 with the EP Mixtape, which featured the hit lead single “Hellevator.”
∙ Go Live—the group’s 2020 debut album—was a No. 1 bestseller in Korea, earning Stray Kids their first Platinum-certified release.
∙ In 2020, they won Best Korean Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

March 18, 2022 at PDT
ODDINARY
Since debuting in 2017, JYP Entertainment boy band Stray Kids have separated themselves from their contemporaries—Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N are unafraid of taking musical risks, which means every comeback of the group brings unique pleasures. On ODDINARY, the thesis statement arrives in the single “MANIAC,” with the opening line “Relax, everyone, stop pretending to be normal” introducing the listener to a collection of songs that celebrate the everyday nonconformist. That’s mirrored in the musicality: “MANIAC” features techno trap production so jagged it borders on industrial, save for a chorus of bird sounds; it’s out there, but without sacrificing melody. “Lonely St.” is lovelorn emo-trap; “VENOM” is elastic, drippy hip-hop-pop. No matter your peculiarity, there’s something for you here.
7 Tracks
August 22, 2021 at PDT
NOEASY
14 Tracks
June 1, 2023 at PDT
5-STAR
In 2020, JYP Entertainment boy band and leaders in fourth-generation K-pop Stray Kids dropped “God’s Menu,” an exemplar of their explosive trap-pop, ornamented with baritone Felix’s delivery of a line in the second verse: “Cooking like a chef/I’m a five-star Michelin.” The theme of expertly blending ingredients has continued to their 2023 full-length 5-STAR.

It’s a high-end collection of flavors including electronic rap-pop (“Hall of Fame”) and heavy-hitting hip-hop indebted to Eminem and Nicki Minaj in equal measure (“ITEM”). There’s also dance detours (“DLC”), brassy ballads (“Collision”), pop-rock with an opening riff that recalls Lustra’s “Scotty Doesn’t Know” (“Mixtape : Time Out,” inspired by a vacation the group took in Gangwon Province). And for all the variety, there’s just one collab, the retro-rap “TOPLINE” with Korean hip-hop progenitor Tiger JK of the group Drunken Tiger. Cohesion is in the concept: Across 12 tracks, Stray Kids find confidence in themselves and their fans, a sonic celebration of acknowledging the bad to get to the good.
12 Tracks
July 18, 2024 at PDT
ATE
In between world tours and festival-headlining performances, fourth-generation K-pop superstars Stray Kids released their ninth mini album. Titled ATE, a reference to the TikTok-maximized slang that comes from “dominate” and refers to an action done with unqualified style, the eight-track effort takes the theme to heart. Lead single “Chk Chk Boom,” a thumping Latin-pop-inspired hip-hop track, goes characteristically K-pop-hard with its confidence: “I'ma pop, pop, pop, take a shot, yeah/Shoot down my goals one by one, I snipe them.” The eight members are metaphoric giants in anthem “MOUNTAINS” (“Tower over crowds, don’t pause ’cause I’m lovin’ it”), but approach the central theme sonically softer in “Stray Kids,” a sentimental drum-and-bass number reflecting on the group’s ascension since their 2018 debut: “Know that this is who we are/There ain't no last step out, oh, we'll never stop.”

Stray Kids’ members—mostly Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han, aka producing subunit 3RACHA— have production credits on every track. Australian rapper Felix helped write the English-language “Runners,” which begins with his husky vocals declaring the group’s energy: “I'm just getting started, yeah, I know/I’m on my way ’cause this is all about me, ’bout me.” As with most pop albums, there’s still room for love songs. The upbeat pop track “I Like It” explores the heady beginnings of love (“I think I’m addicted to the title ‘You & Me’/Don’t ask, ‘What are we?’/Ooh, ooh, I like it, baby”), while the moody Korean-language ballad “twilight” takes on the chilly aftermath (“It cooled down, did the temperature of you and me burn so hot that it turned to ashes?”).

It’s not all serious, though. Trap-pop track “JJAM” gets deliciously silly with its cross-cultural wordplay, making plenty of English-language jelly jokes (“We stick together day and night, yeah”) while also bringing in the Korean-language slang phrase “노잼,” pronounced similarly to “no jam” and meaning “no fun”: “I got no 잼/You got no 잼/We gotta jam.” At the top of their game as K-pop superstars, Stray Kids refuse to sacrifice their fun: “It’s our playground, it's getting crowded.”
8 Tracks
November 9, 2023 at PST
ROCK-STAR
Five months after the record-breaking 5-STAR, K-pop superstars Stray Kids return with ROCK-STAR, a characteristically energetic EP for JYP Entertainment’s eight-member group. ROCK-STAR features eight tracks, including “Social Path,” a Korean interpretation of the group’s previous collab with Japanese singer LiSA, and two versions of the thumping, punny lead single “LALALALA.” All of the songs on ROCK-STAR were written by at least one member of 3RACHA, Stray Kids’ hip-hop sub-unit comprising group members Bang Chan, Changbin, and HAN. Here the members talk about each of ROCK-STAR’s tracks.

“MEGAVERSE”
Bang Chan: “‘MEGAVERSE’ is a song that represents the vast spectrum of Stray Kids’ music. Having touched the universes of different kinds of music, Stray Kids now welcome listeners to…the SKZ MEGAVERSE. Enjoy!”

“LALALALA”
Seungmin: “This one’s all about one core message, which is: ‘Our rock will go on, no matter how tough things might get.’ It’s the title track from our new album [in Korean, titled ‘락 (樂),’ with 락 meaning ‘rock’ and 樂 meaning ‘joy’ but pronounced the same] with a huge, rock-star-worthy stage performance to go along with it. Be sure to check out our performance as well as the music.”

“BLIND SPOT”
HAN: “This song is about how all the scars we get while striving, unseen, to reach our dreams will end up becoming wonderful trophies. It’s a message of hope and courage. I hope it will both comfort and pump up whoever listens to it.”

“COMFLEX”
Felix: “It’s about how you can flip those things you don’t like about yourself, turning them instead into something you can flex about. So the title’s a portmanteau of ‘COMPLEX’ and ‘FLEX.’ This track really showcases our carefree, cheery side.”

“Cover Me”
Hyunjin: “The message in this one is: ‘That bright moonlight is making the night longer. So stay by my side and cover me from it.’ I like how the track builds up emotionally, with intensifying vocals toward the end. I hope this warm and passionate song will bring comfort to listeners.”

“Leave”
Changbin: “This is a heartbreaking song about lovers saying goodbye. Driven by a forlorn-feeling guitar riff motif, the song really captures the mood of autumn.”

“Social Path” (feat. LiSA) [Korean Ver.]
Lee Know: “This is a song that conveys hopefulness, and it’s about giving all of your youth, working hard to achieve your dreams. It brings together an intense rock sound with powerful vocals. I hope it will inspire listeners with the courage to forge their own paths.”

“LALALALA (Rock Ver.)”
I.N: “This is the rock version of our title track, ‘락 (樂)’ [titled ‘LALALALA’ in English], bringing it closer to the title. If rock’s what you're into, this is the version for you. We upped the energy here, and the track’s buzzing with a thrilling synergy.”
8 Tracks
October 6, 2022 at PDT
MAXIDENT
With each new release, the K-pop boy band Stray Kids seem to ask, “What next?” The octet’s latest mini album is worlds away from the early sounds of the JYP Entertainment group’s debut. Their hard-as-hell K-hip-hop has made way for a broader musical palette, boasting Southern California pop-punk na-na-nas atop distorted guitars (Seungmin and I.N’s “Can’t Stop”), hyperpop-trap (“3RACHA,” courtesy of Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han), and sultry, gothy R&B (“TASTE” by Lee Know, Hyunjin, and Felix). At the end of MAXIDENT is a familiar coda: a Korean version of their summer 2022 Japanese single “CIRCUS” and its springy production and descending vocal melody.
8 Tracks
September 13, 2020 at PDT
IN LIFE
17 Tracks
October 8, 2019 at PDT
Double Knot - Single
1 Trackfalse
August 5, 2018 at PDT
I am WHO
7 Tracks
October 31, 2017 at PDT
Hellevator - Single
1 Trackfalse
October 21, 2018 at PDT
I am YOU
7 Tracks
March 24, 2019 at PDT
Clé 1 : MIROH
7 Tracks
June 16, 2020 at PDT
GO LIVE
14 Tracks
June 9, 2022 at PDT
CIRCUS - Single
1 Trackfalse
January 7, 2018 at PST
Mixtape
7 Tracks
August 29, 2023 at PDT
Social Path (feat. LiSA) - Single
1 Trackfalse
November 28, 2021 at PST
Christmas EveL - EP
4 Tracks
December 8, 2019 at PST
Clé : LEVANTER
7 Tracks
December 20, 2022 at PST
SKZ-REPLAY
This present for fans wraps up web releases with bonus tracks.
25 Tracks
March 17, 2020 at PDT
SKZ2020
24 Tracks
July 22, 2024 at PDT
SLASH - Single
1 Trackfalse
March 25, 2018 at PDT
I am NOT
7 Tracks
June 18, 2019 at PDT
Clé 2 : Yellow Wood
7 Tracks
March 18, 2021 at PDT
Going Dumb - Single
A groovy EDM bop—inspired by PUBG MOBILE.
2 Tracks
June 25, 2021 at PDT
Mixtape : OH - Single
1 Trackfalse

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