Forever 1 is the seventh Koreanstudio album and tenth overall by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. It was released digitally on August 5 and physically on August 8, 2022, by SM Entertainment to commemorate the group's fifteenth anniversary since their debut in 2007. Forever 1 is Girls' Generation first music release in five years, following their hiatus after the release of their sixth Korean studio album Holiday Night (2017). The album contains ten tracks, including the lead single of the same name.
Background and release
On May 17, 2022, SM Entertainment announced that Girls' Generation would be returning for their fifteenth anniversary with a new album in August, ending their five-year hiatus.[1] On July 4, member Sooyoung teased on tvN's Take Care of Me This Week that the group would be releasing their seventh studio album.[2] On July 24, SM Entertainment announced that the group would be releasing their seventh studio album, titled Forever 1, on August 8.[3] One day later, the promotional schedule was released, with the digital version of the album to be released on August 5, three days earlier than the physical release, to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary.[4] On July 27, it was announced that Forever 1 would contain ten tracks, including lead single "Forever 1". Songwriter Kenzie, who previously helped write the group's singles "Into The New World" (2007), "Oh!" (2010), and "All Night" (2017), announced to be participating in the album's production.[5] Two days later, the album's mood sampler was released.[6] Music video teasers for "Forever 1" were released on July 4 and 5.[7][8] The album was released digitally alongside the music video for "Forever 1" on August 5.[9]
Composition
Forever 1 consists of ten tracks. The lead single "Forever 1" was described as dance-pop song with "energetic melody" and "exciting festival-like atmosphere" with lyrics about "eternal love for precious people who give strength anytime and anywhere".[5] The second track, "Lucky Like That", is a pop song characterized by "strong guitar performance and powerful drum beats".[10] The third track, "Seventeen", is an R&B dance song with a "synth sound, heavy drum beats, and light piano melody"; members Tiffany and Sooyoung participating write lyrics for the song.[11] The fourth track "Villain" was described as a dance song with "heavy bass and drum beat", with lyrics written by Tiffany and Sooyoung and the former also participating the composition.[11] The fifth track, "You Better Run", is an electropop song with "sharp sound and strong vocals" and lyrics about "a main character who returns and making the opponent fall into fear after foretelling revenge earlier", labeled a continuation from the group's 2010 single "Run Devil Run".[10]
"Closer" was described as a pop song with "light piano riff and sensual disco rhythm" and "an exciting vibe".[12] "Mood Lamp," the seventh track, is an R&B song with a "soft guitar melody that creates a warm atmosphere" and lyrics that "compare the desire to protect a loved one from darkness to a scene where a mood lamp softly illuminates the bedside".[13] The eighth track, "Summer Night", was described as medium-tempo pop song characterized by "bouncing synth and beautiful melody".[12] The ninth track, "Freedom", is a "dreamy" synth-pop song with "rich harmony" and lyrics "about discovering who you really are and feeling free when you are with the person you love".[12] The last track, "Paper Plane", was described as a medium-tempo pop song with "heavy bass and a cheerful flux synth" and lyrics containing "warm messages of supports for those who endlessly pursue their dreams with paper airplanes".[13]
Commercial performance
Forever 1 debuted at number two on South Korea's Circle Album Chart in the chart issue dated August 7–13, 2022;[14] on the monthly chart, the album debuted at number five in the chart issue dated August 2022.[15] In Japan, the album debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums in the chart issue dated August 10, 2022.[16] On the Oricon's chart, the album debuted at number 14 on the Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 29, 2022;[17] on the monthly chart, the album debuted at number 48 in the chart issue dated August 2022.[18] The album also debuted at number four on the Digital Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 15, 2022,[19] and number 48 on the Combined Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 22, 2022.[20] It ascended to number nine on the Oricon Albums Chart,[21] and number eight on the Combined Albums Chart in the chart issue dated September 12, 2022.[22]
In United States, Forever 1 debuted at number 16 on the BillboardHeatseekers Album,[23] and number 88 on the BillboardTop Current Album Sales in the chart issue dated August 20, 2022.[24] In United Kingdom, the album debuted at position 28 on the OCC's UK Digital Albums in the chart issue dated August 12–18, 2022.[25] In Australia, the album debuted at number ten on the ARIATop 50 Digital Albums Chart, and number one on the ARIA Top 20 Hitseekers Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 15, 2022.[26]
Forever 1 received generally positive reviews by critics. In a four-star review, Tanu I. Raj of NME described Forever 1 as "a revisit of their classic sounds and songs that were recast into a more modern, mature image, creating a charming medley of the past and the present".[27] Joshua Minsoo Kim of Pitchfork praised the album for being a "concise record" and named it among Girls' Generation's best due to the group's "lack of musical identity compared to their juniors, making them as versatile as ever".[28]
Prior to the release of Forever 1, on August 5, 2022, the group held a live event called "Girls' Generation 'Forever 1' Countdown Live" on YouTube and TikTok to introduce the album and to commemorate their fifteenth anniversary with their fans.[31]
^Yoon, Sang-geun (May 17, 2022). "'15주년' 소녀시대 5년만 완전체 컴백 확정..8월 새 앨범[공식]" ['15th Anniversary' Girls' Generation confirmed comeback as a full group after 5 years... New album in August [Official]] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022 – via Naver.
^Han, Suzy (July 5, 2022). "'정경호♥' 수영 "소녀시대, 5년 만에 정규앨범 컴백" 깜짝 스포" ['Jung Kyung-ho ♥' Sooyoung "Girls' Generation, comeback with regular album after 5 years" Surprise spoilers]. Top Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
^Lee, Min-ji (July 25, 2022). "'데뷔 15주년' 소녀시대 정규 7집 'FOREVER 1' 8월 8일 발매 [공식]" ['15th Anniversary of Debut' Girls' Generation's 7th Full Album 'Forever 1' Released on August 8th [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kwak, Hyeon-su (July 26, 2022). "소녀시대 정규 7집, 데뷔 기념일 맞아 8월 5일 전곡 음원 공개" [Girls' Generation's 7th full-length album, all songs released on August 5th to celebrate their debut anniversary] (in Korean). YTN. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abHwang, Hye-jin (July 27, 2022). "'컴백' 소녀시대 태연X수영X서현, 데뷔 15주년에도 美친 비주얼" ['Comeback' Girls' Generation Taeyeon X Sooyoung X Seohyun, beautiful visuals even on the 15th anniversary of their debut]. Newsen. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jung, Jin-young (August 4, 2022). "'컴백 D-1' 소녀시대, 정규 7집 타이틀 곡 '포에버 1' MV 티저 공개" ['Comeback D-1' Girls' Generation, 7th regular album title song 'Forever 1' MV teaser released] (in Korean). Ilgan Sports. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeon, Hyo-jin (August 5, 2022). "'데뷔 15주년' 소녀시대, 오늘(5일) 컴백...'포에버1' 발표 [DA:투데이]" ['15th anniversary of debut' Girls' Generation, comeback today (5th)...Announcement of 'Forever 1' [DA:Today]] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022 – via Naver.
^ ab"'15주년 컴백' 소녀시대, 정규 7집서 들려줄 명불허전 보컬" ['15th Anniversary Comeback' Girls' Generation, the famous vocals to be heard in the 7th regular album] (in Korean). Newsen. August 1, 2022. Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abKim, Na-yul (July 28, 2022). "소녀시대 윤아X유리X효연, 역대급 비주얼..'FOREVER 1' 티저 포토 공개" [Girls' Generation's Yoona X Yuri X Hyoyeon, all-time visual..'FOREVER 1' teaser photo released] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abcKim, Ji-hye (August 3, 2022). "소녀시대, 정규 7집 다채로운 음악 담는다..첫 단체 티저 공개" [Girls' Generation, the 7th full-length album contains colorful music..First group teaser released] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abHwang, Mi-hyun (August 2, 2022). "소녀시대, 정규 7집에 힐링 담는다...써니·윤아 개인 티저 '여신'" [Girls' Generation puts healing in their 7th regular album...Sunny and Yoona personal teaser 'Goddess'] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022 – via Naver.
^"週間 アルバムランキング – 2022年08月29日付" [Weekly Album Ranking – August 29, 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). August 29, 2022. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
^ ab"月間 アルバムランキング – 2022年08月度" [Monthly Album Ranking – August 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
^"週間 デジタルアルバムランキング – 2022年08月15日付" [Weekly Digital Album Ranking – August 15, 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). August 15, 2022. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
^"週間 合算アルバムランキング – 2022年08月22日付" [Weekly Combined Album Ranking – August 22, 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). August 22, 2022. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
^ ab"週間 アルバムランキング – 2022年09月12日付" [Weekly Album Ranking – September 12, 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). September 12, 2022. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
^ ab"週間 合算アルバムランキング – 2022年09月12日付" [Weekly Combined Album Ranking – September 12, 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). September 12, 2022. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
^ abc"The ARIA Report: Week Commercing August 15, 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1693. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 15, 2022. pp. 11, 25.
^"결산 2022 : ③올해의 앨범 20선" [Closing 2022 : ③20 Albums of the Year]. Idology (in Korean). January 1, 2023. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
^Lee, Seul (July 29, 2022). "소녀시대, 8월 5일 라이브 방송 진행...데뷔 15주년 컴백 기념" [Girls' Generation, live broadcast on August 5th...15th anniversary comeback celebration] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022 – via Naver.
^Girls' Generation (2022). Forever 1 (photobook). South Korea: SM Entertainment; Dreamus. Credits.
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