E is the seventh single album by South Korean band Big Bang, and the fourth and last from their MADE Series, before releasing the full album.
Background
The first single announced on July 24 included the sub-unit GD & TOP,[1] the teaser was released the next day.[2] This was the first collaboration of the duo in four years.[3] CEO Yang Hyun-suk, confirmed there would be a second track by the entire band;[4] "Let’s Not Fall In Love" was revealed on July 30.[5]
Commercial performance
In South Korea The album charted at number one on Gaon Album Chart,[6] making it the third from MADE Series to chart first after M and D, in the end of August the album sold 84,002 copies in South Korea.[7] In Japan the album charted at number 15 on the Oricon chart with 4,090 copies sold.[8] In China, E sold over 700,000 digital copies in 24 hours.[9] On August 28, the album sold 1 million record on China.
After releasing the album, Big Bang achieved a "triple kill" by topping the digital, streaming and album charts on Gaon Chart.[10][11][6]
The single charted first and second with "Let’s Not Fall In Love" and "Zutter" consecutively on Billboard World Digital Songs, in a tie with PSY for being the only K-pop act to hold the top two slots on World Digital Songs three times, after topping it with both M and A.[12] The two singles sold 13,000 copies in less than two days.[13]
Reception
Billboard explained that "Let's Not Fall in Love showcases the boy band at their most sentimental", and is a classic Big Bang song with a unique sound because of a "lack of a definitive chorus and T.O.P and G-Dragon showing off new vocal colors instead of their usual personality-driven raps", while Zutter is a "hip-hop cut peppered with trappy snares, knocking percussion and woozy synths to emphasize both dudes' distinctive spitting styles.".[14] The Inquirer called it the most emotionally resounding work the band has showcased so far.[15] Osen said that the two single have a "different moods and colors" and that something only Big Bang can do and they have wide artistic spectrum.[16]
Promotion
It was announced that GD&TOP would have a live broadcast on Naver and allkpop's V app on August 4.[17] The live countdown gathered over 620,000 views, and after five days the highlight video was watched over a million times on V app.[18]
The first television appearance was held on Inkigayo.[19]
