Loser (Big Bang song)

"Loser" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band Big Bang. It was made available for digital download and streaming audio on May 1, 2015 by YG Entertainment, as the first single from Made, being included in the single album M, marking the first music release for the band since Still Alive (2012). Written by T.O.P, Teddy and G-Dragon, and produced by Teddy and Taeyang, the track was acclaimed by music critics, who admired its mature concept.

For a Beck song, see Loser (Beck song).
"Loser"
Single by Big Bang
from the album Made
A-side
ReleasedMay 1, 2015 (2015-05-01)
Genre
Length3:39
LabelYG Entertainment
Songwriter(s)Teddy, T.O.P, G-Dragon
Producer(s)Teddy, Taeyang
Big Bang singles chronology
"Monster"
(2012)		 "Loser"
(2015)		 "A"
(2015)

"Loser" became a chart-topper in South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart and on Billboard World Digital Songs. The single finished 2015 as the second best performing song of the year on the Gaon Digital's year-end chart, and was awarded Song of the Year on the traditional Golden Disc Awards.

Background

YG Entertainment announced the title tracks of Big Bang's "MADE Series: M" in the third teaser, including two singles, "Loser" and "Bae Bae".[2] Two of the four teasers for D-1 to D-4 consist of the song info, including who was responsible for the tracks' composition.

Composition and lyrics

"Loser" is a hip-hop/R&B track with a slow tempo and emotional melody.[1] The song was composed using common time in the key of E♭ major, with a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute.[3] The vocals span from the lower octave of F4 to the two-lined higher note of B♭5.[3] Billboard compared the song with "the previously heard brilliance in songs like 'Bad Boy,' 'Lies' and 'Blue'," and highlighted how the track "stripped away all trendy elements for a straightforward, acoustic-leaning take on baring what lies deep in each of our consciousness."[4] "Loser" was noted for introducing a more mature style to Big Bang as a group, without losing the images they had enforced through previous releases.[5]

The song's lyrics were noted to be "confessional," showing that even superstars have insecurities.[6] Standing out from other Big Bang songs for not falling in the love song category, the lyrics described feelings of doubt and unhappiness that accompany the everyday life of a self-proclaimed loser,[7] while also detailing "unhappiness with one-night stands and forgetting the importance of love."[8] G-Dragon explained the meaning behind the lyrical-content, saying that "people who stand under the spotlight are just human beings," saying that all humans have their feelings hurt, but also the songs adept on all the situations, saying "however, we wanted to offer a [more universal] theme with this song, so we drew a bigger picture. Somebody may not have a friend and somebody may not have love, you know? Everyone lives in a different situation. Depending on how you accept it, this song could be your story."[9]

Reception

Commercial

With only two days since its release, "Loser" debuted at number one on Gaon's Digital and Download charts, with 256,398 digital downloads sold.[10][11] In just 9 days "Loser" broke the Gaon record for the year of 2015, being streamed over 10.5 million times and downloaded 479,474 times, making Big Bang the most streamed artist of the year.[12] Within two months of sales, "Loser" became the second best selling single of the year, with 988,321 copies sold. On July 16, the song reached one million sales in South Korea, less than three months after its release. The song became the third-best-selling single of the year in South Korea.[13]

"Loser" debuted on Billboard's "World Digital Songs" chart at number one on May 7.[14] The music video was the third most viewed K-pop video in the U.S. and around the world for the month of April, according to Billboard, with only two days worth of views.[15] The song also ranked third as the most popular Korean singles in 2015 in Taiwan by music streaming service KKBOX.[16]

"Loser" won a total on ten music program awards, breaking many records. On Inkigayo, "Loser" was awarded three times, breaking the tie with g.o.d, making Big Bang the artist with the most songs that achieved a Triple Crown on Inkigayo. It also achieved one of the highest scores of all time on the program. On M Countdown, it became the eighth highest score in all time at the time.

Critical

"Loser" received critical acclaim upon release. The song was chosen by fuse as one of the best songs of 2015, the only non-English song on the list. The channel claimed that the track "moves you regardless of what language you speak."[17] Billboard named "Loser" the best K-pop song of 2015, saying that the single "proved that a subtle take on all the things that make a group unique can speak so much louder" and concluding that "such an impassioned performance has you hooked from first listen."[4] The magazine also called "Loser" the group's sixth essential song in honor of their tenth anniversary.[7] Sun-Times included "Loser" in their unranked list of ten best Big Bang songs.[18] Consequence of Sound chose the song as one of the 10 most popular songs of 2015 that weren't in English.[19] "Loser" won Best Pop Song at the 2016 edition of the critics given Korean Music Awards.

Music video

The music video was directed by Han Sa Min, who previously directed "Blue," "Bad Boy," "Monster," and "Love Song." Big Bang started filming secretly in Los Angeles between April 2, and April 8, 2015.[20]

The music video has a story line for each member. G-Dragon starts his scenes in a lift, revealing a neck tattoo that reads Truth + Dare. He walks the streets alone, feeling isolated from the world, having forgotten what love feels like. Taeyang has a personal fight with his faith, holds a cross with the sentence "Sin will find you" written on it. In the end he apparently commits suicide and the cross breaks apart leaving the words "Sin will find you." Seungri has problems controlling his anger, kicking a car and destroying his room after seeing the girl that he loved with someone else. He repeatedly tries to call her, but to no avail. T.O.P cannot commit to one relationship. He doesn't accept them, and he seems to have no control over anything which leads him to kill the women that he had an affair with. Daesung gets attacked by a group of men. He tries to defend himself but can't and ends up covered in blood, helpless, and unable to stand. The music video showed a darker side that has never been seen in Big Bang's music videos. In the end of the music video, all 5 members of the group were seen walking together away from the city.[21][22]

On YouTube, "Loser" became the most viewed Kpop group video within 24 hours, with 4.5 million views. After two months, "Loser" became the second most viewed Kpop video of 2015. After a few days, it became the first, later being surpassed by Big Bang's own "Bang Bang Bang."[23][24] The video reached 100 million views on the same site in June, 2016.[25]

Covers

Due to the song's popularity, it's been covered by many artists, including the vocal band Tritops, that released one on April 30.[26] Epik High and F.T. Island's Choi Jong-hoon released covers via Instagram.[27] On May 8, B.A.P's Jung Dae-hyun, released a cover in YouTube.[28] Jun Sung Ahn also had made a violin cover of "Loser".[29] Akdong Musician covered the song on Weekly Idol.[30] Bambam, Choi Youngjae, and Kim Yugyeom has also covered the song on KBS CoolFM.

Charts

Sales
Chart Sales
South Korea (Gaon)[37] 1,841,510+
Billboard World Digital Songs [38] 9,000
China (Kugou)[39] 2,321,400

Accolades
Awards
Year Organization Award Result Ref.
2016 Golden Disk Awards Digital Daesang (Song of the Year) Won [40][41]
Global Fan's Choice Nominated
Korean Music Awards Best Pop Song Won [42]
Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards Song of the Month (May) Won [43]
Music program wins
Program Date Ref.
Inkigayo (SBS) May 10, 2015 [44]
May 17, 2015 [45]
May 24, 2015 [46]
M! Countdown (Mnet) May 14, 2015 [47]
May 21, 2015 [46]
Music Bank (KBS) May 15, 2015 [46]
May 22, 2015 [46]
Show Champion (MBC Music) May 20, 2015 [48]
Show! Music Core (MBC) May 9, 2015 [49]
May 16, 2015 [50]

Release history
Region Date Language Format Label
South Korea May 1, 2015 Korean Digital download YG Entertainment, KT Music
Worldwide
Japan[51] May 27, 2015 YG Entertainment, YGEX
February 3, 2016 Japanese YGEX, Avex Trax

References
  1. "BIGBANG RELEASE LOSER & BAE BAE – ANNOUNCE 15-COUNTRY WORLD TOUR INCLUDING THE AMERICAS". The AU Review. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  2. "BIGBANG – MADE SERIES [M]". YGLife. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  3. "Loser By Big Bang – Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  4. "THE 20 BEST K-POP SONGS OF 2015". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  5. "K-Pop Mixtape: 9 Most Definitive Big Bang Songs". KpopStarz. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  6. "Review: MADE – Big Bang". The Straits Times. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  7. "BIGBANG 10 must listen songs". Billboard. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  8. Benjamin, Jeff. "BIGBANG Are at Their Emotional and Sexual Peaks in New 'Loser' and 'Bae Bae' Videos". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  9. "G-Dragon Explains The Meaning Behind Big Bang Single 'Loser': 'People who stand under the spotlight are just human beings'". Kpop Starz. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
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  11. "Gaon Digital Chart – Week 19". Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  12. "Big Bang Sets New Record As Gaon's Most Streamed Artist". Kpop Starz. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  13. "Download Chart 2015". Gaon Chart. Retrieved 2017-03-10.
  14. "Big Bang's 'Loser' & 'Bae Bae' debut at No. 1 & 2 on Billboard's 'World Digital Songs' chart". Allkpop. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  15. "Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America & Around the World: April 2015". Billboard K-Town. Billboard. May 6, 2015.
  16. "2015韓語年度單曲/專輯榜TOP 20 (in Chinese)". KKbox Taiwan. February 3, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  17. "THE 20 BEST SONGS OF 2015". fuse. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  18. Miller, Kaitlin (2015-05-02). "Big Bang's 10 best songs of the past 10 years". Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2016-11-22. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  19. Graves, Wren (2015-12-29). "The 10 Most Popular Songs of 2015 That Weren't in English". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  20. "빅뱅, 美 LA서 신곡 뮤비 촬영중…태양 휠체어 탄 모습 포착". Naver. April 10, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
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  27. "Epik High covers BIGBANG's "Loser" with hilarious high notes". koreaboo.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  28. "BAP's Daehyun covers BIGBANG's "Loser"". [sbs.com.au SBS Pop Asia]. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  29. "PRAY + Loser". YouTube. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
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  46. "'인기가요' 빅뱅 루저, 3주 연속 1위 'GD-탑 불참'…총 10관왕 기록". Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-11.
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  49. "'음악중심' 빅뱅, 'LOSER'로 1위…무대 출연 없이도 대세 증명". XportsNews (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-11.
  50. "'음악중심' 빅뱅, '루저'로 출연없이 2주 연속 1위..벌써 5관왕". Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-03-11.
  51. "全世界を席巻中!! BIGBANG3年ぶりのカムバックシングル5/27(水)日本配信リリース決定!!". http://ygex.jp/bigbang/. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-05-08. External link in |publisher= (help)

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