Ezio! Music Core - Week 1 (10/31 - 11/6) - "An 'Acid Angel From Asia' Completely Accesses The EZIO Charts!"

Chart Inauguration! 

Welcome to the very first edition of 'Ezio! Music Core'! This will be a chart series inspired by my best friend, Juano's (@LOONAppears) very own 'JUANOGAYO'!

First Edition Disclaimer

Because these chart rankings are the first, they will be (NEW) and therefore, there can not be specific commentary on large rises/drops. However, due to known EZIO listening patterns, there will be commentary on the background on specific positions of songs and whether or not it would've been a rise or drop would this not have been the inaugural chart rankings. The chart may also expand in the future to top 40 with clearer rankings from here on out. With that out of the way, let's get started!

The 'Acid Angel' In The Room

Starting with the most obvious discussion - the #1 Artist, 24-member Korean Girl Group TripleS' subunit Acid Angel From Asia claims the top position on the inaugural chart rankings with the subunit's debut song 'Generation'. Recently, the group has been under fire- notably from being industry controversial figure Jaden Jeong's fourth partner and their debut song's "Y2K" concept being similar to HYBE sub-label ADOR's 5-member Girl Group NewJeans' debut concept. However, it is worth noting that NewJeans' concept is not something new, nor original, and while both exist in the same realm, both handle their respective material with a different palette and manner each.

With their Mini Album <Access>, they become the first to claim these "First Act" records:

• First Act to Officially Claim #1 ('Generation').
• First Act to Debut all songs from a project simultaneously on the chart, and in the top 20 (#1 [TT], #13, #15, #17, #19, #20).
• First Act to debut an Intro and Outro on the chart, and simultaneously ('Access' at #17 and '+(82)' at #19).

Generation's Odd Dominance
The sub-three minute song waits no time with a quick hitting intro and verse before going into its entrancing "La, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la" chorus. The groovy post-chorus follows with the quartet singing about being together with someone and maybe even slightly confused with them like being part of a generation of youth. Notably, the song trades out two vital parts of a typical song structure - a second verse and a bridge, for a post-post-chorus and a harder hitting final chorus with satisfying ad-libs. This structure works because of the aim of the song, which is to keep you gravitated to it all the way through. What would, or should be, the second verse, only serves as a brief time to let the listener overview what they just heard before plunging them back into the song. And right when you think 'Generation' has exhausted it's repetition, the high note comes into play with the members singing the final chorus extra passionately, sending you into one last sequence of la's before ending the song. Ultimately, the song leaves you in a daze and wanting to repeat the song again to hear what makes you a part of the generation this TripleS subunit is defining.

2000s & Fierceness - Both Back

'Toy Soldier' by Britney Spears makes its first notable appearance in listening patterns with its performance potential and carelessly self-confident sex-symbol tone. A "smash on the radio" with a "city boy from New York" with its multiple dance breaks, this week it debuts at #2, despite New EZIO being on anything but a mission.
'ANTIFRAGILE' by LESSERAFIM, with its genius of combining reggaeton with K-pop (thank you Isabella Lovestory) continues its reign in the top 3, stable at #3. According to EZIO listening patterns, they notably blocked themselves from this title track debuting at #1, being behind a B-side from the same album: 'No Celestial'.

'Lift Me Up'  by Rihanna is effective in its communication of love being needed, as Rihanna's first song in years, a powerful ballad, debuts at #4.

'Nxde' by Idle (previously/commonly referred to as G-(I)DLE) rises to #5 on the inaugural chart. Backed by a burlesque theme, thanks to the Marilyn Monroe/Banksy components in the visuals and the 'Lady Marmalade'-inspired wardrobe. Soyeon's creation of the song's message must be commended, with her trying to fight the objectification and hypersexualization of Women and their bodies in the song's lyrics and fighting the issues of the search of D22pf4kes and CP online, which has to do with a problem Women in the industry face and the group's Korean name's meaning respectively.

2000s Divas & Ex-IZ*ONE Soloists

'Antología' and 'Devoción' by Shakira due to polar opposite life circumstance feelings, debut at #6 and #7 respectively in the inaugural charts, with 'Devoción' looking to make a rise into the top 5 next week. Note: this also makes Shakira the first artist to officially place multiple songs in the top 10 ('Devoción' and 'Antología' have debuted earlier according to EZIO listening patterns). 

'LOVEBITE' by Namie Amuro similarly rises a #8 inaugural debut. 'HUSH RUSH', Ex-IZ*ONE Main Dancer Lee Chaeyeon's solo debut stays stable at #9 according to EZIO listening patterns, aided by its catchy dance and easy-to-listen quality. 'Underwater' as we depart farther from warm weather, drops to #10 from a earlier higher position according to EZIO listening patterns.

BLACKPINK and Kep1er Make Moves on the Charts

BLACKPINK officially place three songs on the charts this week - 'The Happiest Girl', 'Pink Venom', and 'Shut Down' (with the latter two having previous #1 debuts and the first having a previous #3 peak, according to EZIO listening patterns) at #16, #18, and #25 respectively. 

Kep1er re-chart their previous non-consecutive multi-#1 (according to EZIO listening patterns) B-side hit  'MVSK' just outside of the top 10 at #11. Additionally, thanks to forcefully brain-sticking electronic sounds, they debut what is largely considered their objectively worst single 'We Fresh' just outside of the top 20 at #21. While Kep1er avoid their first non-charting Korean single this time around, they do not escape the fact that this is their first Korean single to not chart at #1 or any placement near.

EZIO! Music Core - Ending Sequence

Thank you to anybody tuning in for the first edition of EZIO! Music Core! Join us next week for another ranking which may or may not include an extended chart. Once again, a special thank you to my best friend Juano (@LOONAppears) for the idea, especially considering a group currently affiliated with Jaden Jeong is seeing the most success on the inaugural charts. Congratulations to Acid Angel From Asia for the first official #1 on EZIO! Music Core's charts with 'Generation'. And always remember que aqui se habla real.