Stray Kids Fan Attempts the Impossible: Ranking All the Best Tracks From ATE
There’s no song on ATE by Stray Kids you’ll ever want to skip. It’s an album that’s perfect to listen to if you want to start your morning upbeat and hyped up.
This album doesn’t have any misses, but some songs are better than others in musicality, lyricism, and line distribution.
7. Jjam
Why are Hyunjin and Changbin rapping about jam? None of us have a clue. Maybe other STAYs can help us decode what Jjam really means and why it has two Js. Other STAYs have pointed out that it’s probably the group’s favorite song, given its wordplay.
But aside from having a catchy beat and references to their fans, this song is probably best appreciated by dancers who can make amazing use of its breaks and beat drops.
6. Twilight
Stray Kids is known for their explosive rap, but the group can definitely write and perform a K-drama OST if they want to. Twilight still has some rap bridges, but it stands out on the album as one of its softer songs about heartbreak. Its unique tone makes it rank higher than the song before it.
Anyone can listen to this song on a rainy day and feel like they’ve been on the receiving end of heartbreak. Maybe you’re not heartbroken. You just miss Stray Kids.
5. I Like It
In terms of lyrics and musicality, ‘I Like It’ ranks above the other two songs. It’s able to embody the nature of someone flippant in a relationship through its light and catchy beat.
“What are we?” as a song line is perfect to send to your crush or any situationship you have going on. Stray Kids sings from the perspective of someone who clearly doesn’t want to get into a serious relationship. It’s a heartbreaking song that masks itself as upbeat.
4. Runners
Runners is all about the impeccable teamwork of Stray Kids. They’ve made it clear that they’re going to keep taking on challenges in their careers as a group. It’s not going to be easy, but there’s nothing they can’t accomplish as a group.
It’s refreshing to hear the group sing about challenges in a positive light. But the next song is the culmination of the group’s success, and hearing it has brought many fans to tears.
3. Stray Kids
A callback to ‘Hellevator’ had STAYs breaking Twitter for days. ‘Stray Kids’ was the first song teased from the ATE album. The teaser has shown the group bringing images of their old music video back, but it wasn’t just a nod to ‘Hellevator.’
It’s also the group’s way of reassuring fans that there’s more to come and that they’re ready to soar to new heights. They’re not leaving anytime soon—from the music industry and the Billboard charts.
2. Chk Chk Boom
The music video for Chk Chk Boom was a collaboration we didn’t think we needed. But after hearing Chk Chk Boom’s catchy beat, any STAY could probably imagine Deadpool & Wolverine fighting with the song blasting in the background.
There are no songs you’ll want to skip from the ATE album, but it’s still a competitive album nonetheless. Chk Chk Boom showcases Stray Kids’ rapping abilities, and the song has even line distribution among its members. It’s definitely the fan favorite, but in terms of lyricism, fans would agree that first place belongs to another song in the album.
1. Mountains
If ‘Stray Kids’ from the ATE album reassured fans, Mountains is the track that solidifies how far the group has come. In the past, Stray Kids have been singing about the struggles of being idols. They’ve faced scrutiny and a lack of privacy, as expressed in previous songs.
But the lyrics of Mountains had the group reveling in their success, as they deserved to.
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