Forever 1 is the seventh Korean studio 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 10 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. 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. On July 24, SM Entertainment announced that the group would be releasing their seventh studio album, titled Forever 1, on August 8. 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. 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. Two days later, the album's mood sampler was released. Music video teasers for "Forever 1" were released on July 4 and 5. The album was released digitally alongside the music video for "Forever 1" on August 5.
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". The second track, "Lucky Like That", is a pop song characterized by "strong guitar performance and powerful drum beats". 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. 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. 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".
"Closer" was described as a pop song with "light piano riff and sensual disco rhythm" and "an exciting vibe". "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". The eighth track, "Summer Night", was described as medium-tempo pop song characterized by "bouncing synth and beautiful melody". 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". 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".
Commercial performance
Forever 1 debuted at number two on South Korea's Circle Album Chart in the chart issue dated August 7–13, 2022; on the monthly chart, the album debuted at number five in the chart issue dated August 2022. In Japan, the album debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums in the chart issue dated August 10, 2022. On the Oricon's chart, the album debuted at number 14 on the Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 29, 2022; on the monthly chart, the album debuted at number 48 in the chart issue dated August 2022. The album also debuted at number four on the Digital Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 15, 2022, and number 48 on the Combined Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 22, 2022. It ascended to number nine on the Oricon Albums Chart, and number eight on the Combined Albums Chart in the chart issue dated September 12, 2022.
In United States, Forever 1 debuted at number 16 on the Billboard Heatseekers Album, and number 88 on the Billboard Top Current Album Sales in the chart issue dated August 20, 2022. 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. In Australia, the album debuted at number ten on the ARIA Top 50 Digital Albums Chart, and number one on the ARIA Top 20 Hitseekers Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 15, 2022.
Critical reception
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". 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".Forever 1 is the seventh Korean studio 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 10 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. 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. On July 24, SM Entertainment announced that the group would be releasing their seventh studio album, titled Forever 1, on August 8. 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. 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. Two days later, the album's mood sampler was released. Music video teasers for "Forever 1" were released on July 4 and 5. The album was released digitally alongside the music video for "Forever 1" on August 5.
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". The second track, "Lucky Like That", is a pop song characterized by "strong guitar performance and powerful drum beats". 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. 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. 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".
"Closer" was described as a pop song with "light piano riff and sensual disco rhythm" and "an exciting vibe". "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". The eighth track, "Summer Night", was described as medium-tempo pop song characterized by "bouncing synth and beautiful melody". 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". 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".
Commercial performance
Forever 1 debuted at number two on South Korea's Circle Album Chart in the chart issue dated August 7–13, 2022; on the monthly chart, the album debuted at number five in the chart issue dated August 2022. In Japan, the album debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums in the chart issue dated August 10, 2022. On the Oricon's chart, the album debuted at number 14 on the Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 29, 2022; on the monthly chart, the album debuted at number 48 in the chart issue dated August 2022. The album also debuted at number four on the Digital Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 15, 2022, and number 48 on the Combined Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 22, 2022. It ascended to number nine on the Oricon Albums Chart, and number eight on the Combined Albums Chart in the chart issue dated September 12, 2022.
In United States, Forever 1 debuted at number 16 on the Billboard Heatseekers Album, and number 88 on the Billboard Top Current Album Sales in the chart issue dated August 20, 2022. 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. In Australia, the album debuted at number ten on the ARIA Top 50 Digital Albums Chart, and number one on the ARIA Top 20 Hitseekers Albums Chart in the chart issue dated August 15, 2022.
Critical reception
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". 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".false2022-10-22 09:51:57FOREVER 120222022-01-012022-01-0133Dance-PopElectroElectronicK-PopPopSynth-Pop1128192386594cbc4a3c0-a7c6-4d64-83ab-d6124a9bbf3bb7442f18-d9be-4185-8b51-4825100461566e54449b-b648-4296-9db6-78090d396194/media/data/media5/Music/Girls’ Generation/FOREVER 1 (2022)/folder.jpgGirls’ GenerationAlbumArtistGirls’ GenerationArtistGirls’ GenerationGirls’ GenerationGirls' Generation (Korean: 소녀시대; RR: Sonyeo Sidae), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piece ensemble, Jessica departed from the group in September 2014. Among the prominent South Korean figures and most popular K-pop groups worldwide, Girls' Generation has earned numerous accolades and the honorific nickname "The Nation's Girl Group" in their home country.
Girls' Generation debuted on August 5, 2007, with the single "Into the New World" from their eponymous Korean album. The group rose to fame in 2009 with the single "Gee", which claimed the top spot on KBS's Music Bank for a record-breaking nine consecutive weeks and was Melon's most popular song of the 2000s decade. The group consolidated their popularity in Asia with follow-up singles "Genie", "Oh!", and "Run Devil Run", which were released between mid-2009 and early 2010. Their second Korean studio album, Oh! (2010), won the Golden Disc award for Album of the Year (Disk Daesang), making the group the first and only female act to win the Album Daesang.
Girls' Generation ventured into the Japanese music scene in 2011 with their eponymous Japanese album, which became the first album by a non-Japanese girl group to be certified million by the RIAJ. The group's third Korean studio album, The Boys, was the best-selling album of 2011 in South Korea. An English version of the single "The Boys" was released in an attempt to expand the group's endeavor to the global music scene. The group's fourth Korean studio album, I Got a Boy (2013), was supported by the title track, which won Video of the Year at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards. Girls' Generation continued to build upon their popularity with their fifth and sixth Korean studio albums, Lion Heart (2015) and Holiday Night (2017).
The group's signature musical styles are characterized as electropop and bubblegum pop, though their sound has varied widely, incorporating various genres including hip hop, R&B, and EDM. In 2017, Billboard honoured Girls' Generation as the "Top K-pop Girl Group of the Past Decade". They are the first Asian girl group to achieve five music videos with over 100 million views on YouTube with "Gee", "I Got a Boy", "The Boys", "Mr. Taxi", and "Oh!". In Japan, they became the first non-Japanese girl group to have three number-one albums on the Oricon Albums Chart, and their three Japanese concert tours attracted a record-breaking 550,000 spectators.