Call Me Baby Explained

Call Me Baby
Type:single
Artist:Exo
Album:Exodus
Genre:K-pop[1]
Length:3:32
Label:SM
Chronology:Exo
Prev Title:December, 2014 (The Winter's Tale)
Prev Year:2014
Next Title:Love Me Right
Next Year:2015

"Call Me Baby" is a song recorded by South Korean–Chinese boy band Exo, as the lead single of their second studio album Exodus. It was released on March 27, 2015, through SM Entertainment, in both Korean and Chinese.

The song peaked at number two on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart, and Billboards World Digital Songs chart in the United States. Its entry at number 98 on the Canadian Hot 100, made Exo the only K-pop act other than Psy to rank on the charts in that territory at the time. "Call Me Baby" ended 2015 as the seventh best-performing song overall in South Korea, and Billboard ranked it as the ninth best K-pop song of the year.

By September 2016, "Call Me Baby" had sold over 1.2 million copies domestically. In 2019, Billboard included it on its list of the 100 greatest K-pop songs of the 2010s, at number 12.

Release and promotion

To promote the release of Exodus, a series of videos referred to as "Pathcode", featuring one Exo member each and are set in various locations, were released on YouTube. The first letters of these locations' names—Colorado, Arizona, London, Lyon, Marseille, Edinburgh, Barcelona, Almaty, Berlin and Yunnan—would spell "Call Me Baby", the title of the album's lead single.[2] It was released digitally on March 27, 2015, three days ahead of the album.[3] Exo began performing the song on South Korean music TV shows on April 2, 2015.[4] After the press conference for the album's release, member Tao was absent from promotional activities and would later withdraw from the group,[5] making "Call Me Baby" the last Exo single he participated in.

Music video

The Korean and Chinese music videos for "Call Me Baby" were released on March 30, 2015. The videos mainly feature Exo's performances of the song at a warehouse setting and against a white backdrop, and were filmed in a one shot style. The Korean version later became the third most-watched K-pop music video on YouTube in 2015.[6] On September 23, 2018, the Korean music video surpassed 200 million views on YouTube, becoming their second music video to do so.[7]

Reception

Writing for Billboard, Jeff Benjamin commented that while "Call Me Baby" "sounds wholly inspired by the late '90s/early '00s sound", Exo "is not only bringing in the nostalgic feel, but doing it at a 200 percent intensity."[8] The song reached number two on both South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart and the Billboard World Digital Songs chart.[9] [10] It also entered the Canadian Hot 100 at number 98, making Exo the second South Korean artist, after Psy, to appear on the chart.[11] "Call Me Baby" went on to win first place 18 times in total on South Korean music TV shows for the entire month, and the all-time second highest number of wins. Billboard ranked the song at number 9 on their list of top 20 K-pop songs of 2015.[12]

Accolades

Billboard ranked "Call Me Baby" number 9 in their list of the 20 Best K-pop Songs of 2015[13] and number 12 on their list of The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s, calling it a "sartorially adventurous in letting each member’s personality shine through".[14] SBS PopAsia also included it in their lists of the best K-pop songs from 2014 to 2016.[15] [16]

Music program awards (18 total)
ProgramDate Ref.
InkigayoApril 5, 2015[17]
April 12, 2015[18]
April 26, 2015[19]
Show ChampionApril 8, 2015
April 15, 2015
April 22, 2015
M CountdownApril 9, 2015[20]
April 16, 2015[21]
April 30, 2015[22]
Music BankApril 3, 2015[23]
April 10, 2015[24]
April 24, 2015[25]
May 1, 2015[26]
Show! Music CoreApril 11,2015[27]
April 18, 2015[28]
April 25, 2015[29]
May 2, 2015[30]
The ShowApril 28, 2015

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from album liner notes.[31]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2015)Peak
position
scope=row Canada (Canadian Hot 100)98
scope=row South Korea (Gaon)2
UK Indie Breakers (OCC)[32] 18
scope=row US World Digital Songs (Billboard)2

Year-end charts

Chart (2015)Position
scope=row South Korea (Gaon)[33] 7
US World Digital Songs (Billboard)[34] 14

Sales

RegionSales
scope=row South Korea (Gaon)[35] 1,229,566
scope=row United States (Nielsen)[36] 56,000
scope=row Canada (Music Canada)200

Notes and References

  1. EXO Get Back to Boy Band Basics on 'Call Me Baby'. Jeff. Benjamin. Billboard. April 1, 2015. April 22, 2017. January 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230112053851/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/exo-call-me-baby-mv-6517082/. live.
  2. News: 엑소 수호 "티저 의미? 우리도 잘 몰라" 폭소(슈키라). Nate. February 28, 2017. April 8, 2015. ko. July 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190727053345/https://news.nate.com/view/20150408n14234. live.
  3. News: K-pop superband EXO releases title track 'Call Me Baby'. The Korea Times. February 28, 2017. March 27, 2015. August 7, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160807121622/http://www.koreatimesus.com/k-pop-superband-exo-releases-title-track-call-me-baby/. live.
  4. News: 엑소 '콜미베이비', 음원차트 1위 올킬…글로벌 대세의 귀환. Nate. February 28, 2017. March 28, 2015. ko. July 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190727053344/https://news.nate.com/view/20150328n09758?mid=e0101. live.
  5. Web site: '발목부상' 엑소 타오, 컴백 사전녹화 불참…"당분간 치료에 집중". MyDaily. 2016-06-19. ko. 2019-03-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330203711/http://www.mydaily.co.kr/new_yk/html/read.php?newsid=201504022208111137&ext=da. live.
  6. News: Big Bang: YouTube's most viewed K-pop music video. Korea Herald. December 7, 2015. January 4, 2017. January 5, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170105000826/http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201512071440442308272_2. live.
  7. Web site:
    1. 엑소 'Call Me Baby(콜 미 베이비)' MV 유튜브 조회수 2억뷰 돌파!
    . EXO. 2019-01-26. 2019-09-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190901190836/https://twitter.com/weareoneexo/status/1043876126815281154. live.
  8. Benjamin. Jeff. EXO Get Back to Boy Band Basics on 'Call Me Baby'. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. January 4, 2017. January 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230112053851/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/exo-call-me-baby-mv-6517082/. live.
  9. Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Singles – The 15th Week of 2015 . . Korea Music Content Industry Association. April 9, 2015. April 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150409021749/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=15&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . 9 April 2015.
  10. Benjamin. Jeff. Biggest Sales Week Ever for a K-Pop Act. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. April 8, 2015. January 4, 2017. December 31, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161231180632/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6524502/exo-exodus-album-largest-first-week-sales-ever-for-k-pop. live.
  11. Benjamin. Jeff. EXO's 'Call Me Baby' Lands on Canadian Hot 100. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. April 21, 2015. April 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150421105143/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6538765/exo-call-me-baby-canadian-hot-100-charts. live.
  12. Benjamin. Jeff. The 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2015. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. April 1, 2015. January 4, 2017. February 26, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160226111036/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6828140/best-k-pop-songs-2015. live.
  13. Benjamin . Jeff . April 1, 2015 . The 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2015 . live . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20160226111036/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6828140/best-k-pop-songs-2015 . February 26, 2016 . January 4, 2017.
  14. November 25, 2019 . The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s . live . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20191128190649/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/8544710/best-k-pop-songs-2010s-top-100 . November 28, 2019 . December 13, 2019.
  15. News: February 9, 2018 . 18 Amazing K-pop Songs from 2014-2016 . SBS PopAsia . SBS PopAsia . live . June 13, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190727085416/https://www.sbs.com.au/popasia/blog/2018/02/09/18-amazing-k-pop-songs-2014-2016 . July 27, 2019.
  16. News: February 2, 2018 . 27 best K-pop songs from 2014-2016 . SBS PopAsia . SBS PopAsia . live . June 13, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190727054841/https://www.sbs.com.au/popasia/blog/2018/02/02/27-best-k-pop-songs-2014-2016 . July 27, 2019.
  17. Web site: April 9, 2015 . ko:4월 첫째 주 인기가요 차트 . Inkigayo chart for the first week of April . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771/?cmd=view&board_no=416974 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112033902/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771/?cmd=view&board_no=416974 . November 12, 2020 . May 17, 2019 . Seoul Broadcasting System . Korean.
  18. Web site: April 28, 2015 . ko:4월 둘째 주 인기가요 차트 . Inkigayo chart for the second week of April . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771/?cmd=view&board_no=416975 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112033902/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771/?cmd=view&board_no=416975 . November 12, 2020 . May 17, 2019 . Seoul Broadcasting System . Korean.
  19. Web site: April 28, 2015 . ko:4월 셋째 주 인기가요 차트 . Inkigayo chart for the third week of April . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771/?cmd=view&board_no=416976 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112033902/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771/?cmd=view&board_no=416976 . November 12, 2020 . May 17, 2019 . Seoul Broadcasting System . Korean.
  20. Web site: Ji-won . Jeong . April 9, 2015 . ko:엑소 '엠카운트다운' 1위, 컴백 일주일 트로피만 3개 . EXO's 'M Countdown' 1st place, only 3 trophies for a week of comeback . https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/311/0000458164 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201110145348/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/311/0000458164 . November 10, 2020 . November 9, 2020 . X Sports News . ko . Naver.
  21. Web site: Yu-jin . Jung . April 17, 2015 . ko:엑소 천하는 계속된다..음악방송 1위 싹쓸이 '9관왕' . EXO's world continues... Music Broadcasting No. 1 sweeping '9 crowns' . https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/109/0003044712 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201110145504/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/109/0003044712 . November 10, 2020 . November 9, 2020 . Osen . ko . Naver.
  22. Web site: Jo. Seul-gi. April 30, 2015. ko:'엠카운트다운' 엑소, 3주 연속 1위 트리플크라운, 15관왕 '달성'. 'M Countdown' EXO, 3 weeks in a row, Triple Crown, 15 crowns 'Achievement'. https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/312/0000091521. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201110145742/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/312/0000091521. November 10, 2020. November 9, 2020. Ten Asia. ko. Naver.
  23. Web site: Kim . So-yeon . April 10, 2015 . ko:엑소, '뮤직뱅크'에서도 1위.."우린 하나다" 소감 . Exo, 1st place in 'Music Bank'.. "We are one" impression . https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0002405780 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220415101805/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0002405780 . April 15, 2022 . April 14, 2022 . Star News . ko . Naver.
  24. Web site: Kim. So-yeon. April 10, 2015. ko:엑소, '뮤직뱅크'에서도 1위.."우린 하나다" 소감. Exo, 1st place in 'Music Bank'.. "We are one" impression. https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0002405780. live. April 14, 2022. Star News. ko. Naver. April 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220415101805/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0002405780.
  25. Web site: Jeong . Hee-seo . April 24, 2015 . ko:엑소, '뮤뱅'도 3주 연속 1위…트로피 13개 '신기록' . Exo, 'Music Bank' also ranked first for 3 weeks in a row... 13 trophies 'new record' . https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/311/0000463827 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220415102001/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/311/0000463827 . April 15, 2022 . April 14, 2022 . X-ports News . ko . Naver.
  26. Web site: Heo. Seol-hee. May 1, 2015. ko:'뮤직뱅크' 엑소 1위, 17개 트로피 싹쓸이 '경이로운 기록'. 'Music Bank' Exo 1st place, Sweep 17 Trophies 'A wonderful record'. https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/117/0002601962. live. April 14, 2022. My Daily. ko. Naver. April 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220415102608/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/117/0002601962.
  27. Web site: April 11, 2015. '음악중심' 엑소 1위, 컴백 후 트로피 5개 적립 '역시 대세'. November 16, 2023. 뉴스1. ko.
  28. Web site: OSEN. April 18, 2015. 엑소, '음중' 2주 연속 1위..물샐 틈 없는 10관왕 '올킬'. November 16, 2023. m.osen.co.kr. ko.
  29. Web site: April 25, 2015 . 엑소, 3주 연속 5개 음악방송 1위… '대세돌' 입증 . November 16, 2023 . . ko.
  30. Web site: 강 . 수진. May 2, 2015. 엑소, 4주 연속 1위...모두 합해 18개 트로피. November 16, 2023. sports.khan.co.kr. ko.
  31. Exodus. Exo. 2015. Compact disc liner notes. S.M. Entertainment.
  32. Web site: Official Independent Singles Breakers Chart Top 20 . . April 5–11, 2015 . October 30, 2022 . October 30, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221030025632/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-singles-breakers-chart/20150405/254/ . live .
  33. Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Singles – 2015. Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. January 4, 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305030907/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=2015&hitYear=2015&termGbn=year. March 5, 2016.
  34. World Digital Song Sales - Year-End 2015 . Billboard . November 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201127071038/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/world-digital-song-sales . November 27, 2020. dead.
  35. Cumulative sales in South Korea for "Call Me Baby":
    • Web site: Gaon Download Chart – 2015 (See #46). Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. May 27, 2016. April 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170401061259/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&termGbn=year. live.
    • Web site: 2016 Gaon Download Chart – First Half 2016 (See #221). Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. August 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160812213216/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/total.gaon?pageno=3&serviceGbn=S1020. August 12, 2016. dead.
    • Web site: Online Download – July 2016(See #348). Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. October 3, 2016. August 16, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160816171929/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?PageNo=4&nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&targetTime=07&hitYear=2016&termGbn=month. live.
    • Web site: Online Download – August 2016(See #392). Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. October 3, 2016. September 17, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160917163233/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?PageNo=4&nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&targetTime=08&hitYear=2016&termGbn=month. live.
    • Web site: Online Download – September 2016(See #400). Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. October 6, 2016. October 9, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161009114626/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?pageno=4&nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&targetTime=09&hitYear=2016&termGbn=month. live.
  36. Benjamin . Jeff . EXO's 'Obsession' Leads K-Pop Group to Fourth Billboard 200 Entry, No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales Chart . . December 12, 2019 . December 13, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191213025400/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8545531/exo-obsession-billboard-200-world-digital-song-sales-charts . live .

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