Exodus (Exo album) explained

Exodus
Type:studio
Artist:Exo
Cover:EXODUS-EXO.png
Border:yes
Caption:Digital album cover for Exodus
Released:March 30, 2015
Recorded:2014–2015
Studio:SM Studio, Seoul
Genre:
Length:
Label:
Producer:Lee Soo-man
Prev Year:2014
Next Title:Sing for You
Next Year:2015

Exodus (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by South Korean boy band Exo. It was released on March 30, 2015, by SM Entertainment and distributed by KT Music. The album was re-released as Love Me Right on June 3. The album was a commercial success in South Korea upon its release, with XOXO and its repackage selling over 750,000 copies and 370,000 copies according to Gaon, respectively.[2]

This is the first album to not feature Kris and Luhan, as they both filed lawsuits against SM Entertainment and left the group back in of May and October 2014 respectively. It was the last album to have the group divided into Exo-K and Exo-M units. This is also the last album to feature Tao, as he suspended his activity a month later, and on August of that same year, filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, thereby departing the group.

Background

Before the album's release, SM Entertainment held a press conference, in which all the members were present except Lay, who was in China focusing on his then-upcoming film.[3] Suho also stated that he had never thought about the sales numbers after the release of the album, and just wanted to bring new music to fans of the band. He said that the only thing on the members' mind whilst making the album was for the listeners to enjoy it. He also concluded by saying that it would be a new start for Exo, after the lawsuits of former band members Luhan and Kris, and that the members would show a brighter, fresher side to their fans.

The album features the lyrics from the likes of Teddy Riley and also Shinee's Jonghyun who wrote the lyrics of the song "Playboy". There are 10 songs that span a number of genres including dance, R&B, and ballad.[4] Exo stated that 20 different covers of the album would be released, both online and in physical copies. Each member would be featured on their own cover on the album, in both a Korean and Chinese version. The Korean versions were colored gold while the Chinese versions were silver. When aligned, the spines of all the albums together would create their new logo.

Release and promotion

Exodus promotional campaign kicked off with a mysterious teaser video on YouTube, featuring member, Kai, titled 'Pathcode: KAI', released on March 18, 2015.[5] At the time of the video's release, Exo launched a Twitter account with the username @PathcodeEXO which featured cryptic tweets such as mysterious riddles related to the videos published per member.[6] This created fan engagement as they came up with their own theories which are related to Exo's lore.

Every answer to the hints tweeted on @PathcodeEXO served as a password to Exo's promotional site. Once unlocked, fans can access the teaser photos and other content for the member featured in the Pathcode teaser video dropped on the same date.[7]

Each Pathcode videos feature the members in various regions and countries around the world including North America, Europe, and China, accompanied by cryptic symbols and imagery, and featured their respective superpowers. Some teaser videos also featured a snippet of instrumental versions of the album's B-side tracks in the background such as "My Answer" in Lay's teaser video, "El Dorado" in Baekhyun's, and "Hurt" in Xiumin's.

The first letter of the Exo members' location in the Pathcode teaser videos would spell out the album's lead single "Call Me Baby".[8] Despite the teasers not being released in order, fans pointed out that the words 'call me' and 'baby' are spelled out by the EXO-K and EXO-M members' location, respectively—Colorado (D.O.), Arizona (Chanyeol), London (Kai), Lyon (Baekhyun), Marseille (Suho), Edinburgh (Sehun), Barcelona (Tao), Almaty (Chen), Berlin (Xiumin), and Yunnan (Lay).

Live performances

Exo held their comeback stage for "Call Me Baby" on M Countdown (Mnet) where they co-operated their energetic choreography in various different stage locations. Along with the lead single, the band performed "My Answer" both on M! Countdown and Music Bank (KBS), and the title track both on Show! Music Core (MBC) and Inkigayo (SBS).[9] [10] [11] [12] Exo won their first award on Inkigayo aired on April 5, 2015. Promotions for the album were wrapped up by the band's performances on The Show (SBS MTV) aired on April 28, 2015. Exo received a total of 18 music show trophies for "Call Me Baby", breaking their own record previously held for "Growl" (14 trophies).

Commercial performance

According to SM Entertainment, pre-orders for Exodus reached 502,440 copies (321,200 in Korean and 181,240 in Chinese), already passing the half million mark. Domestically, the Korean version of the album topped the Gaon Weekly Albums Chart for four consecutive weeks, while its Chinese counterpart reached the runner-up position. Both versions occupied the first two spots until their third week of release.[13] Later, the Korean version of its repackaged edition Love Me Right stayed atop the chart for two straight weeks.[14] Exodus became the best-selling album in the first quarter of 2015, only two days after its release on March 30.[15]

In Japan, both albums entered the top 10 of the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart, peaking at numbers four (Korean) and seven (Chinese), respectively.[16] The combined version of the album sold over 6,000 copies in the United States and charted at number 95 on the Billboard 200 in its initial week of release. In doing so, Exodus became the second best-selling K-pop album in the region as well as the second highest-charting album by a K-pop group in the country (only behind 2NE1's Crush).[17] The album also topped Billboards World Albums Chart on the issue date of April 18, 2015, and stayed in the top 10 for six consecutive weeks.[18] With the pre-order sales figures for Love Me Right combined, the album's total sales surpassed one million units globally.[19] [20]

Singles

SM Entertainment released the song "First Love" on YouTube to give the fans a sneak peek. According to the members, it was a present for the fans after waiting patiently and bearing with the problems and struggles faced by the band, while still supporting them with their activities. The song was uploaded onto music sharing websites, but was then made private after 10 hours of uploading it.

The lead single for the album, "Call Me Baby", was released online on March 28, 2015, while the accompanying music videos of two versions (both in Korean and Chinese, respectively) came out three days later through a number of media.[21] The Korean version of the single peaked at number two on the Gaon Singles Chart, while its Chinese counterpart reached number 36.[22] [23] It also entered the Canadian Hot 100 for the week of April 25, 2015, debuting and peaking at number 98.[24] Since its release, "Call Me Baby" has sold almost 826,000 digital copies in South Korea, and 831,000 worldwide.[25]

The Korean version of "Love Me Right", the lead single for the album's repackaged edition later topped the Gaon Singles Chart, becoming the band's second number-one hit in their native country following "December, 2014 (The Winter's Tale)" (see Exo discography).[26] It has sold about 625,000 digital copies in South Korea. The songs "El Dorado" and "Beautiful" from the album, were previously used three years prior, when SM Entertainment released the teasers for the band members. The songs used then were only short drafts and clips from the songs and had no lyrics. "El Dorado" was used in Chanyeol's teaser, whilst the teaser for "Beautiful" starred the members Lay, Baekhyun and Chen.[27] [28]

Accolades

2015Melon Music AwardsAlbum of the YearExodus[29]
Mnet Asian Music AwardsAlbum of the Year[30]
Philippine K-pop AwardsAlbum of the Year[31]
2016Gaon Chart K-Pop AwardsAlbum of the Year – 1st Quarter[32]
Album of the Year – 2nd QuarterLove Me Right
Golden Disc AwardsAlbum BonsangExodus[33]
Album Daesang
Seoul Music AwardsBest Album
V Chart AwardsBest Album – Korea[34]

Track listing

Credits adapted from Naver.

Notes

Charts

Chart ! colspan="4" scope="col"
Peak chart positionsSales
Exodus
(Korean)
Exodus
(Chinese)
Love Me
Right

(Korean)
Love Me
Right

(Chinese)
South Korean Weekly Albums (Gaon)[36] [37] 1212
  • KOR: 1,268,940
  • JPN: 83,640<
--73,647-->
South Korean Monthly Albums (Gaon)[38] [39] 1212
South Korean Yearly Albums (Gaon)14311
Japanese Weekly Albums (Oricon)47914
Japanese Monthly Albums (Oricon)[40] 2346
Chart (2015)! colspan="2" scope="col"
Peak chart positionsSales
ExodusLove Me
Right
US Billboard 200[41] 95
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[43] 15
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[44] 70
US World Albums (Billboard)[45] [46] 12

Release history

EditionRegionDateFormatLabel
ExodusSouth KoreaMarch 30, 2015CD, digital downloadSM Entertainment, KT Music
WorldwideDigital downloadSM Entertainment
Love Me RightSouth KoreaJune 3, 2015CD, digital downloadSM Entertainment, KT Music
WorldwideDigital downloadSM Entertainment

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: 엑소 수호 "인기 비결? 대중에게 감사하는 마음으로 앨범 만들어". EXO Suho "The secret to popularity? I made the album with a feeling of gratitude to the public.". March 30, 2015. June 23, 2024. Maeil Business Newspaper. ko. Song. Cho-rong. Naver.
  2. News: EXO rewrites K-pop album sales history . Lim Jeong-yeo . . June 3, 2015 . June 3, 2015 . June 3, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150603130941/http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201506031418386313817_2 . live .
  3. Web site: All eyes on EXO with 'Exodus' return. The Korea Herald. March 30, 2015. March 30, 2015. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222221453/http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150330000872. live.
  4. Web site: EXO's 2nd Album 'EXODUS' Will Be Revealed At Noon. Yahoo. Ha, You-bin. March 30, 2015. dead. https://archive.today/20150409130236/https://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/exo-s-2nd-album-exodus-will-be-revealed-012057040.html. April 9, 2015.
  5. Web site: March 18, 2015 . EXO releases mysterious teaser featuring member Kai . May 26, 2024 . Koreaboo.
  6. Web site: March 19, 2015 . EXO releases 2nd Pathcode teaser for comeback ft. Tao . May 26, 2024 . Koreaboo.
  7. Web site: May 26, 2024 . May 18, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160518125259/http://exo-k.smtown.com/exopromotion . dead .
  8. Web site: March 17, 2015 . Locations of EXO's individual teasers spell out 'Call Me Baby'? . May 26, 2024 . allkpop.com.
  9. News: 엑소, 컴백 무대서 수록곡 'MY ANSWER'·'EXODUS' 선사 ("EXO to Perform "My Answer" and "Exodus" on Their Comeback Stage"). Jeong. Hee-seo. April 2, 2015. April 29, 2015. XPORTSNEWS. ko.
  10. Web site: [HIT] 뮤직뱅크 - 엑소(EXO) - My Answer + Call Me Baby.20150403]. KBSKpop. YouTube. April 3, 2015. YouTube. April 29, 2015. June 23, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150623002019/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxL74Ruq6jE&gl=US&hl=en. live.
  11. Web site: [Comeback Stage] EXO - CALL ME BABY, 엑소 - 콜 미 베이비, Show Music core 20150404]. MBCKpop. . April 4, 2015. YouTube.
  12. Web site: [Comeback Stage] EXO - EXODUS, 엑소 - 엑소더스, Show Music core 20150404]. MBCKpop. YouTube. April 6, 2015. YouTube. April 29, 2015. September 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180909220154/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtGW4dzNzKg&gl=US&hl=en. live.
  13. Chart references for Exodus:
    • Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 15th Week of 2015 . . Korea Music Content Industry Association . April 29, 2015 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094548/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=15&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . live .
    • Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 16th Week of 2015 . Gaon Chart . Korea Music Content Industry Association . April 29, 2015 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304212250/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=16&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . live .
    • Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 17th Week of 2015 . Gaon Chart . Korea Music Content Industry Association . April 29, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150423022400/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=17&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . April 23, 2015 .
    • Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 18th Week of 2015 . Gaon Chart . Korea Music Content Industry Association . April 30, 2015 . April 30, 2015 . June 12, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142917/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=18&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . live .
  14. Chart references for Love Me Right:
    • Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 24th Week of 2015 . Gaon Chart . Korea Music Content Industry Association . June 20, 2015 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123605/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=24&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . live .
    • Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 25th Week of 2015 . Gaon Chart . Korea Music Content Industry Association . June 20, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150618165619/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=25&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . June 18, 2015 .
  15. News: K-pop boy band EXO's 'EXODUS' best-selling album in first quarter. https://web.archive.org/web/20150424014107/http://news.asiaone.com/news/showbiz/k-pop-boy-band-exos-exodus-best-selling-album-first-quarter. dead. April 24, 2015. May 7, 2015. Singapore Press Holdings. April 3, 2015.
  16. Web site: Oricon Albums Chart – The Week of April 13, 2015. Oricon. April 9, 2015. ja. June 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170624130007/http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2015-04-13/. live.
  17. Benjamin . Jeff . EXO's 'Exodus' Album Earns Biggest Sales Week Ever for a K-Pop Act . . April 9, 2015 . 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 .
  18. Chart references for Exodus:
  19. News: Jong-chan. Kim. EXO's 'Exodus' and repackaged version sell more than 1 million copies. June 5, 2015. Aju Business Daily. June 3, 2015. July 8, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150708042410/http://eng.ajunews.com/view/20150603110000391. live.
  20. News: Ye-na. Kim. [뮤직@리폿] JYP 폭주 백아연, SM 기록각 엑소, YG 핵공격 빅뱅 ("Erupting Baek A-yeon from JYP, Record-Breaking EXO from SM, Blasting BIGBANG from YG")]. June 23, 2015. TVREPORT. June 22, 2015. ko. June 23, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150623015233/http://www.tvreport.co.kr/?c=news&m=newsview&idx=732479. live.
  21. Web site: 엑소(EXO),정규2집 '엑소더스 EXODUS'로 컴백!- 타이틀곡 '콜미 베이비CALL ME BABY' ("EXO to Return with Their Second Studio Album "EXODUS"!... The Lead Single Is "Call Me Baby""). Newsway. March 30, 2015. ko. March 30, 2015. April 17, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150417002935/http://www.newsway.co.kr/view.php?tp=1&ud=2015033013095286489. live.
  22. Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Singles – The 15th Week of 2015 . . Korea Music Content Industry Association . April 9, 2015 . April 9, 2015 . dead . 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 . April 9, 2015 .
  23. Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Singles – The 14th Week of 2015. Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. April 7, 2015. April 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160401180818/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=week&hitYear=2015&targetTime=14&nationGbn=T. live.
  24. 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.
  25. Sales references for "Call Me Baby" outside South Korea:
    • Benjamin. Jeff. EXO's 'Exodus' Album Earns Biggest Sales Week Ever for a K-Pop Act. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. May 19, 2015. 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.
    • Benjamin. Jeff. EXO's 'Call Me Baby' Lands on Canadian Hot 100. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. May 19, 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.
  26. Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Singles – The 25th Week of 2015. Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. June 19, 2015. June 18, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150618165132/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=25&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week. live.
  27. Web site: EXO Teaser 19_LAY & CHEN & BAEK HYUN. YouTube. SMTOWN. YouTube. February 21, 2012. April 29, 2015. June 4, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150604034527/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKBJaDKJpXs. live.
  28. Web site: EXO Teaser 20_CHAN YEOL. YouTube. SMTOWN. YouTube. February 22, 2012. April 29, 2015. June 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609052104/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwCSdQV3_LQ. live.
  29. Web site: Melon Music Awards . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190408083141/https://www.melon.com/melonaward/yearlyaward.htm . April 8, 2019 . August 6, 2018 . . ko.
  30. Web site: Han . Hee-won . December 3, 2015 . ko:MAMA, 빅뱅·엑소 대상 영예...동반 4관왕 . http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2015/12/03/0200000000AKR20151203004600005.HTML . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171116185448/http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2015/12/03/0200000000AKR20151203004600005.HTML . November 16, 2017 . August 7, 2018 . . ko.
  31. Web site: Hicap . Johnathan . December 21, 2015 . Winners at the 7th Philippine K-pop Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306150024/https://mb.com.ph/winners-at-the-7th-philippine-k-pop-awards/ . March 6, 2016 . April 11, 2022 . Manila Bulletin.
  32. Web site: ko:국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트! . http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/article/view.gaon?idx=11082&amp;sgenre=kpop . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180726072237/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/article/view.gaon?idx=11082&sgenre=kpop . July 26, 2018 . August 1, 2019 . . ko.
  33. Web site: ko:역대수상자 골든디스크 – 2016년 30회 수상자 목록 . http://isplus.live.joins.com/goldendisc/kr/previous . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180626054537/http://isplus.live.joins.com/goldendisc/kr/previous . June 26, 2018 . April 14, 2019 . . ko . Winners are listed in sections by year from 2010 to 2017, scroll down the page to view desired year..
  34. Web site: 2016 YinYueTai V Chart Awards Winners . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160519054011/http://vchart.yinyuetai.com/awards2016/winnerlist . May 19, 2016 . August 15, 2018 . YinYueTai . zh.
  35. Web site: Promise. KOMCA. August 20, 2018. October 4, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191004125502/https://www.komca.or.kr/foreign2/eng/S01.jsp. live.
  36. Web site: June 11, 2015 . South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 24th Week of 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123605/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=24&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . March 4, 2016 . June 11, 2015 . . Korea Music Content Industry Association.
  37. Web site: April 9, 2015 . South Korean Gaon Chart: Album – The 15th Week of 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094548/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=15&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . March 4, 2016 . April 9, 2015 . . Korea Music Content Industry Association.
  38. Web site: South Korean Gaon Chart: Albums – March 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204950/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?termGbn=month&hitYear=2015&targetTime=03&nationGbn=T . March 3, 2016 . July 9, 2015 . . Korea Music Content Industry Association.
  39. Web site: July 9, 2015 . South Korean Gaon Chart: Albums – June 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215959/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?termGbn=month&hitYear=2015&targetTime=06&nationGbn=T . March 3, 2016 . July 9, 2015 . . Korea Music Content Industry Association.
  40. Web site: Oricon Albums Chart – April 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150627133247/http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/2015-04/ . June 27, 2015 . May 6, 2015 . Oricon . ja.
  41. Billboard 200 - The Week of April 18, 2015 . live . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20160405022136/http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2015-04-18 . April 5, 2016 . May 20, 2015.
  42. 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 .
  43. Billboard Independent Albums Chart - The Week of April 18, 2015 . live . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306063857/http://www.billboard.com/charts/independent-albums/2015-04-18 . March 6, 2016 . May 22, 2015.
  44. Billboard Top Album Sales Chart - The Week of April 18, 2015 . live . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20150918132924/http://www.billboard.com/charts/top-album-sales/2015-04-18 . September 18, 2015 . May 20, 2015.
  45. Billboard World Albums Chart - The Week of April 18, 2015 . live . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20170626024421/http://www.billboard.com/charts/world-albums/2015-04-18 . June 26, 2017 . May 20, 2015.
  46. Billboard World Albums Chart - The Week of June 20, 2015 . live . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20151017224900/http://www.billboard.com/charts/world-albums/2015-06-20 . October 17, 2015 . June 12, 2015.