Play (AKMU album) explained

Play
Type:studio
Artist:AKMU
Cover:AKMU_-_Play_digital.jpg
Border:yes
Caption:Digital edition cover
Recorded:2013–2014
Genre:
Language:Korean
Label:
Producer:Lee Chan-hyuk
Next Title:Spring
Next Year:2016

Play (stylized in all caps) is the debut studio album by South Korean brother-sister duo, AKMU, and their first release since winning K-pop Star 2 in 2012. It was released through YG Entertainment on April 7, 2014.

Background

On March 31, 2014, YG Entertainment revealed the first teaser picture.[2] On April 1, the second teaser picture was revealed, followed by the album's track list[3] on April 2.

Composition

Lee Chan-hyuk produced and wrote all the songs on the Play album. YG Entertainment's CEO Yang Hyun-suk explained,

"Up to now, I was in charge of producing albums for many singers. However, Akdong Musician's was the hardest for me. The musical genres I had mainly worked with were hip hop and R&B. However, Akdong Musician's genre is folk. It was a genre I have never tried before, so it was only right that they did it themselves. The two members of Akdong Musician debuted at an extremely young age. This year, Chan-hyuk will be 18 and Su-hyun will be 15. Because they are so young, if I were to order them to do this and that, their purity could get ruined. I decided it might actually be much more effective if the siblings personally [produced] it. As you can see by the results, this was verified after the album came out.[4]

Promotion and release

The album was digitally released on April 7, 2014. The album, consisting of 11 songs, was released worldwide through iTunes, Melon, Genie, and other online music portals. The physical album hit stores on April 9. The group's first stage comeback was on K-pop Star 3 on April 6. "200%" and "Melted" had been chosen directly as the title tracks, and the third title track, "Give Love", was chosen on April 14 after a round of fan voting.

Accolades

In 2024, EBS named Play one of the 100 best Korean popular music albums since 2004.[5]

Date! Ref.
M! CountdownApril 17, 2014[6]
April 24, 2014[7]
May 1, 2014[8]
Show! Music CoreApril 19, 2014[9]
April 26, 2014
May 3, 2014
May 10, 2014
InkigayoApril 20, 2014[10]
April 27, 2014[11]
May 4, 2014[12]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Play! Chart (2014)! Peak
position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[13] 1
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)20
US World Albums (Billboard)2

Year-end charts

Chart (2014)! colspan=2
Peak
position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[14] 57

Release history

Country Date Format Label
VariousApril 7, 2014
South KoreaApril 9, 2014CD

Notes and References

  1. News: Benjamin. Jeff. Akdong Musician: 21 Under 21 (2014). 1 November 2014. Billboard. 11 September 2014.
  2. Web site: Akdong Musician release first teaser picture for upcoming debut + YG updates on more comebacks. March 31, 2014. Allkpop.
  3. Web site: Akdong Musician reveals play list for upcoming debut album. April 2, 2014. Allkpop.
  4. Web site: Yang Hyun Suk explains why he did not produce Akdong Musician's album. April 10, 2014. Allkpop.
  5. Web site: 2024-04-01 . 2000년대 한국 대중음악 명반 100 (2004–2023) . Top 100 Korean pop music albums of the 2000s (2004–2023) . 2024-04-02 . EBS . ko.
  6. Web site: Choi . Ji-ye . April 19, 2014 . ko:악동뮤지션, 결방된 '엠카'서 데뷔 후 첫 1위 . Akdong Musician, first place after debut in 'M-Countdown' . https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/117/0002453323 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201213144636/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/117/0002453323 . December 13, 2020 . December 12, 2020 . My Daily . ko . Naver.
  7. Web site: Moon . Wan-sik . April 24, 2014 . ko:악동뮤지션, 결방 '엠카'서 2주 연속 1위 . Akdong Musician, ranked 1st in Gyeolbang 'M-Countdown' for 2 consecutive weeks . https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0002298059 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201213144558/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0002298059 . December 13, 2020 . December 12, 2020 . StarNews . ko . Naver.
  8. Web site: Sun . Mi-kyung . May 2, 2014 . ko:악동뮤지션, 결방 '엠카'서 3주 연속 1위 . Akdong Musician, ranked 1st in Gyeolbang 'M-Countdown' for 3 consecutive weeks . https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/109/0002771446 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201213144613/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/109/0002771446 . December 13, 2020 . December 12, 2020 . Osen . ko . Naver.
  9. Web site: ko:음중차트 . Music Core Chart . http://program.imbc.com/BBS/musiccore?bbs_id=chart_ranking . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210522081148/http://program.imbc.com/BBS/musiccore?bbs_id=chart_ranking . May 22, 2021 . January 18, 2021 . ko.
  10. Web site: April 20, 2014 . ko:<4월 셋째 주 인기가요 차트 > . Inkigayo chart for the 3rd week of April . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771?cmd=view&amp;page=24&amp;board_no=416926 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210428223819/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771?cmd=view&page=24&board_no=416926 . April 28, 2021 . February 23, 2021 . . ko.
  11. Web site: April 27, 2014 . ko:<4월 넷째 주 인기가요 차트> . Inkigayo chart for the 4th week of April . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771?cmd=view&amp;page=24&amp;board_no=416927 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210428223819/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771?cmd=view&page=24&board_no=416927 . April 28, 2021 . February 23, 2021 . . ko.
  12. Web site: May 8, 2014 . ko:<5월 첫째 주 인기가요 차트> . Inkigayo chart for the 1st week of May . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771?cmd=view&amp;page=24&amp;board_no=416928 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210428223821/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/gayo/board/54771?cmd=view&page=24&board_no=416928 . April 28, 2021 . February 23, 2021 . . ko.
  13. Web site: 2014년 16주차 Album Chart. Gaon Music Chart. ko. January 11, 2021.
  14. Web site: 2014년 Album Chart. Gaon Chart. ko. January 26, 2021.

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