| ROCK-STAR Images • Videos |
ROCK-STAR (樂-STAR rak-star) is the eighth mini album by South Korean boy group Stray Kids. It was released on November 10, 2023 with "LALALALA" serving as the title track.
Background[]
A release was teased as soon as August 25, 2023 with the announcement of Stray Kids' October showcase "Seoul Special (UNVEIL 13)".
On September 19, media outlets reported that Stray Kids would have a comeback in November, which was confirmed by the agency.[1]
On October 5, JYP Entertainment released a trailer revealing that Stray Kids would come back on November 10 with the mini album ROCK-STAR.[2]
Songs off the album ("MEGAVERSE", "BLIND SPOT", "Leave") were revealed early through the showcase "Seoul Special (UNVEIL 13)" that took place on October 21 and 22 at Gocheok Sky Dome.
The album was promoted on music shows with the title track "LALALALA" from November 10 to November 19. The group held its eleventh mini fanmeeting after the pre-recording of "LALALALA" at Show! Music Core on November 11.
Exclusive digital versions of the album were released for the United States on November 15, with special covers: Green, Blue and Signed.
Composition[]
| “ | ROCK-STAR' is a new album released about five months after the release of their third album, and it has an organic relationship with their previous album '★★★★★ (5-STAR)'. The group's confidence to create music that can be enjoyed by all listeners around the world is evident in the album's bold message, "No matter what, our rock continues." The album is a celebration of those who can enjoy themselves.
Stray Kids' musical pride in inviting global K-pop listeners to a celebration of those who know how to have fun is also evident in the tracklist for 'ROCK-STAR'. Starting with the title track, "LALALALA," the album includes eight other songs, including "MEGAVERSE," "Blind Spot," "COMFLEX," "Cover Me," "Leave," the Korean version of their first Japanese EP's title track "Social Path (feat. LiSA)," and "LALALALA (Rock ver.)." Having achieved a record of three consecutive No. 1s on the Billboard 200 with their self-created music, they will be honored with their name on the credits of the new mini album, heralding the birth of another well-made work and presenting musical 'pleasure'. 3RACHA, who have created title tracks for every album they have released since their debut in March 2018, from their official debut track "District 9" to their comeback title track "LALALALA," will reinforce their unique genre of "Stray kids" with this album. In addition, Kevin Gomringer and Tim Gomringer of the German hip-hop producer duo Cubeatz, who have participated in many albums of famous international hip-hop artists such as Travis Scott and Drake, and VERSACHOI, Millionboy, and JUN2 collaborated with leading domestic and international writers to enhance the completeness of the album. The title track "LALALALA" is a song that excites listeners through its unique melody. It delivers fresh stimulation with lyrics that feature wordplay utilizing 'rock' such as "Welcome to heaven (Rock) thunderbolt (Rock) / City’s rock (Rock) having fun is all that matters (Rock) / No more worries (Rock) hard nights (Rock) / Hanging in until it's over, after pain comes joy (Rock)". In addition, by adding rock elements to the repeated sound in the chorus, you can enjoy the powerful addictive and intense nature of Stray Kids' music. In early October 2023, they released a prologue video and opened the prelude to their full-scale comeback. Borrowing from the dreams and perspectives of a child before a performance, the new song's 'joys and sorrows' were told through a solid storyline to arouse fans' curiosity, and then the 'enjoyment' of watching the video was enhanced by an atmospheric narration, colorful video effects, and the members' vibrant visuals. With the new mini album "ROCK-STAR" and the title track "LALALALA," which has a special seal, Stray Kids will once again deliver a fresh sensation to the global music market in 2023 and drive the mainstream movement. |
” |
| ― Official Introduction | ||
Tracklist[]
- MEGAVERSE
- 락 (樂) LALALALA Title track
- 사각지대 BLIND SPOT
- COMFLEX
- 가려줘 Cover Me
- Leave
- Social Path (feat. LiSA) (Korean ver.)
- 락 (樂) (Rock ver.) LALALALA (Rock ver.)
Audio[]
Editions[]
- ROCK / ROLL : Photobook + CD + Photocard (1 out of 16) + Panorama Mini poster (1 out 3) + Unit Photocard (1 out of 4) + Sticker + Folded Poster (1 out of 3) (pre-order only) + Film Photocards Set (1 set out of 2 sets) (pre-order only)
- Limited STAR : Photobook + CD + Photocard (1 out of 16) + Panorama Mini Poster (1 out 3) + Unit Photocard (1 out of 4) + Sticker + Special Mini Poster (1 out of 8) + 4-Cut Photo Film + Folded Poster (1 out of 3) (pre-order only) + Film Photocards Set (1 set out of 2 sets) (pre-order only)
- HEADLINER : Photobook + CD + Photocard (1 out of 8) + Folded Mood Board Poster (1 out of 2) (pre-order only)
- POSTCARD (Bang Chan / Lee Know / Changbin / Hyunjin / HAN / Felix / Seungmin / I.N) : Outbox + Postcard Set + CD + Lyrics Paper + Mini Folded Poster + Photocard (1 out of 8) + Photocard (1 out of 8) (pre-order only)
- Platform Album NEMO : Cover + QR Card + Sticker + Photocards + Ornament (1 out of 8) + Lyric Cards + JYP x NEMOZ App Digital Content
Achievements[]
- For achievements specific to the title track, see "LALALALA"
- ROCK-STAR sold 3,702,681 copies in the first week on Hanteo Chart, and 4,126,466 copies in the first month on Circle Chart. In January 2024, it earned a 3x Million (3,000,000+ sales) certification by KMCA.
- ROCK-STAR debuted at No.1 on Billboard 200, their fourth album in a row to do so.[3] It is also Stray Kids' second album to spend 10 weeks on the chart. [4]
- ROCK-STAR ranked #9 on 2023 IFPI Global Album Sales, ranking the biggest albums of the year based on the number of units sold accross all physical and digital formats.[5]
Reviews[]
| “ | Stray Kids are unstoppable. With 樂-STAR (ROCK-STAR), the eight-member boy group celebrates their fourth consecutive album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (as well as their second album released in 2023 to hit No. 1 after 5-STAR earlier this year). Diving into the diverse and unique offerings of 樂-STAR makes it easy to see why fans keep multiplying and coming back for more. Title track “Lalalala” (their first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100) is unusual but addictive. “Cover Me” is a tender rock ballad about loneliness that grapples with the feeling of being caught between wanting to hide away and find your way out. “Leave” is a melodic and soft love song with a nostalgic melody that will make you feel like staring out of a rain-spattered window while having a main character moment. “Social Path” is an upbeat and rebellious rock anthem. There’s no denying 樂-STAR is unconventional, even within the experimental and genre-bending world of K-pop. Some may criticize an album that explores so many different ideas as incohesive, but Stray Kids do it so well, and their off-kilter charm and ability to offer something completely different across eight songs is what makes 樂-STAR so special. The fact that this group writes all of their own music makes its singularity and success all the more impressive. Stray Kids defy genres, rules and expectations of what a song or an album can be to do things in their own unique way, and that’s exactly what makes them rock stars for a new generation of misfits. (Rabab Al-Sharif) | ” |
| ― PopCrush: 30 Best Albums of 2023 | ||
Images[]
- To see the image gallery for ROCK-STAR, click here.
Videos[]
- To see the video gallery for ROCK-STAR, click here.
Trivia[]
- The mood of the whole album is described through the four emotions contained in the Korean idiom 희로애락 huiroaerak adapted from hanja characters (喜 xǐ (joy), 怒 nù (anger), 哀 āi (sorrow), 樂 lè (pleasure)) as well as the English homophone "rock" to emphasize the "rock n' roll" of life, the importance of having joy and energy.
References[]
- ↑
Sports Kyunghyang: JYP 측 “스트레이 키즈, 새 앨범 준비 중…컴백 시기 미정”[공식] (Sep. 19, 2023)
- ↑ @Stray_Kids (Oct. 5, 2023)
- ↑ Billboard 200 - Week of November 25, 2023
- ↑ Soompi: Stray Kids’ “ROCK-STAR” Becomes Their 2nd Album To Spend 10 Weeks On Billboard 200 (Jan. 28, 2024)
- ↑ @IFPI_org (Feb. 28, 2024)
