‘Golden’ aptly marks Jungkook’s global pop stardom

The ever-beloved golden maknae (youngest in English) of BTS was the last member to have released his solo album titled, "Golden". Jungkook launched the sought-after album incorporating a total of 11 songs in the first week of November to astonishingly record-breaking rounds of acceptance. The member who truly happens to be the one with the most pronounced 'popstar' flare has achieved the status of having the top-selling album by a solo Korean artiste in the sales week history of the Billboard 200. Notably, the album has set a new record on the global Spotify Weekly charts by achieving the largest debut week for an Asian soloist album.

The songs in the album encompass an amalgamation of emotions which in turn is bound to make listeners feel the distinctly varied sentiments conveyed within each song. Jungkook even released three out of the 11 songs a handful of months ago, which is why the song "Seven" became the fastest song to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify. For ardent ARMYs, it came as no surprise that he handpicked all English tracks for his album. BTS' youngest talent tends to communicate with his fans for hours in one go whenever he appears live on Weverse which in hindsight palpably connects his intention of wanting to reach as many listeners as possible with these English songs. The talented all-rounder of BTS refrains from creating a linear set of emotions throughout the album and additionally accumulated a strong group of musicians not only as featured artistes but producers and writers as well. 

The first track in his album "3D" features Jack Harlow as the necessary rapper. The song can easily be categorised under the quintessential pop genre that can make people dance and vibe to its catchy beats. The beats begin thrumming as soon as the song starts playing. With its equally stylish lyrics including the likes of, "You give me brand-new emotion. You got me drinkin' that potion," "3D" can have listeners easily captivated. Jack Harlow's part of the song is mostly appropriate for himself and it is added as an end note to first calm the beats of "3D" to then cue in a casual stop. 

The second track "Closer to You" features the electronic dance music DJ trio Major Lazer and their musical presence is constantly reverberated throughout the song. Their particular brand of electro music is almost always auditorily discernible. The song showcases Jungkook's vocal flexes in terms of whispering tones and swift rapt sections. The latter portions are the more enjoyable bits. The song is perfect for a dance party involving disco lights. The beats are leisurely enough to command the easygoing flow of dancing with a worry in the world. 

"Seven" featuring rapper Latto is a hit that is well on its way to over one billion listens on Spotify now. Amongst the catchy songs in the album, it is unequivocally my favourite. It is a fun play at the emotions of someone who wants to get back together with a person they love desperately. Latto's parts build on more fun. The music video and the lyrics flawlessly capture the essence of the desperation the pop track dictates. It's an ideal tune to have playing in the background while doing tasks or running errands. It is also capable of inserting a surge of energy back into the brain after periods of immense boredom. It is an actually good addition to the hoard of conventionally catchy pop songs that remain festooned across the top ranks of the Billboard charts. Its explicit version adds up to the album having 11 songs.

"Standing Next to You" is the main track of the album so it is being utilised to promote the album as a whole. It is a grandiose composition comprising the unmistakable radiance and galore of the early and mid-1980s aka the Michael Jackson era. The play of drums here reverberates through the heart (as a listener) in the most uplifting manner. The musical notes interspersed among the lyrics evoke images of the dance floors from the 1980s. The lyrics "Standing next to you. Standing in the fire next to you," conveys the point of this impressive piece composed for Jungkook. In this song, the singer employs a forceful vocal push that his voice is capable of reaching, although he doesn't frequently utilise this assertive technique. Its designated dance steps additionally pay tribute to Michael Jackson.

"Yes or No" is the track that I was going to listen to first of all after hearing that it has been penned by Ed Sheeran. The song is reminiscent of Ed Sheeran's aura. The tunes that end on a musical heft are beautiful just like many other Ed Sheeran compositions. It is my favourite track from the album and in my opinion, it is the perfect pick to listen to while driving. The rhyming of the lyrics throughout the song has Ed Sheeran's name written all over it. The flow of its overall groovy melody is pleasing to the senses as the song questions whether someone is falling in love or not. 

The following track, "Please Don't Change", includes DJ Snake and was also produced by the French musician. It is brief in length and lukewarm to listen to. It has orthodox dance-electronic beats that are synonymous with DJ Snake. In this song, the pop star requests someone he loves to never change despite the differences in his life on and off camera. It is undeniably a dance track.

"Hate You" is a track written by Shawn Mendes. It is a soothing and breezy auditory experience that enthralls and captivates the heart. The lines, "I'm gonna hate you. Paint you like the villain that you never were," tell the story of the song. It is a song that can be listened to while it rains primarily because of its auditorily emulsifying effect. The use of the piano to play most of the tunes adds depth to its immersive and melancholic genre.

The next track "Somebody" foremostly can be an auditory shock because from its onset Jungkook's voice sounds diversely compared to his usual melodious tone. The lyrics follow a repetitive pattern in their flow, which in hindsight can be off-putting for those interested in lyric-heavy songs. It also has the spark to be played for a dance floor with relaxed dance movements. Throughout the song, the singer playfully taunts a partner, conveying that even if they were to find someone new, that individual wouldn't compare to the singer.

"Too Sad to Dance" is an energetic and lively song that contradicts its name's gloomy connotation. It has beautiful onomatopoeia as lyrics which instantaneously boosts the mood. The overall temperament of the song is enduringly sweet. Its message implies that the protagonist should return home because there is no one left who loves him. It is a track that can be played in the background while partaking in any form of activity. 

The last track, "Shot Glass of Tear", is a forlorn song with pop tunes. It has escalating tunes that compile up to a bout of emotions. Jungkook's voice enraptured every part of the lyrics in a melodious grasp. This last song is a beautiful one to end with. Lyrics, "Tell me, am I ever gonna feel again? Tell me, am I ever gonna heal again?" speak for the whole song. This track brings back the alluring tunes of a piano probably because auditorily these tunes become the perfect companion to somber songs. It can be perfect to play in an empty room after the sun sets considering the all-encompassing echoes imbued within the song.