The Music
Crystal S. Anderson, PhD, with De'Siree Fairley
SHINee debuted with SM Entertainment in 2008 with five members: Onew (Lee Jin-ki), Key (Kim Ki-bum), Minho (Choi Min-ho), Taemin (Lee Tae-min) and Jonghyun (Kim Jong-hyun), who passed away in 2017.
A curation of playlists reveals the strength of SHINee’s early work, which includes the group’s incredibly successful debut track, “Noona Neomu Yeppo (Replay).” Of the 10 most cited promotional tracks, all were released before 2015, despite the group’s growing popularity globally. The music videos for the promotional tracks reveals the importance of choreography for the group, including “Lucifer” which remains one of the most difficult dance routines in K-pop. SHINee’s sound runs the gamut of genres, but always centralizes the vocals of the members.
SHINee has worked with a wide variety of creative personnel, including in-house veterans like Kenzie (“Jojo,” “Trigger”) and Yoo Young-jin (“Ring Ding Dong,” “Love Should Go On”). They have worked with Swedish and Danish producers such as Thomas Troelsen (“Love Like Oxygen,” “Sherlock”), Stephan Elfgren (“Colorful”), and Remee Sigvardt (“Love Like Oxygen,” “Juliette”). SHINee has also worked with American music producers, including Dewain Whitmore Jr. (“Symptoms,” “Love Sick”), Harvey Mason Jr. (“Symptoms,” ”Alive,” “Love Sick”) and Teddy Riley (“Dangerous (Medusa II),” “Shine (Medusa I).”
In addition to global talent, the members of SHINee have also made creative contributions to the group’s music. Jonghyun has been the most prolific, writing lyrics for “Obsession,” “Symptoms,” “Orgel,” “Prism,” and “Don’t Stop.” In addition, Onew (“So Amazing”), Key (“Don’t Stop”) and Minho (“U Need Me," "Don’t Stop") are also credited on SHINee songs.
Curated Playlist
Popular Promotional Tracks curated from YouTube playlists
Popular Deep Cuts curated from YouTube playlists and music reviews
1. Replay (Noona Neomu Yeppo) | 2. Love Like Oxygen | 3. Amigo | 4. Ring Ding Dong | 5. Juliette | 6. Lucifer | 7. Hello | 8. Sherlock (Clue + Note) | 9. Colorful | 10. Dream Girl | 11. Y Si Fuera Ella | 12. Graze | 13. Love Should Go On | 14. Jojo | 15. Obsession | 16. Symptoms | 17. Dangerous (Medusa II) | 18. Evil | 19. Excuse Me Miss | 20. Shine (Medusa I) | 21. Orgel | 22. Alive | 23. Love Sick | 24. Trigger | 25. Woof Woof | 26. An Encore | 27. Prism | 28. So Amazing | 29. U Need Me | 30. Don't Stop
Popular Promotional Tracks
1. Noona Neomu Yeppo (Replay), Replay (2008)
Lyrics: H. Kim Young, Jason Pennock, Jack Kugell, Diall Tchaka, Nichell Ravaughn, James Burney
Composer: Jason Pennock, Jack Kugell, Diall Tchaka, Nichell Ravaughn, James Burney
2. Love Like Oxygen, The SHINee World (2008)
Lyrics: Kim Young Hu, Kwon Yun Jung, Remee Sigvardt, Lucas Secon, Thomas Troelsen
Composer: Remee Sigvardt, Lucas Secon, Thomas Troelsen
3. Amigo, Amigo (2008)
Lyrics: Yoo Young Jin, Michael Snyder, Jimmy Richard, Sean Alexander
Composer: Gabriel Lopez
4. Ring Ding Dong, 2009, The Year of Us (2009)
Lyrics: Yoo Young Jin
Composer: Yoo Young Jin
5. Juilette, Romeo (2009)
Lyrics: Remee Sigvardt, Jay Sean, Joseph Belmaati, Mich Hansen
Composer: Remee Sigvardt, Jay Sean, Joseph Belmaati, Mich Hansen
6. Lucifer, Lucifer (2010)
Lyrics: Ryan S. Jhun, Yoo Young Jin, Adam Kapit, Bebe Rex
Composer: Ryan S. Jhun, Yoo Young Jin, Adam Kapit, Bebe Rex
7. Hello, Hello (2010)
Lyrics: Kim Eana, Jess Clayton Cates
Composer: Jess Clayton Cates
8. Sherlock, Sherlock (2012)
Lyrics: Cho Yun Kyoung
Composer: Thomas Troelsen, Rufio Sandilands, Rocky Morris, Thomas Eriksen
9. Colorful, Everybody (2013)
Lyrics: Jeon Gandi, Stephan Elfgren, Anders Wigelius
Composer: Stephan Elfgren, Anders Wigelius
10. Dream Girl, Dream Girl – The Misconceptions of You (2013)
Lyrics: Kim Heyong Kyu, Di Jeong Gan, Shin Hyuk, Lara Edward Ross, David Cook, Jordan Weiner
Composer: Kim Heyong Kyu, Di Jeong Gan, Shin Hyuk, Lara Edward Ross, David Cook, Jordan Weiner
Popular Deep Cuts
11. Hyeya (Y Si Fuera Ella), The SHINee World (2008)
Lyrics: Alejandro Sanchez
Composer: Alejandro Sanchez
12. Graze, The SHINee World (2008)
Lyrics: Kim Jung Bae
Composer: Kenzie
13. Love Should Go On, Amigo (2008)
Lyrics: Yoo Young Jin, Michael Snyder, Jimmy Richard, Sean Alexander
Composer: Gabriel Lopez
14. Jojo, 2009, The Year of Us (2009)
Lyrics: Kenzie
Composer: Kenzie
15. Obsession, Lucifer (2010)
Lyrics: Kim Jonghyun, James Burney, John Ho, Sean Alexander
Composer: James Burney, John Ho, Sean Alexander
16. Symptoms, Everybody (2013)
Lyrics: Kim Jonghyun, Damon Thomas, Steven Russell, Harvey Mason Jr., Dewain Whitmore
Composer: Damon Thomas, Steven Russell, Harvey Mason Jr., Dewain Whitmore
17. Dangerous (Medusa II), Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me (2013)
Lyrics: Kim Jong Hyun, Cho Yun Kyoung, Kim Te Sung David, Dom, Andrew Choi, Teddy Riley
Composer: Kim Te Sung David, Dom, Andrew Choi, Teddy Riley
18. Evil, Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me (2013)
Lyrics: Kenzie, Fridolin Schjoldan, Frederik Schjoldan
Composer: Kenzie, Fridolin Schjoldan, Frederik Schjoldan
19. Excuse Me Miss, Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me (2013)
Lyrics: Ryan Jhun, Kim Boo Min, Amanshia Nunoo, Dwayne Fyne
Composer: Ryan Jhun, Kim Boo Min, Amanshia Nunoo, Dwayne Fyne
20. Shine (Medusa I), Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me (2013)
Lyrics: Misfit, Kim Te Sung David, Dom, Andrew Choi, Teddy Riley
Composer: Kim Te Sung David, Dom, Andrew Choi, Teddy Riley
21. Orgel, Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me (2013)
Lyrics: Kim Jonghyun, Iain Farquharson, Christopher Lee-Joe, Mikko Paavola, Philippe Anquetil
Composer: Iain Farquharson, Christopher Lee-Joe, Mikko Paavola, Philippe Anquetil
22. Alive, Odd (2015)
Lyrics: MC Meta, Kim Eana, Damon Thomas, Harvey Mason Jr., Darius Logan, Dominique Logan
Composer: Damon Thomas, Harvey Mason Jr., Darius Logan, Dominique Logan
23. Love Sick, Odd (2015)
Lyrics: Kenzie
Composer: Kenzie, Harvey Mason, Dewain Whitmore, Andrew Hey, Michael Daley, Eero Turunen
24. Trigger, Odd (2015)
Lyrics: Kenzie
Composer: Kenzie, Deez, Chikk
25. Woof Woof, Odd (2015)
Lyrics: Kim In Hyeong, Greig Watts, Will Simms, Paul Drew, Peter Barringer
Composer: Greig Watts, Will Simms, Paul Drew, Peter Barringer
26. An Encore, Odd (2015)
Lyrics: Kim Jin Hwan
Composer: Kim Jin Hwan
27. Prism, 1 of 1 (2016)
Lyrics: Kim Min Jeong, MZMC, Deez, Jamil Chammas, Vakseen, Wilbart McCoy
Composer: Kim Jonghyun, MZMC, Deez, Jamil Chammas, Vakseen, Wilbart McCoy
28. So Amazing, 1 of 1 (2016)
Lyrics: Onew, Erik Libdom, Takarot
Composer: Erik Libdom, Takarot
29. U Need Me, 1 of 1 (2016)
Lyrics: Agnes Shin, Josef Petren, Choi Minho, Andreas Oberg, Gustav Karlstrom, Maja Keuc
Composer: Josef Petren, Choi Minho, Andreas Oberg, Gustav Karlstrom, Maja Keuc
30. Don’t Stop, 1 of 1 (2016)
Lyrics: Kim Jonghyun, Maxx Song, Key, Choi Minho, Ray McCullough, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus, Jonathan Yip, Micah Powell
Composer: Ray McCullough, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus, Jonathan Yip, Micah Powell