Loser (Big Bang song)

"Loser"
Single by Big Bang
from the album M / MADE
Released	May 1, 2015
Format	Digital download
Genre	PBR&B, Hip-hop
Length	3:39
Label	YG Entertainment
Writer(s)	Teddy, T.O.P, G-Dragon
Producer(s)	Teddy, Taeyang
Big Bang singles chronology
"Monster" (2012) "Loser" (2015) "Bae Bae" (2015)

"Loser" is a single recorded by South Korean group Big Bang. It was released digitally on May 1, 2015 by YG Entertainment, as the first single from MADE Series and M, it's remark the first music release for the band since 2012.

Background

YG Entertainment announced the title tracks of Big Bang's "MADE Series: M" in the third teaser, including two singles, "Loser" and "Bae Bae".^[1] Two of the four teasers for D-1 to D-4 consist of the song info, including who was responsible for the tracks' composition.

G-Dragon explains the meaning behind the song Loser, "People Who Stand Under The Spotlight Are Just Human Beings", saying that all humans have their feelings hurt, but also the songs adept on all the situations, saying "However, we wanted to offer a [more universal] theme with this song, so we drew a bigger picture. Somebody may not have a friend and somebody may not have love, you know? Everyone lives in a different situation. Depending on how you accept it, this song could be your story.".^[2]

Commercial performance

Within only two days, "Loser" peaked at number one on the digital chart, and sold 256,398 digital copies.^[3][4] In just 9 days "Loser" broke the new Gaon record of 2015, being streamed over 10.5 million times and downloaded 479,474 times, it became the most streamed artist in the year^[5] Within two months of sales, "Loser" became the second best selling single of the year, selling 988,321 copies. On July 16, the song reached one million sales in South Korea, less than three months after its release.

The group debuted on Billboard's "World Digital Songs" chart at number one on May 7.^[6] The music video was also the 3rd most viewed Kpop MV video in the U.S. (April) according to Billboard, with only two days worth of viewers.

On YouTube, "Loser" became the 2nd most viewed Kpop video within 24 hours, with 4.5 million views, only after PSY's Gentleman. After two months, it became the second most viewed Kpop video of 2015. After a few days, it became the first.^[7][8]

Critical reception

"Loser" won a total on 10 music program awards, breaking many records. On Inkigayo, "Loser" won a triple crown, breaking the tie with g.o.d, becoming the artist to win triple crown a total of seven times. It also scored the highest score in 2015, becoming the fourth highest score in all time. On M Countdown, it became the 8th highest score in all time.

The song was chosen by fuse as one of the best songs of 2015^[9] and third as the best 20 Korean singles in 2015 in Taiwan.^[10]

Music video

The music video was directed by Han Sa Min, who previously directed "Blue," "Bad Boy," "Monster," and "Love Song." Big Bang started filming secretly in Los Angeles between April 2, and April 8, 2015.^[11]

The music video has a story line for each member. G-Dragon starts his scenes on an elevator, revealing a neck tattoo that reads Truth + Dare. He walks the streets alone, feeling isolated from the world, having forgotten what love feels like. Taeyang has a personal fight with his faith, holds a cross with the sentence "Sin will find you" written on it. In the end he apparently commits suicide and the cross breaks apart leaving the words "Sin found you." Seungri has problems controlling his anger, kicking a car and destroying his room after seeing the girl that he loved with someone else. He repeatedly tries to call her, but to no avail. T.O.P cannot commit to one relationship. He doesn't accept them, and he seems to have no control over anything which leads him to kill the women that he had an affair with. Daesung gets attacked by a group of men. He tries to defend himself but can't and ends up covered in blood, helpless, and unable to stand. The music video showed a darker side that has never been seen in Big Bang's music videos.^[12][13]

Covers

Due to the song's popularity, it's been covered by many artists, including, Vocal Band Tritops, released on April 30.^[14] On May 6, Epik High released a cover via Instagram.^[15] On May 8, B.A.P's Jung Dae-hyun, released a cover in YouTube.^[16] F.T. Island's Choi Jong-hoon, Made a cover of "Loser".^[17]

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Japan Hot 100 (Billboard)[18]	42
South Korea (Gaon Weekly Single Chart)[19]	1
South Korea (Gaon Monthly Single Chart)[20]	1
South Korea (Gaon Half Year Digital Chart)[21]	3
South Korea (Gaon Yearly Single Chart)[22]	2
US World Digital Songs (Billboard)[23]	1

Sales

Chart	Sales
South Korean Gaon Download Chart[24]	1,505,163
Billboard World Digital Songs [25]	9,000

Awards and nominations

Music program awards

Song	Program	Date
"Loser"	Inkigayo (SBS)	May 10, 2015
		May 17, 2015
		May 24, 2015
	M! Countdown (Mnet)	May 14, 2015
		May 21, 2015
	Music Bank (KBS)	May 15, 2015
		May 22, 2015
	Show Champion (MBC Music)	May 20, 2015
	Show! Music Core (MBC)	May 9, 2015
		May 16, 2015

Release history

Region	Date	Language	Format	Label
South Korea	May 1, 2015	Korean	digital download	YG Entertainment, KT Music
Worldwide
Japan[26]	May 27, 2015			YG Entertainment, YGEX
	February 3, 2016	Japanese		YGEX, Avex Trax

References

1. "BIGBANG – MADE SERIES [M]". YGLife. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
2. "G-Dragon Explains The Meaning Behind Big Bang Single 'Loser': 'People Who Stand Under The Spotlight Are Just Human Beings'". Kpop Starz. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
3. "Gaon Download Chart - Week 19". Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
4. "Gaon Digital Chart - Week 19". Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
5. "Big Bang Sets New Record As Gaon's Most Streamed Artist". Kpop Starz. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
6. "Big Bang's 'Loser' & 'Bae Bae' debut at No. 1 & 2 on Billboard's 'World Digital Songs' chart". Allkpop. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
7. "Big Bang, EXO Top YouTube's K-Pop Rankings For 1st Half of 2015". Kpop Starz. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
8. "Watch K-Pop Big Bang Band 2015 Music Hits 'Loser' and 'Bae Bae' on YouTube". classicalite.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
9. "THE 20 BEST SONGS OF 2015". fuse. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
10. "2015韓語年度單曲/專輯榜TOP 20 (in Chinese)". KKbox Taiwan. February 3, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
11. "빅뱅, 美 LA서 신곡 뮤비 촬영중…태양 휠체어 탄 모습 포착". Naver. April 10, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
12. "Big Bang Show Their Insecurities In "Loser"". seoulbeats. May 5, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
13. "Big Bang Members Release Individual Storyline Clips From 'Loser' Music Video". Kpop Starz. May 25, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
14. "TRITOPS puts an a cappella twist on BIGBANG's "Loser"". koreaboo.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
15. "Epik High covers BIGBANG's "Loser" with hilarious high notes". koreaboo.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
16. "BAP's Daehyun covers BIGBANG's "Loser"". [sbs.com.au SBS Pop Asia]. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
17. "PRAY + Loser". YouTube. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
18. "Billboard's Japan Hot 100, week June 13, 2015". Billboard. June 6, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
19. "Digital Chart Week 19". Gaon Chart. Gaon Chart. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
20. "Monthly Digital Chart - May". Gaon Chart. Gaon Chart. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
21. "Monthly BGM Chart - May". Gaon Chart. Gaon Chart. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
22. "Yearly Digital Chart - 2015". Gaon Chart. Gaon Chart. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
23. "Billboard's World Digital Singles Chart: Singles". Billboard. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
24. "Online Download – 2015". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
25. "BIGBANG Own Top Two Slots on World Digital Songs...Again!". Billboard. Billboard. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
26. "全世界を席巻中!! BIGBANG3年ぶりのカムバックシングル5/27(水)日本配信リリース決定!!". http://ygex.jp/bigbang/. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-05-08. External link in |publisher= (help)

External links

• BIGBANG - Loser M/V on YouTube