Here’s How A K-Pop Title Track Is Picked, According To Professional Songwriters

If you’ve ever wondered how K-Pop groups choose a title track, professional songwriters explained it for fans. YouTube channel AYO invited two veterans in the industry, Big Sancho and Son Yeong Jin, to talk about this and more in their “Comment Defenders” series.

The question they reacted to was, “I think my idol’s songs are not title song material. They’re great for the album…Do they write a title song separately? Or do they pick just one song out of all the songs in the album?”

They explained that though it differs depending on the company, it is rare that one song from the album is chosen right away.

It depends on the company, but it’s rare that they pick just one [title track] out of all the tracks in the album.

— Son Yeong Jin

The process of picking the main track actually begins when the company finalizes the concept for the group. At that point, their chosen songwriters make the song.

Usually, songwriters get a concept from the company, and they write and modify the song closer to the concept.

— Song Yeong Jin

It isn’t the end of the process, however, as it’s always possible for B-sides to make their way to the top depending on how good they are.

Sometimes they change the title song. Like, it was a non-title track, but when it was finished, it was so good that it became a title song.

— Big Sancho

Big Sancho emphasized how fans need not be too focused on the title track as all songs in the album are meant to be of the highest caliber.

All songs in the album are good, because no songwriter writes a song thinking, ‘I’m gonna write a non-title track’. We send our best song and that becomes one of the tracks

— Big Sancho

If you want to find out more insider information from the songwriters, watch the full video below!