The top songs of 2023 on Genius share one very important thing in common. No, they’re not representative of the same genre, and they don’t speak on the same lyrical themes. In fact, they don’t sound anything alike. But nine of the Top 10 tracks are by female or female-fronted acts, and the lone outlier, Drake’s “Slime You Out,” features key contributions from SZA. While we’re a long way away from gender equality in the music industry, these numbers suggest things are at least inching in the right direction.
Topping the list with 3.4 million Genius pageviews is “Cupid (Twin Version)” by the K-pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY (피프티피프티), a quartet launched by the upstart management company ATTRAKT. “Cupid (Twin Version)” is actually the English-language version of the original “Cupid” single, and it features vocals from only two members, Aran and Sio.
“We wanted to offer a distinct English version for fans worldwide,” said co-writer and co-producer Ahn Sung-il, aka Siahn, in an interview with The Korea Times. “Because English is widely spoken, [we thought that] having a separate version in that language would enable us to reach more people in the global music market.”
The whole song was constructed with a similar attention to marketability. Both versions of “Cupid” ride shimmery disco-pop grooves reminiscent of recent hits by Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, and Ariana Grande, to name just a few. In piecing the song together, Siahn was careful to avoid “fatigue points,” or common stylistic choices that listeners might be growing sick of.
“In today’s K-pop scene, companies tend to focus more on aesthetics, performance and visuals than on the music itself,” Siahn said. “Music often takes a back seat while these other factors are focused on. But we made it a priority to create music that people could genuinely enjoy by focusing on the essential elements.”
“Cupid (Twin Version)” is very easy to like. The music is fluffy and light, and the lyrics tell a relatable story about loneliness and romantic longing. In the chorus, the mythological bow-and-arrow-wielding god of love makes a nifty scapegoat for the narrator’s romantic woes.
I gave a second chance to Cupid
But now I’m left here feeling stupid
Oh, the way he makes me feel that love isn’t real
Cupid is so dumb
Thanks in part to a sped-up version that went viral on TikTok, “Cupid” peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 25 weeks on the chart—a new record for K-pop girl groups. The song also made Billboard’s Year-End Hot 100, something no K-pop girl group has ever accomplished. And it was very much a global phenomenon. “Cupid” charted in numerous countries, including the U.K., where it cracked the Top 10. For a minute, it looked like FIFTY FIFTY were on their way to becoming the next BLACKPINK.
But the rest of 2023 wasn’t especially good for the group. In June, ATTRAKT filed a police report against Siahn, charging him with deleting data and unlawfully claiming copyright of “Cupid.” Around the same time, the four members of FIFTY FIFTY filed a lawsuit seeking to suspend their contracts with ATTRAKT. They claimed the agency “violated contract terms and took actions that resulted in the destruction of a relationship based on trust.” A court in Seoul dismissed the request in August, and while all four members initially appealed, Keena wound up dropping her suit and rejoining ATTRAKT, which then terminated the contracts of the other three girls. That leaves Keena as the only member, though the company plans to “reorganize the group and present it to the public together with Keena.”
Only time will tell whether FIFTY FIFTY have a second massive hit in them. Either way, “Cupid (Twin Version)” played a key role in soundtracking 2023, and in terms of Genius clicks, it bested Olivia Rodrigo’s “vampire,” Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” Mitski’s “My Love Mine All Mine,” and Taylor Swift’s “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault],” “You’re Losing Me (From The Vault),” “Slut!” (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault],” and “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]”
