GD & TOP

GD & TOP
Background information
OriginSeoul, South Korea
GenresK-pop, hip hop
Years active
  • 2010
  • 2015
LabelsYG
Spinoff ofBig Bang
Past members

GD & TOP was a South Korean hip-hop/pop duo formed by G-Dragon and T.O.P, the rappers of the K-pop boy band Big Bang in 2010.[1] The release of their first album, GD & TOP (2010) was a commercial success becoming one of the best selling albums of the year in South Korea, and spawning the top-five hits "High High", "Oh Yeah", and "Knock Out" on the Gaon Digital Chart. After a five-year hiatus, they released the single "Zutter", which peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart.

History

[edit]

2010–2011: Formation and first album

[edit]

YG Entertainment announced the a sub-unit between G-Dragon and T.O.P under the name "GD & TOP" in November 2010, and to release an album with the same name.[2] The duo held a worldwide premiere showcase for their album at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo of Seoul,[3] which was also broadcast live on YouTube.[4] The album was released on Christmas Eve, and debuted at number one on the Gaon Chart[5] with pre-orders of 200,000 copies.[6] By the end of 2010 the album had surpassed 130,000 copies sold in a week, becoming the fifth best-selling album of the year.[7] As of 2015 the album sold 200,000 copies.

To promote their album, G.Dragon and T.O.P released three music videos for the tracks "High High", "Knock Out", and "Baby Goodnight". "High High" was released first, then "Baby Goodnight." However, due to the song being banned twice for being too explicit,[8] the release of the music video for their song "Don't Go Home" was postponed till late June 2011.[9] The singles attained commercial successes, topping the online music charts in South Korea.[10][11][12] In the Gaon Digital Chart, "Oh Yeah!" peaked at number two, "High High" at number three,[13] while "Knock Out" and "Don't Go Home" peaked at number five and eleven, respectively.[14]

2015: "Zutter"

[edit]

After a four-year hiatus, YG Entertainment announced that the duo will come back with a new single as a part of Big Bang's Made Series E.[15] The teasers were released on July 25, 2015, with the song name "Zutter".[16] The song was a commercially success, selling 280,817 downloads in its first week on Gaon Chart peaked at number two in the Digital and Download charts.[17][18] The single charted second on US Billboard World Digital Songs and in the Chinese QQ Music video chart.[19][20][21] In the end of 2015, the song sold 982,710 copies in South Korea and 6,000 in USA.

Impact

[edit]

In 2012, "Knock Out" and "High High" were both listed as one of the best K-Pop music videos of all time by Stereogum, ranking at seventh and fourth, respectively.[22] That same year, "High High" was also named the seventh greatest K-Pop song of all time by Spin Magazine.[23]

XXL Magazine listed the duo as one of "15 Korean Rappers You Should Know", stating that "if it wasn't for acts like these two, Korean rap probably wouldn't have amassed such international appeal that it’s garnering now." The magazine also wrote that "K-Pop's currently full of boy bands with designated rapper as a member, and nine out of ten times they're modeled after" GD & TOP.[24] Korean magazine Ize wrote that GD & TOP inspired several idol groups to make "more extreme or extraordinary attempts" concept and music wise that their groups could not do through unit activities.[25]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[26]
GD & TOP
  • Released: December 24, 2010
  • Label: YG Entertainment
  • Format: CD, digital download
1

Singles

[edit]

As lead artist

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR
[28]
"High High" 2010 3 GD & TOP
"Oh Yeah" (featuring Park Bom) 2
"Knock Out" 5
"Zutter" 2015 2 E and Made

Other charted songs

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR
[28]
"Don't Go Home" 2010 11 GD & TOP
"Baby Goodnight" 24
"Intro" 71
[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR Int.
[33]
"Dancing on My Own"
(Pixie Lott ft. GD & TOP)[34]
2012 2 Young Foolish Happy
"Bubble Butt" (Remix) (Major Lazer feat. Bruno Mars,
G-Dragon, T.O.P, Tyga and Mystic)
[36]
2013 2 Free the Universe

Music videos

[edit]
Year Music video Album
2010 "Knock Out" GD & TOP
"High High"
"Baby Good Night"
"Don't Go Home"
"Oh Yeah"
2015 "Zutter" Made

Awards and nominations

[edit]
List of awards and nominations
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
Melon Music Awards 2011 Best Rap/Hip Hop Award "Oh Yeah" (feat. Park Bom) Won [38]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Big Bang duo on TV today". Korea JoongAng Daily. International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on January 19, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  2. ^ "G-Dragon and Top to Release Duet Album in December". KBS World. November 30, 2010. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  3. ^ Kim, Jessica (December 15, 2010). "Big Bang T.O.P, G-Dragon pose at album showcase". 10Asiae. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  4. ^ Yoon, Hee-Seong (December 15, 2010). "G-Dragon and T.O.P hold world premiere showcase for duo unit". 10Asiae. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  5. ^ "Gaon Chart Search: GD & TOP" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  6. ^ "발매 D-2' GD·탑 유닛 첫앨범, 선주문만 '20만장' (GD&TOP's album receives 200,000 pre-orders)" (in Korean). Daum. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "2010년 가온차트 부문별 Top 100위". Gaon Albums Chart. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011.
  8. ^ 길혜성 (January 5, 2011). "GD&탑, '집에~'도 MBC 불가.."수정없이 재심요청". Star News. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  9. ^ Hong, Lucia (December 24, 2010). "Big Bang unit G-Dragon and T.O.P release third title track". 10Asiae. Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  10. ^ "Big Bang duo on TV today". Korea JoongAng Daily. January 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 19, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  11. ^ Kim, Heidi (January 6, 2011). "IU "Good Day" stays atop Gaon chart for 4th week". 10Asiae. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  12. ^ Kim, Heidi (January 4, 2011). "IU's "Good Day" takes charge of Mnet chart for 4th week". 10Asiae. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  13. ^ "2011년 01주차 Digital Chart". Gaon Digital Chart. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  14. ^ "2011년 02주차 Digital Chart". Gaon Digital Chart. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  15. ^ YG Entertainment. "BIGBANG comes back in August in "GD&TOP" unit… Shooting music video for new song now". YG LIFE. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  16. ^ YG Entertainment. "빅뱅, 8월 신곡은 GD&TOP '쩔어'…오는 5일 공개". YG LIFE. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  17. ^ "Gaon Digital Chart - Week 33". Gaon Chart. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original on July 5, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  18. ^ "Gaon Download Chart - Week 33". Gaon Chart. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  19. ^ "Billboard's World Digital Singles Chart: Singles". Billboard. August 11, 2015. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  20. ^ a b "BIGBANG Tie PSY for Most No. 1s on World Digital Songs Chart". Billboard. August 11, 2015. Archived from the original on August 12, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  21. ^ "빅뱅 중화권 돌풍…QQ 뮤비 차트 1, 2위 석권 (in Korean)". Sports Donga. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  22. ^ "The 20 Best K-Pop Videos". Stereogum. February 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 26, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  23. ^ "The 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time". Spin. June 1, 2012. Archived from the original on September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  24. ^ "15 Korean Rappers You Should Know That Aren't Psy". XXL Magazine. February 15, 2013. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  25. ^ "G-Dragon 고별展│가사로 본 지 드래곤의 인생". Ize Magazine (in Korean). June 13, 2017. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  26. ^ "GD & TOP". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  27. ^ Cumulative Sales for "GD&TOP"
  28. ^ a b *"Oh Yeah + High High". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  29. ^ Cumulative sales for "High High"
  30. ^ Cumulative sales for "Oh Yeah"
  31. ^ a b "Gaon Download Chart - 2011". Archived from the original on October 10, 2016.
  32. ^ Cumulative sales for "Zutter":
  33. ^ *"Dancing On My Own". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  34. ^ "Pixie Lott's 'Dancing on My Own' Ft. GD&TOP Released". Kpop Starz. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  35. ^ "Online Download (International) – 2012". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  36. ^ "Major Lazer Enlists G-Dragon & TOP for 'Bubble Butt' Remix: Listen". Billboard. October 4, 2013. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  37. ^ "Online Download – 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  38. ^ "2011 Melon Music Awards Winners" (in Korean). Melon. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2022.