“Slayover”: Fans euphoric as BTS Taehyung’s “Layover” becomes the only K-pop album to get included on ‘The 30 Best Albums of 2023’ list by TimeOut

BTS' famed Kim Taehyung, who is also known by his stage name V, released his debut album, Layover, on September 8, 2023. The singer's debut studio album is technically a six-track debut EP (extended play).

Now, the album landed him on the 19th spot on the '30 Best Albums of 2023' list of the British media magazine TimeOut, making him the sole K-pop artist on this celebrated list.

Taehyung currently stands among major singer-songwriters in the English-speaking music industry, such as Raye and Cat Power, as well as well-known Western performers like Lana Del Rey, Olivia Rodrigo, Sam Smith, and Troye Sivan.

Meanwhile, fans of the Layover singer-songwriter are on cloud nine over this new achievement and have hailed it as "Slayover our queen."

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"This is just the beginning": Fans lavish praise on BTS Taehyung as his solo album Layover creates history yet again

On December 2, 2023, the British media magazine TimeOut highlighted Slow Dancing and For Us as their favorite songs from Layover, complimenting Taehyung's deep baritone and jazz-infused R&B vibe. The album mostly concentrates on a pop-infused R&B feel.

The singer's maiden solo album features a variety of song annotations, from R&B, as visible in the tracks Blue, Love Me Again, and For Us, to 70s passionate melancholy style on the highlight tune Slow Dancing. Layover consists of six tracks, including the lead single Slow Dancing and the B-sides Blue, Love Me Again, Rainy Days, For Us, and Slow Dancing (Piano Ver.).

The album begins with Rainy Days, a twist on pop and R&B songs. The gentle jazz, a lo-fi mix that realistically simulates synthetic rain, and a quick phone alert that follows rapidly with the sound of typing all contribute to the cozy and comfortable atmosphere.

The second song, Blue, is a throwback R&B tune that begins with a straightforward guitar line before swiftly blending drumming and luscious vocals.

The third song, Love Me Again, is a different kind of R&B tune that discusses how challenging it is to let go of loved ones after a heartbreak and how it feels to be away from them.

Slow Dancing, a love ballad with a conventional jazz tempo from the 1970s, comes next on Taehyung's solo debut album. The song's lyrics portray an archetypal love tale, with one lover lustfully singing, "It shouldn't feel like this, hurts too much already."

Finally, with its pitched-up vocal and vibrant piano and electronic pads, the concluding tune, For Us, instantly transports listeners to soft-focus live performances from the 1970s dimly-lit jazz bars frequented by talented musicians and music lovers alike.

Fans of Taehyung were not surprised when his album Layover, which was his first release as a solo artist outside of his internationally renowned hit-making powerhouse BTS, was listed among TimeOut's esteemed list of 'The 30 Best Albums of 2023.'

They took Twitter by storm and went to town on it, lavishing praise on the singer and songwriter of the successful and critically acclaimed album Layover.

The album was released on September 8, 2023, and the title song, Slow Dancing, charted at No. 1 on the iTunes Chart in over 75 countries on the first day of its debut.

Within five hours after the release of his album, BTS's Kim Taehyung achieved the aforementioned milestone that created history and heralded his entry as a solo artist in the music industry.

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In the meantime, the musician behind the masterpiece Layover is currently serving his mandatory conscription in the South Korean military and is reported to return in June 2025.