| SAILING |
SAILING (Hangul: 항해) is the third studio album released by AKMU. It was released on September 25, 2019 by YG Entertainment and distributed by YG PLUS. The album contains of ten tracks, with "How can I love the heartbreak, you're the one I love" as the album's title track.
The LP version for the album was released on October 8, 2021 for the 2nd release anniversary.
Description[]
| “ |
So far, AKMU's albums have been based on the growth and experiences of LEE CHANHYUK and LEE SUHYUN, evoking empathy from various generations by conveying thoughts and emotions that can be felt at different stages in life. The first album [PLAY] presented "playful music," where a child's pure heart enjoys life without any worries. Their second album [사춘기] showed a little more growth, experiencing a whirlwind of curiosity and doubt about everything in the world and talking about first love in songs like "Long Day, Long Night." What is the story that LEE CHANHYUK and LEE SUHYUN want to tell in their third full album [SAILING], released after they turned 20? The album title [SAILING] has various implications, but the keyword that best reflects producer LEE CHANHYUK's intention is ‘breakup.’ If AKMU in the past albums was a child and teenager who could not stand alone, AKMU in the [SAILING] album can be seen as a young adult who has taken their first step into society, leaving the shelter that protected them. The album explores the concept of ‘breakup’ throughout, which is quite new for them, using metaphorical lyrics and a band sound to express potentially heavy emotions in a cool and refreshing manner. To elevate the band sound, talented musicians such as AKMU BAND's Lee Hyun-young, Gu Bon-am, Harim, Jukjae, Hong So-jin, Hong Jun-ho, and Choi In-sung participated in the arrangements and sessions, creating the signature "AKMU-style band sound." [SAILING] aims to be a source of comfort to everyone living in the present day, reflecting AKMU's life and growth. |
” |
| — YG Entertainment Official Website [1] | ||
Background and release[]
Critical reception[]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| IZM |  
|
In an article for Korea JoongAng Daily, Kim Eun-jin wrote that AKMU "takes a sharp turn from the bright and bubbly tones that characterized their earlier music. ... With lyrics that discuss topics like freedom expressed through sentimental melodies and acoustic sounds, SAILING is an album that reflects the depth and maturity."[3] In the album review, IZM's Park Soo-jin gave a four-star rating out of five, and said that "this album backslashes genres and expresses them without boundaries," and concluded by writing that SAILING "will be the pinnacle of broadening AKMU's spectrum." Tamar Herman of Billboard said that the "album features songs that show the pair's artistic development, exploring a variety of new genres all the while still incorporating their distinctly vibrant, soulful folk-pop sound."[4] The publication additionally ranked "How can I love the heartbreak, you're the one I love" number 7 in their list of 25 Best K-pop Songs of 2019.[5]
Track list[]
- "Chantey (뱃노래)" - 2:18
- "Fish in the water (물 만난 물고기)" - 3:36
- "How can I love the heartbreak, you're the one I love (어떻게 이별까지 사랑하겠어, 널 사랑하는 거지)" Title - 4:50
- "Moon (달)" - 4:02
- "FREEDOM" - 3:33
- "Should've loved you more (더 사랑해줄걸)" - 3:07
- "Whale (고래)" - 3:19
- "Endless dream, good night (밤 끝없는 밤)" - 3:00
- "Farewell (작별 인사)" - 3:28
- "Let's take time (시간을 갖자)" - 3:42
Audio[]
Spotify[]
Accolades[]
Awards and nominations[]
| Year | Awards ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 11th Melon Music Awards | Best Rock Track | "FREEDOM" | Nominated |
| 21st Mnet Asian Music Awards | Best Vocal Performance – Group | "How can I love the heartbreak, you're the one I love" |
Nominated | |
| 2020 | 34th Golden Disc Awards | Digital Daesang | Nominated | |
| Digital Bonsang | Won[6] | |||
| 9th Gaon Chart Music Awards | Song of the Year – September | Won[7] | ||
| 17th Korean Music Awards | Song of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Best Pop Song | Nominated | |||
| Best Pop Album | SAILING | Nominated |
Music show wins[]
| Song | Program | Date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "How can I love the heartbreak, you're the one I love" |
Inkigayo (SBS) | October 20, 2019 | [8] |
| October 27, 2019 | [9] | ||
| Music Bank (KBS) | October 21, 2019 | [10] | |
| Show! Music Core (MBC) | October 26, 2019 | [11] |
Charts[]
| Chart (2019) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| South Korean Albums (Gaon) | 4 |
| Chart (2021) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| South Korean Albums (Gaon) | 43 |
| Chart (2019) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| South Korean Albums (Gaon) | 26 |
Sales[]
| Region | Sales |
|---|---|
| South Korea (Gaon) | 10,531 |
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ YG Entertainment Official Website
- ↑ Album review - 항해
- ↑ AKMU is all grown up after two years out at sea: With 'Sailing,' the duo shows off a more mature side of their songwriting (25 September 2019).
- ↑ Template:Cite magazine
- ↑ Template:Cite magazine
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specifiedJang, Woo-young (January 4, 2020). (ko). Osen.
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified (ko). Newsen (January 8, 2020).
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified.
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified (ko). Seoul Broadcasting System (October 27, 2019).
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified (ko). KBS Music Bank (October 21, 2019).
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified.
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