Friday, April 17, 2026

Daniel's Thoughts on The KPop Demon Hunters' Biggest Hit

Huntr/x - Golden: SONG REVIEW


Hi everyone! I wanted to share my thoughts this time on a song I never got the chance to review fully in 2025, because, The Pulse never played it on their countdown, despite it being one of the biggest songs of that year, if not the singular biggest. I wanted to do a song review after relooking at my Fast Car song review (which I republished if you want to see!) and thought I would do the same for Golden, the biggest song of 2025 on Spotify.

If you somehow managed to escape Golden, I wouldn't know how you would be able to, but if you did manage to escape the song, then I'll just let you know that Golden is from a fictional K-Pop group Huntr/x, which consist of Rumi, Mira and Zoey, or in actual singer terms, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, respectively, of the animated film KPop Demon Hunters. It became the first K-Pop song to win a Grammy award, and won a Golden Globe and Academy award. So yeah, an absolute smash hit, but did it deserve to be? well let's analyze it.

I'm a sucker for Hot-AC music, there's a reason why I review SiriusXM's The Pulse, after all. and while I don't think Golden screams Hot AC like the other big 2025 hit, Ordinary by Alex Warren, It still definitely fits there. It's very family friendly (it is from a kids movie, after all), very upbeat, very uplifting in the lyrics, and is definitely, by all accounts, a pop song. To me, K-Pop is so generic (which is not always a bad thing!) and so inoffensive compared to American pop stars that it gets it's own genre even though they musically are very similar. And with so many songs out there, it's harder and harder to find new hit songs that are still very catchy. and yet, K-Pop songs can usually figure out how to be so catchy, which is why it's no surprise to me that the genre is becoming more and more popular, each and every day.

Okay, now for my opinion. I... actually really like Golden. It's definitely inoffensive radio friendly music, but that doesn't mean it's bad at all. It's catchy, fun, and is now instantly recognizable. It's a song that yes, can get annoying, but something I don't see any normal person having an issue with it. To me, there's nothing wrong with the song that would make me find it worse than annoying. I personally don't find it annoying at all, but I can see some finding it annoying with overplay.

Overall, it took me some time to realize how great Golden is, but after months, it finally grew on me. I'm glad this was a hit, and I can now see exactly why it was. Except, maybe I can't see why The Pulse ignored it still...

Initial Rating: 8/10
Updated Rating: 9/10

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Josie Edwards (4) - Daniel's Weekly 20 - April 15th, 2026

Hey everyone! Josie Edwards stays at #1 this week, but she could get over-throned next week, possibly by Holly Humberstone or CATTY. Also, Avery Cochrane gets a massive 11-spot jump to #8!


Exits:


01 01 Josie Edwards - The Poet and Her Vice (Happy Ending) [==] {7w} 4w @ #1


Daniel’s Pick Of The Week: Josiah Queen - judas


02 02 CATTY - 4am (Back In His Bed) [==] {28w} Peak: 2

03 03 Holly Humberstone - To Love Somebody [==] {6w} Peak: 3

05 04 Lara Buchanan - Gold [+1] {7w} Peak: 4*

04 05 Erin LeCount - Don't You See Me Trying? [-1] {9w} Peak: 3

07 06 Grace Davies - Super Love Me [+1] {28w} 1w @ #1

06 07 Matthew Orgel - The Thrill Of It [-1] {10w} Peak: 5

19 08 Avery Cochrane - Sex, Etc. [+11] {2w} Peak: 8*

09 09 Charley - Bite My Tongue [==] {5w} Peak: 9

10 10 Avery Cochrane - Losing Streak [==] {7w} Peak: 7


Throwback Of The Week: Olivia Rodrigo - brutal (2021)


13 11 Alex Warren - Fever Dream [+2] {5w} Peak: 11*

08 12 Freya Skye - why'd you have to call? [-4] {10w} 2w @ #1

11 13 Henry Moodie - dear drew… [-2] {25w} 5w @ #1

15 14 Natalie Jane - sabotage [+1] {3w} Peak: 14*

14 15 Tanner Grigoli - Love You Right [-1] {25w} 11w @ #1

16 16 Charlotte MacInnes - Struck [==] {3w} Peak: 16

18 17 Tanner Massey - Countdown [+1] {2w} Peak: 17*

17 18 Hilary Duff - Roommates [-1] {4w} Peak: 17

12 19 Haven Madison - Uncross Your Heart [-7] {6w} Peak: 12


Did You Forget It?: Kenny Chesney feat. P!nk - Setting The World On Fire (2018)


20 20 Taylor Swift - The Fate Of Ophelia [==] {28w} Peak: 6


Sunday, April 12, 2026

Josie Edwards (3) - Daniel's Weekly 20 - April 8th, 2026

 

Hey everyone! This week, Charley enters the top 10, and Josie Edwards stays at #1. Stay on the lookout for the new Avery Cochrane single.

Exits: Kira Lise - Ignorance Is Bliss [#15] {6w} Peak: 11

Jessica Baio - other side [#19] {3w} Peak: 17


01 01 Josie Edwards - The Poet and Her Vice (Happy Ending) [==] {6w} 3w @ #1


Daniel’s Pick Of The Week: Tanner Grigoli - Bad To Worse


02 02 CATTY - 4am (Back In His Bed) [==] {27w} Peak: 2

04 03 Holly Humberstone - To Love Somebody [+1] {5w} Peak: 3*

03 04 Erin LeCount - Don't You See Me Trying? [-1] {8w} Peak: 3

06 05 Lara Buchanan - Gold [+1] {6w} Peak: 5*

05 06 Matthew Orgel - The Thrill Of It [-1] {9w} Peak: 5

08 07 Grace Davies - Super Love Me [+1] {27w} 1w @ #1

07 08 Freya Skye - why'd you have to call? [-1] {9w} 2w @ #1

14 09 Charley - Bite My Tongue [+5] {4w} Peak: 9*

10 10 Avery Cochrane - Losing Streak [==] {6w} Peak: 7


Throwback Of The Week: The Killers - My Own Soul’s Warning (2020)


09 11 Henry Moodie - dear drew… [-2] {24w} 5w @ #1

12 12 Haven Madison - Uncross Your Heart [==] {5w} Peak: 12

13 13 Alex Warren - Fever Dream [==] {4w} Peak: 13

11 14 Tanner Grigoli - Love You Right [-3] {24w} 11w @ #1

18 15 Natalie Jane - sabotage [+3] {2w} Peak: 15*

20 16 Charlotte MacInnes - Struck [+4] {2w} Peak: 16*

17 17 Hilary Duff - Roommates [==] {3w} Peak: 17

DE 18 Tanner Massey - Countdown [Debut]

DE 19 Avery Cochrane - Sex, Etc. [Debut]


Did You Forget It?: Anne-Marie - Ciao Adios (2018)


16 20 Taylor Swift - The Fate Of Ophelia [-4] {27w} Peak: 6


Friday, April 3, 2026

Josie Edwards (2) - Daniel's Weekly 20 - April 1st, 2026


Hi everyone! Happy April! This week, we lose a former #1, and Josie Edwards spends another week at #1.


Exits:

Arrested Youth - One Last Song [#13] {11w} 1w @ #1
Tanner Grigoli - In It For The Fun [#20] {3w} Peak: 16


01 01 Josie Edwards - The Poet and Her Vice (Happy Ending) [==] {5w} 1w @ #1


Daniel’s Pick Of The Week: Avery Cochrane - Sex, Etc.


02 02 CATTY - 4am (Back In His Bed) [==] {25w} Peak: 2

03 03 Erin LeCount - Don't You See Me Trying? [==] {7w} Peak: 3

06 04 Holly Humberstone - To Love Somebody [+2] {4w} Peak: 4*

05 05 Matthew Orgel - The Thrill Of It [==] {8w} Peak: 5

04 06 Freya Skye - why'd you have to call? [-2] {8w} 2w @ #1

10 07 Lara Buchanan - Gold [+3] {5w} Peak: 7*

09 08 Grace Davies - Super Love Me [+1] {26w} 1w @ #1

08 09 Henry Moodie - dear drew… [-1] {23w} 5w @ #1

07 10 Avery Cochrane - Losing Streak [-3] {5w} Peak: 7


Throwback Of The Week: Olivia Rodrigo - deja vu (2021)


11 11 Tanner Grigoli - Love You Right [==] {23w} 11w @ #1

15 12 Haven Madison - Uncross Your Heart [+3] {4w} Peak: 12*

18 13 Alex Warren - Fever Dream [+5] {3w} Peak: 13*

16 14 Charley - Bite My Tongue [+2] {3w} Peak: 14*

12 15 Kira Lise - Ignorance Is Bliss [-3] {6w} Peak: 11

14 16 Taylor Swift - The Fate Of Ophelia [-2] {26w} Peak: 6

19 17 Hilary Duff - Roommates [+2] {2w} Peak: 17*

DE 18 Natalie Jane - sabotage [Debut]

17 19 Jessica Baio - other side [-2] {3w} Peak: 17


Did You Forget It?: Austn - In Betweenin’ (2019)


DE 20 Charlotte MacInnes - Struck [Debut]

 

Daniel's Thoughts on The KPop Demon Hunters' Biggest Hit

Huntr/x - Golden: SONG REVIEW Hi everyone! I wanted to share my thoughts this time on a song I never got the chance to review fully in 2025,...