The 16 Best K-Pop Bands You Need to Be Listening to RN

K-pop, aka Korean popular music, has taken the world by storm. Since its debut in the mid-1990s, this genre of music has created a wave of successful groups in its rise to pop-culture dominance. You’re probably familiar with some of the most acclaimed K-pop groups, including BTS, Blackpink, and SEVENTEEN. Infused with traditional Korean sounds while celebrating Western musical influences like hip-hop, electronic dance, and R&B, groups like the ones mentioned above and in the list below have delivered some of the catchiest, most popular bops of the past couple decades.

Over the years, these K-pop bands have captivated audiences and developed massive fan bases with inspiring and uplifting songs. Band members, also known as idols, work tirelessly and go through extensive vocal, media, and choreography training before they hit the stage for the first time, in groups ranging from four artists to 21.

While the bands stay busy releasing music as a collective, or celebrating solo projects every few months — K-pop stars often venture off into acting, fashion, and other creative industries — their work and talent is celebrated on a global scale. If you’re looking to get into K-pop music but don’t know where to begin, here’s a rundown of the 16 best K-pop groups. Trust us, you’ll be adding their albums to your playlists in no time.