Can EXO Top The Success Of 'XOXO' To Win The April Comeback Wars?
April has kicked off with one of the biggest comeback announcements for 2014, which is the return of SM Entertainment's EXO. Although, it has only been two years since their debut, EXO has emerged as one of the most talented and soon to be replicated groups in K-Pop. As the follow up to their 2012 debut EP Mama, XOXO was one of the most commerically successful K-Pop albums of 2013.
By year end, XOXO had sold over one million copies including 300,000 pre-orders. Many within the industry had started to question whether K-Pop would continue to be a successful musical genre, however, these doubts were quelled when XOXO went on to become the best-selling album in Korea since 2001.
EXO has demonstrated the ability to impress some of the toughest critics of Korean pop music and released the top performing Christmas album of 2013, Miracles in December. In the midst of a crowded market for holiday K-Pop releases, Miracles in December reached the number one position on the Billboard World Albums Chart and topped China's Sino Chart.
EXO has become a leader in male group concepts, with their supernatural debut concept being one of the most innovative within the industry. The concept for XOXO, while simplicistic, helped to deliver the group to new audiences within Korea and throughout the international market. From the initial teaser images, it appears as though the 2014 comeback concept for EXO will incorporate simplicity, but carry a slightly dark air.
Whereas March was defined by the struggle for supremacy between Girls' Generation and 2NE1, April will be defined by the comeback releases of some of the most successful male groups in K-Pop. However, the announcement of an April 15 return for EXO serves as a game changer, with their closest challengers SM C+C's INFINITE. INFINITE defeated EXO to receive the Best Male Group award at 2013 MAMA, in a stunning upset. This win by INFINITE helped to further establish that EXO is not impervious to loss. Will EXO be able to trump the success of their previous releases or will audiences be disappointed?
