Psy-Pop: Rad or Fad?

Fads come and go in popular culture and certainly, music sees a lot.

The term “one-hit wonder” was created specifically for this genre. Luminaries such as Vanilla Ice (“Ice Ice Baby”), Chumbawamba (“Tubthumping”), and Los del Rio (“Macarena”) hold a place near and dear to the hearts of many — if only for how silly we looked singing and dancing to their songs.

Psy, the South Korean singer and producer who unleashed “Gangnam Style” on the world in 2012, certainly looked to be sliding into that category. But in an age of new media, Psy marches on as a pop culture megastar. Through social media, a catchy tune, and an even catchier dance, Psy was able to bring his version of K-Pop, or Korean Pop, to America in a big way, something that never happened before and hasn’t happened since.

K-Pop is a blend of musical styles that leans heavily on audiovisual elements to draw fans in. As one of the most popular music genres around the globe, K-Pop rakes in billions of dollars per year. The majority of that money hasn’t come from the United States. Prior to Psy’s success, K-Pop has had relatively little impact on Americans.

Groups such as BIGBANG and Wonder Girls saw moderate Billboard success, but neither achieved fame in America. Both groups had catchy music and outlandish style, but the marketing and social media impact was not even a fraction of what Psy had with “Gangnam Style.”

Related: Apple Flexes Musical Muscle

“Gangnam Style” showcases both the eccentricities of K-Pop combined with Psy’s own musical influences. The official music video stands as the most viewed YouTube video of all time, with 2.4 billion views and counting, outpacing its nearest competitor, Taylor Swift, by over a billion views. With that level of exposure, Psy is social media’s gold standard, connecting with listeners in a way his one hit wonder predecessors never dreamed. His continued relevance in light of his current album offers lessons for all entertainers, Americans and internationals alike.

The most notable feature of his new album, entitled “Chiljip PSY-Da” (Translation: Psy’s 7th Album) are the collaborations he brokered with singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and Black Eyed Peas producer-rapper, will.i.am. The presence of popular American artists legitimizes Psy as an entertainer. But does it validate K-Pop as a genre that fans and Hollywood executives can get behind?

The presence of popular American artists legitimizes Psy as an entertainer.

Some are skeptical. Singer Michael Bublé appeared on “The Today Show” and mourned the obsession.

“That’s just sad. I don’t want to live in this world anymore. … If this is what we have to look forward to at the Grammys next year, I’m out,” the crooner said.

Bublé’s sentiment is understandable, given his efforts to bring back the classic, sultry sounds of a bygone era.

Psy is decidedly modern. And his modern marketing tactics are ensuring he gets noticed. In three days, the video raked in over 20 million views.

The popularity of Psy’s first hit set him up for success. Fans are checking out his new releases at an unprecedented rate. It also means he is subject to greater scrutiny. He is responsible for setting the bar pretty high.

That he is attempting to recycle his successful strategies, including exaggerated dance moves and risqué content, is no surprise. It’s the modern music business in a nutshell — for better or worse.

The question remains: Do Psy’s successful strategies represent a foot in the door for other K-Pop stars who want to gain a share of the American music scene? The likelihood is low. Though he represents K-Pop in a general sense, Psy has a look and feel to him that is unique in and of itself.

He is a walking, talking, dancing cartoon character, and his personal charm and eccentricity have endeared him to his fans. For Americans, obsessing over Psy doesn’t automatically carry over to the genre he represents. It’s still pretty foreign to us.

It’s still pretty foreign to us.

Psy’s greatest asset at present is his connection to top talent like Sheeran and will.i.am, whose own star power will undoubtedly keep the goofy pop star relevant as long as he keeps releasing catchy dance hits that entertain and inspire — however farcical they are.

If he becomes a star producer in his own right, he eventually could introduce some other K-Pop luminaries to his American fans. A year ago, female K-Pop star, CL, was signed by master talent manager Scooter Braun, but she is not exactly a household name at this point. Her vocal feature in Psy’s “Daddy” video might be the platform she needs to launch her own career in America.

It’s too soon to say whether Psy’s phenomenal success a real shift in tastes or just an anomaly of the digital age. Stranger things have happened. Like the image of a radical music revolutionary riding in on an imaginary horse wearing a brightly colored tuxedo, it’s safe to say most of us never expected him to pull off the comeback he just executed.