"Sticker" is a song recorded by South Korean boy group NCT 127 for their third studio album of the same name. Produced by frequent production group Dem Jointz, Calixthe, Prince Chapelle, Ryan S. Jhun and Yoo Young-jin with lyrical composition by the latter, member Taeyong and Mark, the "experimental" hip-hop track was released digitally on September 17, 2021 as the lead single from the album by SM Entertainment. An accompanying music video was released on the same release date.
Following its release, "Sticker" received mixed to positive reviews from critics for its signature "noisy" production and the flute melody throughout the song. It also attained commercial native success, becoming the group's second top-five hit on the Gaon Digital Chart, while becoming their eleventh top-five entry on the Billboard's World Digital Songs. It is also NCT 127's first entry on the Global 200 chart, peaking at number 101.
"Sticker" was composed by Dem Jointz, Calixthe, Prince Chapelle, Ryan S. Jhun, Yoo Young-jin, while production was handled by Lee Soo-man.[2][3] Dem Jointz had also co-produced NCT 127's previous singles "Cherry Bomb," "Kick It," and "Punch."[4] The song features a prominent flute sound and a "minimal" and "subdued" production.[5] The group found the song surprising and difficult to master. Member and co-lyricist Taeyong noted in a behind-the-scenes video that he felt that he was "being punished" and "rebuked" for a song for the first time due to its difficulty in pulling off the song.[6] Member and vocalist Doyoung shared it was their first time where they "dived deep" with Yoo Young-jin while recording the song, with Yoo encouraging the group's rappers Taeyong and Mark to write the song's rap lyrics to "bring out the NCT vibe" with the group in mind.[5][7] In an interview on The Travis Mills Show, member Johnny said listeners can expect to be surprised with the flute melody, while Mark described it as a song that "has a lot of impact and a lot of dynamics" that they have "never touched before."[8] Dem Jointz attributed the song's odd structure to “just being different. You want to stand out, but at the end of the day, you still want everybody to get what you’re doing." He also added that the flute sound "makes you get down and boogie." He ultimately called it one of his favorite tracks, saying that he "feels as strong about this record as I do [for] 'Kick It.'"[4]
Commercial performance[]
In South Korea, the song debuted at number 17 on the Gaon Digital Chart for the issue dated October 12–18, 2021 and peaked at number 5 in its second week.[9][10] It also debuted at number 1 both on the component Download Chart and on the component BGM Chart.[11][12] The song also debuted at number 144 on the component Streaming Chart and peaked at number 37 in its second week.[13][14] The song debuted at number 25 on the Billboard's K-pop Hot 100 chart for the issue dated October 2, 2021.[15] In Japan, the song debuted at number 55 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart for the issue dated October 2, 2021.[16] In Singapore, the song debuted at number 16 on the RIAS's Top Regional Chart for the issue dated September 17–23, 2021.[17] In the United States, the song debuted at number 5 on the BillboardWorld Digital Song Sales chart for the issue dated October 2, 2021.[18] It also debuted at number 101 on the Billboard Global 200 for the issue dated October 2, 2021 and at number 53 on the Billboard Global Excl. US for the issue dated October 2, 2021.[19][20] In Singapore, the song debuted at number 16 on the RIAS's Top Regional Chart in the chart issue dated September 17–23, 2021.[21]
Credits and personnel[]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Sticker.[3]
Recording
Recorded and engineered for mix at SM Yellow Tail Studio
Recorded, digitally edited, engineered for mix, and mixed at SM Booming System
^ abSticker (photobook). NCT 127. South Korea: SM Entertainment, Dreamus. 2021. Credits.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"2021년 38주차 Digital Chart" [Week 38 of 2021 Digital Chart]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
^ ab"2021년 39주차 Digital Chart" [Week 39 of 2021 Digital Chart]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
^"2021년 38주차 Download Chart" [Week 38 of 2021 Download Chart]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
^"2021년 38주차 BGM Chart" [Week 38 of 2021 BGM Chart]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
^"2021년 38주차 Streaming Chart" [Week 38 of 2021 Streaming Chart]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
^"2021년 39주차 Streaming Chart" [Week 39 of 2021 Streaming Chart]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
^"RIAS Top Charts – Week 38 (17 – 23 Sep 2021)". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ ab"RIAS Top Regional Chart – Week 38 (17 – 23 Sept 2021)". Recording Industry Association Singapore. October 17–23, 2021. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^Jo, Eun-mi (September 23, 2021). "'엠카' NCT127, 'Sticker'로 첫 1위..다음주 키→양요섭→NCT127·ITZY 컴백 예고[종합]" ['M Countdown' NCT 127, first 1st place with 'Sticker'... Next week Key→Yang Yo-seob→NCT 127·ITZY comeback notice [General]]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kang, Min-kyung (September 30, 2021). "NCT 127, '엠카' 2주 연속 1위+음악방송 6관왕 "시즈니 응원 덕" [★밤TView]" [NCT 127, 1st place two weeks in a row on 'M Countdown' + 6 music show trophies' "Thanks to NCTzens support" [★밤TView]]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Soo-yeon (October 7, 2021). "'엠카' NCT127, ITZY 꺾고 3주 연속 1위…엔플라잉·에이티즈 컴백 [종합]" ['M Countdown' NCT 127, beats ITZY to take 1st place 3 weeks in a row... N.Flying·Ateez comeback [General]]. X Sport News (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021 – via Naver.
^Lee, Hae-jeong (September 24, 2021). "'뮤직뱅크' NCT 127, 에이티즈 꺾고 1위" ['Music Bank' NCT 127, beats Ateez to take 1st place]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kang, Da-yoon (October 1, 2021). "'뮤직뱅크' NCT 127, 출연 없이 1위…샤이니 키·AB6IX 컴백 [종합]" ['Music Bank' NCT 127, takes 1st place without appearance... SHINee's Key·AB6IX comeback [General]]. My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kim, Mi-ji (September 25, 2021). "'음악중심' NCT 127, 'Sticker'로 1위…MC 정우 "팬들이 원한 그림"[종합]" ['Music Core' NCT 127, wins 1st with 'Sticker'... MC Jung-woo "The picture the fans wanted" [Comprehensive]]. X Sport News (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021 – via Naver.
^Choi, Hee-jae (October 2, 2021). "'음악중심' NCT 127, 2주 연속 1위…AB6IX·샤이니 키 컴백 [종합]" ['Music Core' NCT 127, 1st place for 2 weeks in a row... AB6IX·SHINee Key comeback [General]]. X Sport News (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kim, Mi-ji (September 28, 2021). "'더쇼' NCT 127, 'Sticker'로 1위..양요섭→노라조 컴백[종합]" ['The Show' NCT 127 wins 1st place with 'Sticker'..Yoseob Yang → Norazo Comeback [General]]. X Sport News (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021 – via Naver.
^"SHOW CHAMPION 411회 TOP5" [SHOW CHAMPION Episode 411 TOP 5]. MBC Plus (in Korean). September 29, 2021. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
^Jeong, Han-byul (October 3, 2021). "'인기가요' NCT 127, '스티커'로 1위 "시즈니 덕분"" ['Inkigayo' NCT 127, wins 1st place with 'Sticker' "Thanks to NCTzens"]. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Naver.
^2021년 09월 Digital Chart [September 2021 Digital Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.