SEVENTEEN's FML album, with 6.2 million sales, has become the best-selling K-pop album of all time.

By Gabii Rayner and Amy Britton.

Across a career spanning just shy of a decade, SEVENTEEN have produced polished K-pop albums and tracks galore. It is, therefore, no wonder they have become the proud owners of the most sold K-pop album ever.

Coming from what used to be one of the lesser known companies in the industry, the group are no strangers to hard work. Their entertainment company PLEDIS’s relative lack of resources meant that the group had to take album production, lyric writing, and choreography into their own hands, with all members being hugely involved in the creative process. Soon the group earned the title of ‘self-producing idols’ and were highly praised for their unique approach in an often overly guarded industry.

Diving into the SEVENTEEN discography

SEVENTEEN have a broad range of tracks, and always play on the playground of versatility. Four full albums, ten mini albums/EPs, two repackages, two special albums, seven Japanese album releases, three collaborations, two sub-unit releases, and a multitude of solo tracks and OSTs make up their vast discography. We’ve taken a look at a handful of our favourites below!

2015 — 17 CARAT | 1st Mini Album

The thirteen members of SEVENTEEN burst onto the scene with the 17 CARAT EP, led by the pre-release track “Shining Diamond”. Accompanied by boyish school uniform outfits and some very questionable hairstyles, the boys displayed a passion that showed they weren’t to be trifled with. Their official debut track, “Adore U”, was joyously bright amongst the intense battlefield of existing boy groups, and showcased the members’ effervescent personalities.

With their B-sides, SEVENTEEN revolutionised group formats, both with their huge number of members and by dividing officially into their hip-hop, vocal, and performance units. Though “Ah Yeah”, “Jam Jam”, and “20” are vastly different (and oftentimes divisive for fans), they clearly show an abundance of both fun and potential, ready to be tapped into.

2016 — LOVE&LETTER repackage album | 1st Repackage (five new tracks)

This album’s “VERY NICE” title track alone (more commonly referred to by the Korean title “Aju Nice”) not only epitomises the group’s bubbliness and talents, but has become something of a viral meme! At the end of a SEVENTEEN concert, fans are often treated to a seemingly never-ending rendition of the track. The brassy horns burst back into life once the members have said their goodbyes, and everyone leaps up thanks to the song’s sheer bounce and joie de vivre.

This sense of fun is reflected in multiple of the repackage’s tracks, building on the existing ten. From “NO F.U.N”’s Kingsman inspired charm to the aptly named “Healing”’s comforting nostalgia, SEVENTEEN proved they were the kings of joy. “SIMPLE”, “Space”, and “Say Yes” worked to exhibit their gorgeous songwriting and vocal talents as well, shaping the album into an iconic one.

2017 - Al1 | 4th Mini Album

SEVENTEEN’s 4th mini album is when the group’s popularity really reached a new high. Its title track “Don’t Wanna Cry” allowed the boys to rack up six music show wins and a load of new fans thanks to their emotive performance.

The unit songs provide CARATs with a beautiful ballad from the vocal team, the peppy song “Swimming Fool” from the performance team, and a mature RnB sound showcased by the hip hop team in “IF I”. However, the stand out b-side on the album comes from SEVENTEEN’s China line, Jun and The8, with “MY I” giving the duo time to shine.

The group also performed “Crazy in Love” at music shows and as usual, it has an unmissable choreography that could turn anyone into a fan.

2017 - TEEN, AGE | 2nd Full Album

The build up to the release of TEEN, AGE was an exciting time for CARATs. The group gave us an insight into the album by slowly releasing each unit's track paired with cinematic music videos.

The album also led to the creation of the first leader line song, “Change Up”. This track truly reminds us why Hoshi, WOOZI, and S.Coups are the leaders of their respective units and acts as a mood booster for any situation.

The much anticipated track “Hello”, a previously unreleased song by Jun, Mingyu, and DK, showed fans that even the most unlikely combination of members can thrive together. Of course, the title track “CLAP” highlighted that SEVENTEEN can conquer any genre given to them by focusing on a more rock sound with its heavy guitar riff and bouncy bassline.

TEEN, AGE is a perfect album to start with as it encapsulates some of the best and most versatile tracks from the group.

2018 — YOU MAKE MY DAY | 5th Mini Album

This mini album is the epitome of summer. YOU MAKE MY DAY is a light and airy EP filled with tracks that are perfect to listen to on summer nights.

The title track “Oh My!” is a classic SEVENTEEN song that exudes cute charm and will make you instantly fall in love with the boys’ energy. “Holiday” is a brilliant track to get you in the mood for summer cocktails and days laying around the pool with its panpipes instrumental and chanting chorus. Once again, the vocal unit grace us with their angel-like voices with “Come to me”, a calming electropop song.

The mini album leads out with “Our dawn is hotter than day”, acting as a love letter to summer. The rhythmic raps that sandwich the members’ sweet vocals pair so well together that the group is able to highlight their perfect teamwork.

2019 — YOU MADE MY DAWN | 6th Mini Album

Following up on their incredible 5th EP, YOU MADE MY DAWN showcased a darker side to the group. Their fairly untouched intensity came to the surface with their sudden 2018 MAMA performance of “Getting Closer”. As the first taste of an unannounced comeback, CARATs were ecstatic over the electro-synth bass, the leather outfits, and the outrageously powerful choreography, all debuting with sheer confidence to an audience of thousands.

“Getting Closer”, the performance unit’s seductive, Taemin-esque “Shhh”, and the groovy maturity of “Good to Me” all acted to refresh the palates of fans used to SVT’s boyishness. And these are balanced by the warmth of the album’s other tracks: “Chilli” from the hip-hop unit is vibrant and playful, “Hug” from the vocal unit is delicate and consoling, whilst the title track “Home” was one of the first in K-pop to utilise the anti-drop for a “compelling”, “ever-shifting” release.

2019 — An Ode | 3rd Full Album

For many fans, the An Ode full album was where SEVENTEEN fully began to mature. The group spends 36 minutes bouncing between seldom explored genres like hard-hitting EDM and gospel (“HIT”/”Fear” and “Snap Shoot” respectively), as well as building on those quintessential pop, funk and R&B sounds that SEVENTEEN has come to perfect.

This indicated a consistent artistic growth, whilst maintaining a distinct brand, fully aware of what it means to be and sound like SEVENTEEN. And of course, this album’s era treated us to some more incredible choreography and live performances!

2020 — ; [Semicolon] | 2nd Special Album

Many frequently joke that SEVENTEEN are the theatre kids of K-pop. Well, they may have taken that joke and ran with it. The album’s title track “HOME;RUN” is a theatrical masterpiece. Their 2020 MAMA performance of the song is a must watch with the group dressed in vintage suits and the jazzy twist they put on the song.

The unit tracks for this special album are grouped by age and gave rise to some interesting results. The ‘96 liners gave us “Light a Flame”, a bossa nova-esque song that exudes sultry vibes. On the other end of the spectrum sits the maknae line’s “Do Re Mi” and ‘97 lines “HEY BUDDY”, both high energy tracks that highlight the members’ youthful personalities. In usual SEVENTEEN style, the group came back together for the ballad “All My Love”, a simple love song that feels like it was especially made for CARATs.

2021 — Your Choice | 8th Mini Album

Your Choice is another example of a perfectly well rounded EP. You may think that eight mini albums in, SEVENTEEN would be running out of ways to reinvent themselves and whilst the tracks take on their usual form of a few group tracks and unit songs, the group are constantly trying out new styles and genres. A highlight on the EP has to be “GAM3 BO1”, an intense hyperpop track that sees the hip-hop unit use glitchy synths to create something CARATs had never heard before.

The hard hitting “Anyone” in contrast to the melodic “Heaven’s Cloud” encompasses the boys’ abilities. The title track “Ready To Love” is another upbeat pop track that will be added to your favourites playlist after a single listen. Your Choice is a brilliant album to introduce new fans to as it really captures the best parts of the group, and each unit track feels like a great representation of the responsible team and their respective energies.

2022 — Face the Sun | 4th Full Album

Although its repackage includes the sparkling "_WORLD", the Face the Sun album in its original format is sheer perfection. From the massively popular title track "HOT", to the anthemic "DON QUIXOTE", and the blooming piano ballad "IF you leave me", this compact record seemingly covers every skill and sound that SEVENTEEN has in their arsenal.

Fans are even treated to those lesser heard talents, such as the breathy vocals of rappers Wonwoo and Vernon, and the unexpected hip-hop skills of vocalists like Jeonghan. What more could we ask for?

If diving straight in seems a little intimidating, why not check out our choices of SEVENTEEN’s best b-sides?

Edited by Chelsea Cheetham.