<\/p>\n
Stray Kids<\/a>\u2019 fourth studio album KARMA<\/em> is, in a word, full of delightful surprises.<\/p>\n More from Billboard<\/strong><\/p>\n Helmed once again by 3RACHA \u2014 Bang Chan, Changbin and HAN \u2014 the record carries forward the group\u2019s unmistakable identity, as seen in their earlier full-length projects: 5-STAR<\/em> (2023), NOEASY<\/em> (2021) and GO LIVE <\/em>(2020). Yet KARMA<\/em> distinguishes itself with a strikingly more cohesive sense of unity, elevating Stray Kids\u2019 artistry to a new level of refinement.<\/p>\n The album comprises 11 tracks, including \u201cCEREMONY\u201d in both a Festival Version and an English Version. While the project spans a wider range of genres than ever before, it still maintains a striking sense of cohesion \u2014 thanks largely to the strength of its overarching theme. As explained by\u00a0the members themselves in the podcast-style [INTRO \u201cKARMA\u201d]<\/a> video, the record embodies their conviction and pride in \u201ctransforming even unfavorable karma into something good.\u201d \u201cCEREMONY\u201d crystallizes that message, serving both as a declaration of confidence and a celebratory moment to revel in their current achievements.<\/p>\n One of the first impressions the album leaves is the noticeably greater presence of English lyrics and the presence of tracks that are clearly designed with live performance in mind. The songs are also strikingly shorter in length \u2014 aside from emo-hip-hop track \u201cMESS\u201d and the sentimental fan-dedicated track \u201c0801,\u201d nearly every piece barely reaches the three-minute mark. This stands in clear contrast to their previous EP ATE<\/em>, highlighting a deliberate shift in structure and intent.<\/p>\n Another remarkable point about this album is that, once again, every track was produced under 3RACHA\u2019s direction. For Stray Kids, this may be not surprising \u2014 but considering that they also released the full-length Japanese album GIANT<\/em> last November, and spent an exhaustive 11 months on their world tour dominATE, one can\u2019t help but wonder: How did they manage it?<\/p>\n Now in their eighth year, Stray Kids are showing no signs of slowing down. From August 2024 through July 2025, the group mounted their biggest world tour to date, 54 shows across 34 cities, including 27 stadiums worldwide. The marathon trek underscored not only their global reach, but also their determination to keep pushing boundaries. Fresh off the road, Stray Kids channeled that momentum into KARMA<\/em> \u2014 an album conceived as both a celebration of how far they\u2019ve come and a declaration of trust in who they are. The project serves as a reminder to embrace the present while keeping their gaze fixed forward.\u00a0That belief is paying off: KARMA<\/em> opens at No. 1<\/a> on the Billboard 200<\/a> albums chart dated Sept. 6, marking Stray Kids\u2019 seventh chart-topping debut.<\/p>\n \u201cBLEEP\u201d stands out as the track that feels most quintessentially Stray Kids. With its powerful boom-bap rhythm, it\u2019s a fitting opener to deliver the album\u2019s central message \u2014 though unlike some of the other tracks, it doesn\u2019t necessarily surprise with novelty. Still, its concept of equating the resolve to ignore outside noise with a literal \u201cbleep\u201d is clever, and the playful hook \u2014 \u201cRumors, bleep \/boomers, bleep \/crisis, bleep \/hardship, bleep\u201d \u2014 adds plenty of character. From Changbin\u2019s heavy-hitting verse in the second half, to Seungmin and I.N\u2019s\u00a0 vocals, and the seamless singing-rap flows of Lee Know and HAN, the track is packed with moments to savor.<\/p>\n The track opens with a heartbeat-like rhythm and warm vocals, setting the tone for a heartfelt fan song. Having a chance to listen to the vocals of all the members is also very pleasant, since the track showcases the voices of all eight members so clearly. Another notable aspect lies in the lyrical arrangement; unlike the common K-pop formula where Korean verses lead into English choruses, here the sequence is reversed \u2014 an English verse precedes a Korean one \u2014 giving the song a distinctly pop-oriented impression. And when the line \u201cI\u2019ll STAY forever, oh I\u2019ll STAY here\u201d rings out in a live setting, it\u2019s hard to imagine fans holding back tears. A synthwave-pop track that transcends taste, it\u2019s one anyone can enjoy.<\/p>\n Despite its majestic title, \u201cPhoenix\u201d turns out to be an upbeat EDM track \u2014 and one of the first songs to instantly catch the ear when playing the album. As 3RACHA revealed in the [INTRO \u201cKARMA\u201d] video, it was written during a period when they were immersed in Avicii, and naturally evokes the spirit of early Avicii<\/a> or Zedd<\/a>. Alongside \u201cIn My Head,\u201d it stands as one of the group\u2019s boldest new ventures on this future house and EDM track \u201cStay,\u201d it\u2019s a song built for collective joy.<\/p>\n An emo hip-hop track where crisp guitar riffs intertwine with heavy beats, this song immediately signals HAN\u2019s handiwork to anyone familiar with Stray Kids\u2019 discography. Its raw portrayal of post-breakup emotions and regret also recalls the sensibility of their earlier tracks such as \u201cEx.\u201d Originally running at four and a half minutes, the song has been trimmed down for the album, yet its emotional weight remains intact. Laden with vocal effects on record, it\u2019s the kind of track that raises anticipation for how its emotions might resonate even more powerfully when performed live, carried purely by the members\u2019 delivery.<\/p>\n Opening with a scratch sound that grabs the ear instantly, the track unfolds like a darker, trap-infused counterpart to the grandeur of \u201cMountains,\u201d which opened last year\u2019s ATE<\/em> EP. True to its weighty title, \u201cCREED\u201d carries a solemn gravitas from start to finish \u2014 underscored by resonant effects that run throughout, and the commanding rap sequence delivered in turn by Hyunjin, Felix and Changbin. Positioned after the opener \u201cBEEP\u201d and the title track \u201cCEREMONY,\u201d it firmly anchors the album\u2019s message, setting the stage for KARMA<\/em>\u2019s thematic journey.<\/p>\n Carrying the sensation of an out-of-body emptiness against an upbeat rhythm, the track initially draws attention to its smooth interplay of lyrics and vocals. Yet with repeated listens, its playful details and unmistakable Stray Kids energy begin to surface. Centered on piercing synths that drive the melody, the production shifts fluidly \u2014 from synth lines to organ textures \u2014 while introducing fresh touches such as Felix\u2019s deep-toned vocals. It\u2019s a track full of layers, offering plenty to discover and enjoy.<\/p>\n A prime example of Stray Kids\u2019 take on easy listening, this track was even considered as a title contender. Alongside \u201cCEREMONY,\u201d it conveys a clear theme of competition and momentum. Bursting in as the sixth track \u2014 the album\u2019s midpoint \u2014 with the rallying cry of \u201cIt\u2019s only the first half,\u201d it mirrors the unpredictability of a dribble through its shifting pitch dynamics. I.N\u2019s chant-like shouts of \u201cUno, dos, tres, quatro\u201d and a rousing group chorus add further texture, with unconventional elements flashing by before being neatly woven into a cohesive whole. As its title \u201cHalf Time\u201d suggests, the song marks a turning point, embodying Stray Kids\u2019 resolve to charge into the second half.<\/p>\n With lively guitar and drum sounds and an instantly singable chorus, this pop-rock track showcases a fresh musical side of Stray Kids. It also carries a nostalgic edge, evoking early 2000s pop-punk acts like Good Charlotte and Simple Plan<\/a>. As a song that\u2019s bound to take on an electrifying new energy when performed live, it\u2019s arguably the most delightful surprise on the album, leaving little doubt about its standout, feel-good impact.<\/p>\n In terms of listenability and originality, \u201cCEREMONY\u201d easily ranks among the album\u2019s best. Less serious than \u201cBEEP\u201d or \u201cCREED,\u201d yet clearly communicating the theme of celebration, it already succeeds in conveying the album\u2019s message. Whereas their previous title track \u201cChk Chk Boom\u201d leaned heavily on Latin hip-hop, \u201cCEREMONY\u201d fuses Brazilian funk rhythms with EDM trap. Written during a time when the group\u2019s worldwide stadium tour was approaching, the track playfully weaves the celebratory chant \u2018Hip-Hip (Hooray)\u2019\u2014a common cheering phrase in Australia and the U.K. \u2014 into its intro and chorus, serving as a nod to the two Australian members\u2019 identity. Aside from the recurring chants of \u2018Hip-Hip (Hooray),\u2019 \u2018Karma,\u2019 and \u2018Ceremony,\u2019 the chorus is deliberately stripped back, leaving it spacious and cool \u2014 an intentional contrast to the group\u2019s typically high-energy \u2018hot\u2019 style. Of course, there are still fiery moments \u2014 like Changbin\u2019s commanding rap declaration: \u201cWe\u2019re moving forward with maximum power.\u201d<\/p>\n Best of Billboard<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign up for Billboard’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Stray Kids\u2019 fourth studio album KARMA is, in a word, full of delightful surprises. More from Billboard Helmed once again by 3RACHA \u2014 Bang Chan, Changbin and HAN \u2014 the record carries forward the group\u2019s unmistakable identity, as seen in their earlier full-length projects: 5-STAR (2023), NOEASY (2021) and GO LIVE (2020). Yet KARMA distinguishes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1993721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[72523,360799],"class_list":["post-1993720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-stray-kids","tag-track"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Stray-Kids-\u2018KARMA-Album-Every-Track-Ranked.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1993720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1993720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1993720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1993721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1993720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1993720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1993720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}9. \u201cBLEEP\u201d<\/h2>\n
8. \u201c0801\u201d<\/h2>\n
7. \u201cPhoenix\u201d<\/h2>\n
6. \u201cMESS\u201d<\/h2>\n
5. \u201cCREED\u201d<\/h2>\n
4. \u201cGhost\u201d<\/h2>\n
3. \u201cHalf Time\u201d<\/h2>\n
2. \u201cIn My Head\u201d<\/h2>\n
1. \u201cCEREMONY\u201d<\/h2>\n