5 years with EXO

Today, April 7th, marks the 5th anniversary of boy group EXO. So for anyone who's within the fandom would understand how much we've been through over these years. We went through so many ups in downs. We've had three amazing members leave. We've seen our idols suffer and go through unimaginable pain. But there still making music and being the best they can be and now we find no reason not to call them legends.

This post is dedicated to my idols; to people who have inspired me to be happier in life; to people who've gave me a reason to smile everyday and to people to are able to make me feel so many emotions just by existing. This is my EXO anniversary challenge and also my way of inspiring you guys to broaden your scope of music.

EXO debuted in 2012 with their single MAMA. A single which many believed to me a flop. In reality it sucked. EXO-K, pretty much lip sang the entire song, and the album was pretty underrated. at this time, EXO was divided into two sub-groups, EXO - K; which sang songs in Korean and EXO -M which performed in Chinese. When we talk about the songs in the album, I personally will always say the Chinese versions were better. The songs included their popular pre-debut songs, 'What is love' and 'history'. Probably some of the best tracks to be release to hype up people for a debut. the other songs included some very metal-like songs such as machine and the hip-hop song two moons. this also includes the balled angel. 2012 marks the year of EXO's official debut and to be honest, they didn't do that well and no one thought they'll ever become as popular as they are now.

After the terrible debut, they release their songs 'Wolf'' and things started to turn around. They won music show after music show and they're fan-base started to grow. EXO's future started to turn around. The album had sold really well. Then Growl came out and that was a game changer. Growl was a massive hit and no one was able to deny the group's talent. They became the first kpop group in 10 years to sell one million albums. For me this marks my official joining the fandom. It was crazy, coming from being an angel (teen top's fandom) to this. I couldn't believe it but the dance moves and the song itself were amazing. EXO was officially reborn. Growl inspired many changes in the kpop genre. The group reopened up the dying genre and started to repopularize the buying of physical albums.

(This is one of my favorite things because EXO did so many things during this time. They won their first deasong, album of the year and so many other things.)

EXO went through some pretty traumatic things the next year. We were gifted with the perfect mini album 'Overdose" but were also  left the event of two members leaving. One of those members were  my bias and he left. Now these two members have been doing their own solos in China and they've been really popular and we hope as a fandom that they are happy. Now talking about the actual quality of the album. This is one of the best albums EXO has ever release in my opinion. Each song is just great. The balled, the beats, the lyrics, all perfect.  They won so many awards and they were at a point where they gained so many fans but these fans were crushed at the fact that two beloved members had left.

Then the 'EXODUS' was released. the album sold over one million copies, making EXO the only kpop artist to be a double million seller. 'Call me baby' charted for weeks and won 18 show awards. Making EXO the group with the highed music show wins in all of kpop. The album itself was amazing but then another Chinese member left. Leaving the group with 9 members instead of its original 12. As a way to make things better the repackaged album was released and EXO members, Chanyeol, Lay and Chen had wrote a song called promise, as a way to dedicate their love for their fans and promising to continue as a group with their remaining members.

Things were getting better. They released another Christmas album and they were still going strong.

That leads us to their recent album 'EXACT', another million seller and they are legends. The entire album being beautifully put together. The entire album flows so perfectly once listened to in order. EXO are kings, legends even. This album brought them many music awards. They had won 4 daesangs and they are legendary.

When people say EXO is not there yet, they are wrong. They call groups like Big Bang and SNSD legends because they left their mark on the kpop industry selling thousands of albums and gaining fans from all over the world. EXO has made kpop history. They have a total of 88 music wins, the second most wins for a group. More than Big Bang. (SNSD is first and they perfectly deserve that position as legends as well). EXO's album "EXACT' is one of the most sold albums on 2016. Their album placing 14th internationally above Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran.

EXO has done so much and not only had they did things as a group, they've accomplished their own things as individuals. From staring in dramas, singing solo or within groups. Chanyeol even released a song with Far East Movement and Tinashe. Baekhyun had won various awards for a duet he sang with Suzy.

EXO has been through so much and they deserve the world. They are legends. No one can say they're not. Not when they've done so much to make the world notice kpop much more. Not when they've worked so hard to get to where they are. People need to stop comparing them to groups like Big Bang and Super Junior. EXO are kings. EXO are legends. EXO is one.