Even for a moment, what would our world without music be like, SEVENTEEN imagines.

The music video for ‘음악의 신’ (God of Music), SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN’s  title track, opens with a city moving along – everyone their own business. But it’s such a bleak wasteland. Colourless. Lifeless.

Then Joshua cries out loud, piercing the silence with a happy melody: “If there was a god of music, I want to give you a hug of gratitude.” (세상에 음악의 신이 있다면 고맙다고 안아주고 싶어)

Leading up to ' release day, SEVENTEEN released concept images, where in several of them, there’s a banner emblazoned with some idealistic words: “Let your love shine.” It’s tempting to just be cynical and shrug that off as cloying and impossibly optimistic.

But in a time when plague and war – just a world on fire – send us teetering on the edge, SEVENTEEN finds a vision of hope and joy in the music that can bind us all together.

“We can’t communicate with words, but with music, we can be best friends from now on (말이 안 통해도 음악이 있다면, 우리는 지금부터는 아주 친한 친구),” Hoshi’s part goes, then Vernon raps, “We’ve just met but we can dance together.” (너와 내가 모르는 사이여도 춤출 수 있어)

Woozi said that the starting point was a question: how could SEVENTEEN express their happiness?

“We were thinking, what is that one moment that we can talk about with confidence to answer that question,” the SEVENTEEN member and producer said in a talk show they hosted right before the premiere. “And it’s when we are on stage meeting as SEVENTEEN and CARAT, that we are all happy – and music connects all of that.” (우리가 생각했을 때 어느 순간만큼은 확신을 가지고 얘기할 수 있을까. 고민했고 그게 이제 무대 위에서 세븐틴과 캐럿으로 만났을 때 그 순간이 그렇게 우리가 행복하지 않을까, 서로 모두가라고 생각을 했고 그걸 이어주는 게 음악이잖아요.)

“I want CARATs to feel happiness through SEVENTEEN, and the album captures that,” he added. (세븐틴으로 하여금 행복을 느끼실 수 있도록 캐럿들이... 그런 마음을 가득 담은 앨범이니까요.)

“At the end of SEVENTEEN’s long journey filled with challenges and trails to be blazed, SEVENTEEN’s heaven is our moment of happiness together,” said rapper Mingyu in an introduction video published earlier on PICKCON (23/10). “It's also the name of a festival where SEVENTEEN, CARAT, and TEAM SVT, celebrate and revel in everything they've achieved together.” (도전과 개척으로 가득했던 세븐틴의 긴 여정의 끝에서 모두 함께 느끼는 행복의 순간이 바로 ‘세븐틴의 천국’임을 뜻하는 동시에, 세븐틴과 캐럿, 팀 SVT’가 함께 이뤄낸 결과를 축하하고 만끽하는 페스티벌의 이름이기도 합니다.)

Let’s take look at the 7 new tracks (excluding the instrumental version of ‘God of Music’)

❶ ‘SOS’ (prod. Marshmello)

Lyrics by Woozi, Bumzu, Shannon
Composed by Woozi, Bumzu, Marshmello

In the chaotic warehouse party scene near end of the ‘예쁘다’ (Pretty U) music video, you can spot Wonwoo spinning the decks wearing a peculiar yellow helmet with lightning eyes, which seems like a cheeky nod to Marshmello’s signature gear. Fast forward to today, mainstay songwriting duo Woozi and Bumzu have joined forces with the ‘Happier’ hitmaker and occasional chef himself to cook up this banger in the studio.

Joshua said that ‘SOS’ is pretty much in the vein of their previous title track, ‘손우공’ (Super), in its energy and tenacity. Sung entirely in English with words by Woozi, Bumzu and Korean-American singer-songwriter Shannon (formerly of PRISTIN; credits include ‘Darl+ing’ and Woozi’s ‘Ruby,’), the tune “highlights the importance of courage and togetherness.”

Drawing attention to this core message, the vocal team member added, “It would be good to pay attention to the lyrics though. It’s about not giving in to the dangerous things around us and wanting to overcome them together.” (주변에 위험한 것들에 굴하지 않고 함께 이겨내기를 바라는 내용을 담은 가사에 주목해서 들어 주시면 좋을 것 같습니다.)

❷ ‘음악의 신’ (God of Music) [TITLE TRACK]

Lyrics by Woozi, Bumzu, Mingyu 민규, S.Coups, Vernon
Composed by Woozi, Bumzu, Kitae Park 박기태
Arranged by Bumzu, Kitae Park 박기태, BeomHun Lee 이범훈

God only knows what we’d be without music. Without music, everything would be bleak or even much worse, which is why SEVENTEEN urges us to dance, sing, and thank the heavens – “if there was a god of music in this world.”

“By imagining the extremes of a world without music – the music that fills our everyday lives and connect us all – we get to paradoxically appreciate it and see the impact it has made,” explained Hoshi. (음악이 없어진 세상이라는 극단적인 설정을 통해서 일상 곳곳에 스며들어 우리 모두를 이어주는 음악이 긍정적인 영향과 또 음악에 대한 감사함을 역설적으로 풀어냈으니까.)

Some CARATs and even the members have joked that the title referred to member Woozi, their ever-reliable producer and lyricist. "I heard some were flustered upon hearing the song’s title,” he said in a brief talk about the song on Weverse Live prior to release day (17/10). “We weren’t joking around when we made this album, so you can trust us.” (제목을 듣고 다들 당황해한다고.. 믿으십시오, 그냥.. 앨범을 장난으로 만드는 게 아니기 때문에, 믿으시면 돼요.)

There are blaring horns, rippling bass slaps, and glittery synths in this groovy soul and funk joint, like a paean heralding the “new future” with relentless joy. The festival grounds are open, and here comes SEVENTEEN parading around, roaring “쿵 치 팍 치 [kung chi pak chi].”

For sure, it’s a striking contrast from their previous title tracks: ‘손우공’ (Super) and its bravado, or the defiant ‘F*ck My Life’. SEVENTEEN have been known for their flair for any upbeat number, and they always take these pop tunes to the stage with aplomb. It’s hard to reduce this as a so-called return to form though (as CARATs would call it, “Freshteen”), as that would imply that an 8-year-old group can’t make any experimental leaps with their sound and succeed at the same time (they have – ‘Super’ is just one recent example).

Produced by SL8IGHT VISUAL LAB and directed by 725, the music video was shot in Budapest, the picturesque Hungarian capital. This was the first time since 2017’s ‘울고 싶지 않아’ (Don’t Wanna Cry) that the group filmed overseas, as Hoshi shared. In its grand finale, they even lead a joyous parade over the Danube across the city’s famed Liberty Bridge, while fireworks light up the sky.

❸ ’Diamond Days’

Lyrics by Woozi, Bumzu, S.Coups, Vernon, Jeon Gan Dhi 전간디
Composed by Woozi, Bumzu, MasterKey 마스터키, Rishi 리시 (Lishbeats)
Arranged by Bumzu

‘Diamond Days’ begins with an unmistakable whispered refrain: “Slip into the diamond life,” the same words that opened ‘Shining Diamond’ from17 CARAT, their debut EP. No need to dig deep into the vault; right off the bat, you know that it’s made from the stuff of legend.

‘SEVENTEEN’s fandom name, CARAT, derives from the iconic 2015 track. ‘Diamond Days’ also interpolates the original melody, and co-producers MasterKey and Rishi are also credited.

‘Diamond Days’ looks back at SEVENTEEN’s storied and humble origins in that pistachio green basement, “started from 2평” as leader S.Coups once said, way before their steady rise to the top. “With enough time and pressure / Beneath, we shine / The days we were buried in dirt / Those early days, we’ll remember,” the refrain goes. (충분한 시간 그리고 압력 / 그 안에서 우린 빛나 / 흙 속에 묻혀 있던 날 / 처음 날을 기억할게 우리들은)

“Eight years after our debut, our hugely successful group reimagines the song from where we are now,” said Seungkwan, adding that their “shining promise” would never dull and break. “It’s the kind of song where we tell you guys that we still feel the same way.” (데뷔 후 8년이 지난 지금, 마침내 큰 성공을 이루는 저희 세븐틴이 그때와는 달라진 위치에서 재해석했지만, 또 여전히 같은 마음이라는 걸 또 말하면서 여러분들께 저희의 마음을 전하는 그런 곡이니까.)

❹ ‘Back 2 Back’ <Performance Team>

Lyrics by Woozi, Bumzu, Hoshi 호시
Composed by Woozi, Bumzu, TAK (NewType)
Arranged by TAK (NewType)

“’Back 2 Back’ has that motif of having each other’s backs,” team leader Hoshi explained their unit feature – an epic and iridescent electro-driven pumper – with a little help from Woozi: “It’s like you’re surrounded by enemies, and you have to lean on each other – that kind of image.” ('Back 2 Back'은 서로 등을 맛된 모습을 모티브를 곡인데... [우지] 사방에 적이 둘렀을 때, 서로를 의지하면서 가는 그 그림...)

“You can be friends, comrades, lovers… It’s all up to how you interpret it,” Hoshi added. (친구가 될 수 있고, 동교가 될 수가 있고, 연인이 될 수도 있고... 해석하기 나름입니다.)

The performance team – Hoshi, Jun, The8, Dino – consider this track to be as formidable as their previous unit feature, ‘I Don’t Understand but I Luv U,’ especially in terms of its vocal range.

❺ ‘Monster’ <Hiphop Team>

Lyrics by Woozi, Bumzu, S.Coups, Wonwoo 원우, Mingyu 민규, Vernon
Composed by Bumzu, Vernon
Arranged by Bumzu

“This song is a retro and conceptual hip-hop song,” Wonwoo said of their quartet’s little thriller. “You can feel the Hip-hop Team’s relaxed attitude and mature flow of thought.” (이 곡은 레트로하고 컨셉추철한 힙합 곡이고, 힙합 팀의 여유로운 태도와 성숙해진 사색의 플로우를 느낄 수 있습니다.)

This song has everything: ghoulish harpsichords, a Vernon-written verse reminiscent of iconic Nicki Minaj bars (“Pull up in an all black roadster...”), and a maniacal “na-na-na-na” that would crawl under your skin for days. S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu and Vernon have not come to play on this “trick or treat” tour, and they’re knocking on stadium door after stadium door now.

❻ ‘하품’ (Yawn) <Vocal Team>

Lyrics by Woozi
Composed by Woozi, Bumzu
Arranged by Woozi, Bumzu, BeomHun Lee 이범훈

Writing ‘하품’ (Yawn), Woozi shares, is the first time in a while that he has penned words all on his own.

Seungkwan recounts how during his break, Woozi let him hear this tender ballad, and the emotions started welling up. “This song is really the peak of Woozi’s signature ballads,” he claimed. (이 노래는 진짜 우지표 이 발라드 감송곡의 정점을 이번에 또 찍어주지 않았나.)

After the penultimate chorus, strings embrace the heart-rending words, then a brief hum – like releasing a sigh or yawn. At the song’s close, Joshua sings, “What made me breathe / Was all you / Without you, my heart is empty / Like a hole of pain (나를 숨 쉬게 하던 건 / 온통 너로 가득했어)”

“Among the lyrics, there’s a part that sounds like a yawn. It’s a masterpiece – so poetic,“ performance team member The8 said in acclaim. “Yawning is so something so mundane, something we do in daily life, but somehow, it gets connected to love.” (정말 너무 시족이고, 그 하품 너무 흔하는 어떤 우리 일상 생각할 꼭 해야 할 행동이지만 그걸로 사랑으로 어떤 여기가 되는데...)

❼ ‘Headliner’

Lyrics by Woozi, Bumzu
Composed by Woozi, Bumzu
Arranged by Bumzu, Kitae Park 박기태

‘Headliner’ isn’t about who’s going to be at the top of the billing, as Hoshi has suggested earlier at the song’s inception: a bragging blockbuster anthem. But Woozi’s takeaway is wholly different.

“If I do it like this – likely because of my personality and preferences – it was a bit cringe for me. Singing like, ‘We are the stars’ just wouldn’t work, so I thought the opposite way,” Woozi said. (이렇게 하면 너무 성격이나 성향 때문에 오글거리더라고요. 이게 너무 오글거려서 막 '우리가 주인공,' 이게 잘 안 돼 가지고... 그래서, 반대로 생각을 해 봤죠.)

“Whoa-oh-oh,” a tsunami-like bellow kickstarts the song, akin to arena rock anthems or perhaps big, spirited wordless chorus moments in the vein of Arcade Fire’s ‘Wake Up.’ A climactic song like this was meant to reverberate across colossal domes and big-ticket music festivals, permeating the night sky – but there’s no hint of self-aggrandising here.

“We believe that the forever headliner of SEVENTEEN is none other than CARAT,” said DK. (세븐틴의 영원한 헤드라이너는 그 누구도 아닌 캐럿이라고도 생각을 합니다.) “This is a fan song dedicated to our CARAT who have believed in and supported SEVENTEEN for a long time.” (오랫동안 저희 세븐틴을 믿고 응원해 준 우리 캐럿분들에게 바치는 팬송입니다.)

“When we are the headliners, CARATs come to see us. But from our perspective, we go to see CARATs,” Woozi added. (공연장을 우리가 헤드라이너일 때, 공연장을 우리는 가잖아요. 근데 캐럿들이 우리를 보러 그 헤드라이너를 보러 오는 거지만 반대로, 우리가 캐러들을 보러 가는 거잖아.)

Watch SEVENTEEN’s comeback talk show:

SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN is now available on all streaming platforms. Listen to it in full here: