TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Introduced to the world in early 2019, Korean quintet Tomorrow X Together (aka TXT) followed BTS as Big Hit Entertainment’s second boy band. Their official debut EP, The Dream Chapter: Star, topped multiple Billboard charts upon release and gave TXT the record for both fastest appearance and highest chart debut of any male K-pop group to date. Their first album, The Dream Chapter: Magic, fared even better, boosting their success across Asia and the U.S. After topping the charts with their Japanese crossover Still Dreaming, the group hit another career peak with their sophomore set, 2021′s The Chaos Chapter: Freeze, which was soon bested in 2022 by their fourth EP Minisode 2: Thursday's Child. A new series — The Name Chapter — delivered two installments in 2023: Temptation and Freefall. Comprised of leader Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai, the five-piece was announced in late 2018 by the label and their identities were revealed early the next year. They made their big debut in March 2019 with first single “Crown,” which broke online streaming records, and the EP The Dream Chapter: Star, which collectively topped Billboard’s Emerging Artists, World Albums, and World Digital Song Sales charts. The five-song set featured a bright blend of ’90s throwback pop and R&B styles with a dance-centric energy courtesy of producers Slow Rabbit, the Futuristics, and others. Later that year, TXT returned with their debut full-length effort, the Korean chart-topper The Dream Chapter: Magic. Lead single “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)” shot to number two in the U.S. and set the stage for 2020′s The Dream Chapter: Eternity and Minisode1: Blue Hour. Both efforts went to number one in Japan, while the latter topped the Billboard World chart. Blue Hour notably featured input from Lennon Stella and Charli XCX. TXT breathed new life into the Dream series with their debut Japanese full-length, 2021′s chart-topping Still Dreaming, which featured the single “Force.” Months later, the group started their next album era with The Chaos Chapter: Freeze. Featuring the hit single “0x1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You)” with Seori, the genre-bending sophomore set hit number one in Korea and Japan, and landed on the U.S. World Albums chart. They closed the year with another Chaos installment: Chaotic Wonderland, a four-track Japanese EP with another version of “0x1” featuring Lilas Ikuta (Yoasobi), and the group’s first original English track, “Magic.” In 2022, the quintet scored a U.S. chart high with their fourth EP Minisode 2: Thursday's Child, which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. The short set showcased their wide range once again, switching from aggressive dance-pop on “Good Boy Gone Bad” to piano-driven vulnerability on “Trust Fund Baby.” Tomorrow X Together kicked off 2023 with a fifth EP, The Name Chapter: Temptation, which arrived in January. Later that year, they issued their second Japanese-language effort, Sweet, which featured previous hits like “Good Boy Gone Bad” and Japanese originals such as “Hydrangea Love” and “Ito.” The busy year continued with another installment in the Name series: Freefall. Featuring the nu-metal-leaning “Growing Pain” and an appearance by the Jonas Brothers (“Do It Like That”), the set also featured production by Rock Mafia and Ryan Tedder. The Minisode series continued in 2024 with a new EP, minisode 3: TOMORROW. ~ Neil Z. Yeung