We Are Superhuman

We Are Superhuman is the fourth Korean extended play (fifth overall) by NCT 127, the multi-national, Seoul-based and second sub-unit of boy group NCT. Originally confirmed concurrently during the release of their first Japanese studio album Awaken earlier in April 2019, it was released on May 24, 2019 by SM Entertainment and Capitol Music Group, with Dreamus as the South Korea distributor, Caroline as the United States distributor and EMI as the United Kingdom distributor.[3] SM founder Lee Soo-man continued to serve as the executive producer for the extended play, while Adrian McKinnon, Tak, 1 Take, Social House, Vedo, Léon Paul Palmen, Jihad Rahmouni, Roel Donk, Sean Machum, Gaelen Whittemore, Michael Foster, Rykeyz, and others contributed both lyrics and production. Described as an electro-pop record with R&B influence, the extended play saw a "stylistic" shift from the unit's usual "experimental" direction to a "futuristic, funkier" approachment, which further expanded their discography and sonic sound.

We Are Superhuman
Digital release cover
EP by
NCT 127
ReleasedMay 24, 2019 (2019-05-24)
Recorded2018–2019
StudioSM Studios, Seoul, South Korea
Genre
Length18:27
LanguageKorean
Label
Producer
  • Lee Soo-man (exec.)
  • Social House
  • Adrian McKinnon
  • Tak
  • 1 Take
  • Vedo
  • Léon Paul Palmen
  • Jihad Rahmouni
  • Roel Donk
  • Sean Machum
  • Gaelen Whittemore
  • Michael Foster
  • Rykeyz
  • Michael Foster
  • Charles Anderson
  • Richard Garcia
  • Britten Newbill
  • Wes Period
  • Lucky Daye
NCT 127 chronology
Awaken
(2019)		 We Are Superhuman
(2019)		 Neo City: Seoul - The Origin
(2019)
NCT chronology
Take Off
(2019)		 We Are Superhuman
(2019)		 We Boom
(2019)
Singles from We Are Superhuman
  1. "Superhuman"
    Released: May 24, 2019
  2. "Highway to Heaven"
    Released: July 18, 2019
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Consequence of SoundB+[2]

Upon its release, the "genre-fusing" extended play received positive reviews from music critics for its "catchy pop and pitch-perfect production value." We Are Superhuman went on to achieve commercial success both domestically and internationally, being the group's fourth chart-topper on the Gaon Album Chart and their second to be Platinum-certified by KMCA. It also debuted and peaked at number eleven and number sixty-four on the Billboard 200 chart and the Canadian Albums Chart, surpassing their previous achievement on the former and being their first entry on the latter chart. The extended play also made its debut on several component digital charts as well.

Two singles were released for the EP, including the lead single "Superhuman" on May 24, 2019 and the second single "Highway to Heaven" on July 18, 2019.[4] The lead single went on to achieve moderate success in their native country, being their third entry on the Gaon Digital Chart. To promote the album, the group appeared and performed on several television shows such as Good Morning America and The Late Late Show with James Corden, further embarking on their first expanded world tour Neo City – The Origin, starting from January 2019.

Background and release

The song for pre-single track "Highway to Heaven" was released as a pre-release single on May 14, 2019, alongside its music video.[5]

Promotion

The band debuted "Superhuman" in a performance on Good Morning America on April 18. They are the third Korean act to appear on the program.[6]

Commercial performance

We Are Superhuman debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard 200 with 27,000 equivalent album units (with 25,000 being traditional sales),[7] becoming NCT 127's highest-charting album in the chart; they became the second highest charting K-pop group in the chart.[8][9] The EP also debuted atop the World Albums chart, becoming the group's second number one since Limitless in 2017.[9] Meanwhile, the lead track "Superhuman" debuted at number three on the World Digital Song Sales chart, with one thousand downloads sold, becoming the group's seventh top-ten song on the chart.[9]

In Japan, the EP debuted at the sixth spot of Oricon's Weekly Digital Albums with 829 downloads.[10] It debuted in the Weekly Albums Chart at number six with 7,265 copies a week later.[11]

Track listing

Adapted from Naver

We Are Superhuman
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Highway to Heaven"
  • Michael Foster (Social House)
  • Charles Anderson (Social House)
  • Sean Machum
  • Gaelen Whittemore
  • Wilbart "Vedo" McCoy III
  • Richard Garcia (Audity)
  • Social House
  • Sean Machum
  • Gaelen Whittemore
  • Richard Garcia (Audity)
  • Yoo Young-jin
3:20
2."Superhuman"
  • Adrian McKinnon
  • TAK
  • 1 Take
3:57
3."Fool" (Korean: 아 깜짝이야; RR: Ah Kkamjjak-iya; lit. Oh, I'm Surprised)
  • Rick Bridges
  • Rykeyz
2:41
4."Jet Lag" (Korean: 시차; RR: Sicha)
  • Michael Foster (Social House)
  • Charles Anderson (Social House)
  • Gaelen Whittemore
  • Sean Machum
  • Wilbart "Vedo" McCoy III
  • Social House
  • Gaelen Whittemore
  • Sean Machum
3:15
5."Paper Plane" (Korean: 종이비행기; RR: Jong-ibihaenggi)
  • Léon Paul Palmen
  • Jihad "Rock A Tune" Rahmouni (SoundG8)
  • Roël Donk (SoundG8)
  • Léon Paul Palmen
  • SoundG8
3:44
6."Outro: We Are 127" (Narrated by NCT 127) 
  • TAK
  • TAK
1:27
Total length:18:27

Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)[12] 15
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[13] 64
French Digital Albums (SNEP)[14] 43
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[15] 6
Scottish Albums (OCC)[16] 77
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[17] 1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[18] 77
UK Digital Albums (OCC)[19] 54
UK Physical Albums (OCC)[20] 71
US Billboard 200[8] 11
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[21] 1
US World Albums (Billboard)[22] 1
Year-end charts
Chart (2019) Position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[23] 20
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[24] 24
US World Albums (Billboard)[25] 9

Accolades
Year-end lists
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
PopCrush Best Pop Albums of 2019 N/A [26]

Release history
Region Date Format Distributor
Various May 24, 2019
South Korea May 27, 2019 CD
  • SM Entertainment
  • Dreamus
North America
Europe EMI[1]
South Korea May 30, 2019 LP
  • SM Entertainment
  • Capitol
  • Caroline
  • EMI
North America
Europe

References
  1. "The 4th Mini Album 'NCT #127 WE ARE SUPERHUMAN'(UK)". Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  2. Dzubay, Laura (May 28, 2019). "K-pop Act NCT 127 Goes Galactic on We Are Superhuman Mini Album". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  3. Herman, Tamar (April 16, 2019). "NCT 127 Drop New Japanese Album 'Awaken': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  4. "NCT127, 美 방송 출연에 북미투어까지..5월 월드와이드 컴백 [공식입장]". Osen (in Korean). April 18, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  5. "NCT 127, 새 미니앨범 컴백 카운트다운 돌입..14일 낮 12시 음원 선공개" [NCT 127 Announces Comeback Schedule for New Mini-Album]. Naver (in Korean). May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  6. Herman, Tamar (April 11, 2019). "NCT 127 to Perform on 'Good Morning America'". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  7. "NCT 127 Top Album Sales Chart History". Billboard. May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  8. "NCT 127 Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  9. Zellner, Xander (June 3, 2019). "NCT 127's 'We Are Superhuman' Debuts at No. 1 on World Albums & No. 11 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  10. "週間　デジタルアルバムランキング 2019年06月03日付（2019年05月20日～2019年05月26日）". Oricon. June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  11. "週間　アルバムランキング 2019年06月10日付（2019年05月27日～2019年06月02日）". Oricon. June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  12. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  13. "NCT 127 Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  14. "Top Albums Téléchargés". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  15. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2019-06-10" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  16. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  17. "Gaon Album Chart – Week 22, 2019". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  18. "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 24: del 5.7.2019 al 11.7.2019" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  19. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  20. "UK Physical Album – Week 22, 2019". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  21. "NCT 127 Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  22. "NCT 127 Chart History (World Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  23. "2019년 Album Chart". Gaon. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  24. "Year-End Charts: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  25. "World Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  26. "Best Pop Albums of 2019". PopCrush. Retrieved December 9, 2019.


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