"Day by Day" is a song by South Korean boy group Big Bang. Released through YG Entertainment on August 8, 2008 as the lead single for their third extended playStand Up, it became one of their most popular singles and one of South Korea's best-selling songs, besides being regarded as one of the most influential singles to come out of Korean pop music. A Japanese version of the song was included in their third Greatest Hits albumThe Best of Big Bang and in the Japanese version of Alive.
Composition
With the release of their first EP Always, Big Bang began to incorporate a range of different genre into their music, moving away from their original hip hop roots. Stand Up continued their experimentation. The song was written by G-Dragon, with arrangements provided by Japanese DJDaishi Dance. "Day by Day" was described as a combination of a dance song with a hip hop ballad, driven by a sentimental piano melody. The song also includes a synthesizer sound that sounds like an orchestra that feels its "empty spaces". The composition was noted for "weaving in and out of tempos seamlessly" which forced a "a sense of anxiety on the listener." "Day by Day" deepened the "Big Bang style" of music that had its breakthrough with "Lies." Tamar Herman of Billboard wrote about the track's composition:
Critical reception
One of the group's most popular songs, receptions for "Day by Day" were fairly positive. Billboard hailed the track an "experiential masterpiece" and named it the group's second best song. In a survey involving 30 music industry experts by South Korean magazine Dong-a Ilbo, "Day by Day" was chosen as one of best male idol songs in the past 20 years. Spinditty felt that the track "has a nostalgic feeling, which conveys the tragic, sad, and deep story behind the song." Sun-Times included "Day by Day" in their list of the bestBig Bang songs, calling the track "an enduring anthem for the band." E. Alex Jung from Vulture called "Day by Day" "the undisputed song of the decade", commenting on the single's influence, he wrote that the song presented a sound that "was once innovative" but it "has since been copied and standardized to the point where almost every boy band now has a charismatic rapper with a booming voice." Jung concluded that "Day by Day" "tapped into the Zeitgeist, blending a deep affinity for torch songs with the swagger of hip-hop, and set a wildfire to the K-pop fandom." Tamar Herman from news website KpopStarz choose "Day by Day" as one of the most definitive Big Bang songs, admiring the group's artistic capabilities and how every member was able to shine.
Music video
The music video for "Day by Day" presents a storyline where G-Dragon plays the protagonist that believes his girlfriend, played by actress Park Min-young, is cheating on him with his friend, played by T.O.P, and the two enter a physical fight with each other. By the end of the video, it's revealed that Park Min-young and T.O.P were only pretending to cheat because she was with a deadly disease and wanted to spare the one she loved the pain of knowing she was going to die. G-Dragon learns of this too late and arrives at the hospital to an already-gone girl. The music video was well received, being distinguished for its "heart wrenching storyline" and is recognized as a classic and as the most saddening video release by the quintet. In 2016, fans voted "Day by Day" as their favorite Big Bang music video. The video was parodied by the cast of the Korean TV showInfinite Challenge at the show's 2008 year-end festival.
Track listing
Commercial performance
The song was released prior to the creation of the Gaon Music Chart, which began tracking sales in 2010. "Day By Day" topped several online charts upon its release and held the number one position on the online Melon Music Chart for seven consecutive weeks. It also became one of the most successful singles of all-time in South Korea, selling over 5.4 million digital downloads in South Korea alone. In 2016, "Day by Day" was revealed to be the fifth most downloaded song in South Korea since 2006. The song ranked at number eight in Melon's 2000s chart. In Cyworld, "Day by Day" was the best-selling track of 2008 and the sixth best-selling song of all time.
