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Obsession
Digital cover
Studio album by Exo
Released	November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27)
Recorded	2019
Studio	SM Studios, Seoul, South Korea
Genre	K-pop hip hop R&B
Length	34:08
Language	Korean
Label	SM Dreamus
Producer	Lee Soo-man
Exo chronology
EXO PLANET #4 – The EℓyXiOn (2019) Obsession (2019) EXO PLANET #5 – EXplOration (2020)
Singles from Obsession
"Obsession" Released: November 27, 2019

Obsession (stylized in all caps) is the sixth studio album by South Korean boy band Exo. It was released on November 27, 2019, by SM Entertainment. The album was released for pre-order on November 1, and is available in three versions: EXO, X-EXO, and OBSESSION, which was released on December 4. Obsession was Exo's first album to be promoted as a six-member group, as members Xiumin and D.O. were undergoing mandatory military service, and member Lay was promoting his solo activities in China. It was also the last album to contain a Chinese version of the title track.

Background and release

Obsession is the band's sixth Korean studio album and seventh overall. The album features 10 songs including the lead single, "Obsession". It follows the band's most recent studio album repackage Love Shot, released in December 2018. The album is the band's first release without members Xiumin and D.O., who were completing their mandatory military service.

Songs

The title track "Obsession" is described as a hip hop dance song featuring repeating spell-like vocal samples and a prominent heavy beat. The album features 10 tracks in a variety of genres. "Trouble" is a dance song that contains various genre elements like trap and reggae. The lyrics are about falling for one deeply and having no exit. "Jekyll" is a dance pop song with heavy drums, 808 bass along with dynamic vocal composition and transformation. The song's lyrics express an internal conflict with one's alter ego in an impactful way. "Groove" is a song about lovers sharing affectionate feelings as if they were crossing reality & dream through dancing. The song features strings and flute instrumentation with a rhythmical chorus.

"Ya Ya Ya" is a hip hop dance song with lyrics expressing the belief that love begins in a single moment. The song has heavy 808 bass and an addictive chorus, featuring sampling from SWV's song "You're the One" (1996). "Baby You Are" is a dance pop song with a romantic vibe and elements of folk instrumentation. The lyrics tell a story about the exciting moment of love at first sight. "Non Stop" is a dance-funk song with lyrics romanticizing the unstoppable love between two people. The song features prominent brass and guitar instrumentation.

Promotion

On November 29, the band held their comeback showcase titled Exo The Stage, where they performed the lead single "Obsession" for the first time.

Accolades

Billboard ranked Obsession the 4th best K-pop album of 2019. MTV included "Baby You Are" in their list of the best K-pop b-sides of 2019 and BuzzFeed mentioned "Groove" in their year-end list of K-pop releases that helped defined the year.

Track listing

Notes

• "Ya Ya Ya" contains a sample of "You're the One" performed by SWV.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

References

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2. "엑소 (EXO) 6집 – OBSESSION [OBSESSION ver.]". yes24 (in Korean). November 18, 2019. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
3. ^ "엑소의 귀환, 정규 6집 'OBSESSION' 11월 27일 발매". Naver (in Korean). November 1, 2019. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
4. "Pre-Order – EXO The 6th Album 'OBSESSION'". SM Global Shop. November 2, 2019. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
5. "[단독] 엑소 디오(도경수), 7월 1일 육군 현역 자원입대". Daum (in Korean). May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
6. "엑소 시우민 '5-10분 남겨둔 채 훈련소로 향하는 시우민이 탄 차량'[포토엔HD]". Newsen (in Korean). May 7, 2019. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
7. "'왕의 귀환' 엑소, 27일 정규 6집 발매 "타이틀곡 'Obsession'"". Naver (in Korean). November 11, 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
8. "엑소 백현, 판타지 비주얼VS거친 눈빛…강렬한 변신 예고". Hankyung (in Korean). November 18, 2019. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
9. ^ "'컴백 D-7' 엑소 첸, 티저 이미지 공개..."절제 카리스마vs마성의 눈빛"". Chosun (in Korean). November 19, 2019. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
10. ^ "엑소, 정규 6집 수록곡 'Baby You Are' 'Non Stop'으로 로맨틱 선사". Hankyung (in Korean). November 22, 2019. Archived from the original on November 23, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
11. "엑소, '옵세션' 발매 기념 오프라인 이벤트 진행". Hankyung (in Korean). November 19, 2019. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
12. "The 25 Best K-pop Albums of 2019: Critics' Picks". Billboard. December 31, 2019. Archived from the original on December 18, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
13. Bell, Crystal (December 27, 2019). "The Best K-pop B-sides of 2019, From Twice to BTS". MTV. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
14. "30 Songs That Helped Define K-Pop in 2019". BuzzFeed. January 1, 2020. Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
15. Lee, Ha-na (January 8, 2020). 방탄소년단 3관왕 인기 입증, 청하·엑소·세븐틴·벤 2관왕(종합)[2020 가온차트] [Bulletproof Boy Scouts 3 crowns proved popular, Chungha, Exo, Seventeen, Ben 2 crowns (general) ]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
16. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. December 2, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 30, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
17. "Ultratop.be – Exo – Obsession - The 6th Album" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
18. "Ultratop.be – Exo – Obsession - The 6th Album" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
19. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2019-12-09" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
20. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums 2019/12/9". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 10, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
21. "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 6, 2019. Archived from the original on March 10, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
22. "Gaon Album Chart – Week 48, 2019". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
23. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
24. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
25. "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (3/3)". Billboard on Twitter. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
26. "Exo Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
27. "Exo Chart History (World Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
28. "2019년 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
29. "Obsession - The 6th Album". Archived from the original on November 29, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
30. "Oricon Weekly Charts-Album". Oricon. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
31. Cumulative sales of Obsession:
    • "2019 Album Chart". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
    • "Album Chart - October 2020". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 16, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
    • "Album Chart - April 2021". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
32. "South Korean album certifications – Exo – Obsession" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Retrieved August 12, 2020.
33. "EXO's 'Obsession' Leads K-Pop Group to Fourth Billboard 200 Entry, No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2020.

• 2019 albums
• Exo albums
• SM Entertainment albums
• 2010s Korean-language albums
• IRiver albums
• Albums produced by Lee Soo-man