Modern Times | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 8, 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2013 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 46:44 53:34 (Repackaged album) | |||
Language | Korean | |||
Label | ||||
IU chronology | ||||
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Singles from Modern Times | ||||
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Repackaged album cover | ||||
Singles from Modern Times - Epilogue | ||||
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Modern Times is the third studio album by South Korean singer-songwriter IU. It was released on October 8, 2013, via LOEN Entertainment under its imprint LOEN Tree. Under the theme of "French Black",[1] the album departs from the singer's girlish image which established her as the "Nation's Sweetheart", by attempting various styles of music such as swing, jazz, and bossa nova.[2] Her first full-length record since Last Fantasy (2011), the album contains guest features and collaborations from several artists.[3]
Modern Times contains thirteen tracks, including IU's number-one hit "The Red Shoes" and her self-composed song "Bad Day". It also features the Korean version of "Voice Mail" from IU's Japanese EP Can You Hear Me? (2013) as a bonus track. The album was re-released as Modern Times - Epilogue on December 20, 2013, and contained the single "Friday" as well as the track "Pastel Crayon" from KBS's television series Bel Ami where IU starred as a lead role. The repackaged album contained two DVDs and was limited to 10,000 copies.[4]
Modern Times was met with acclaim from music critics, who praised its musical styles and composition and was ranked the second greatest K-pop album of the 2010s by Billboard.[5] It experienced commercial success in South Korea, with its tracks garnering over three million digital downloads in its opening week.[6] The album has sold more than 70,000 physical copies and ten million digital singles, with "Friday" being one of the best-selling singles in the country.