Oddinary is the sixth extended play and recorded by South Korean boy band Stray Kids. It was released on March 18, 2022, through JYP Entertainment and Republic Records, seven months after the band's second studio album Noeasy (2021). The EP is Stray Kids' first release on Republic Records, which they signed in February 2022. A blend of "odd" and "ordinary", Oddinary represents "all of us who have something odd about ourselves" and the concept "odd things will soon become ordinary".
Material on the EP was primarily written and produced by 3Racha, an in-house production team of Stray Kids and other members; other producers on Oddinary include Versachoi, DallasK, Trippy, Jun2, Nickko Young, and Millionboy, with whom most of the group has previously worked. It consists of seven tracks, of which "Maniac" serves as lead single, and includes various musical genres such as hip hop, trap, EDM, and rock. Upon its release, the EP received positive reviews from music critics. To promote Oddinary, Stray Kids embarked on their second concert tour, Maniac World Tour, which commenced in late April 2022
Oddinary peaked at number one on the album charts in South Korea, Finland, Poland, and the United States; and entered the top 10 in Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Hungary, Japan, Lithuania, Sweden, and Switzerland. It marked Stray Kids' first appearance on the US Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart, among others. The EP has sold over 1.7 million copies, becoming the group's second million-selling album after Noeasy, and was certified million by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Oddinary was the fourteenth best-selling album worldwide in 2022.
Background
Stray Kids uploaded the video "Step Out 2022" via their social media on January 1, 2022; the video outlined the group's accomplishments in 2021 and plans for the new year, which included releasing two albums. On February 10, it was announced the group had signed an exclusive contract with Republic Records for promotions in the United States. The group held their second fan meeting at Olympic Hall on February 12 and 13, the second day of which was webcast as a paid livestream via Beyond Live. At the end of the event, Stray Kids premiered a comeback trailer for their upcoming EP Oddinary, which was scheduled for release on March 18. The trailer was later uploaded on their social media accounts. According to band member Bang Chan: "With the title Oddinary, we want to bring the message that everyone has their own odd in them, and that's totally ordinary".
The EP's title, Oddinary, is a portmanteau of two words: "odd" and "ordinary". It represents "all of us who are ordinary also have odd sides" and the idea that "odd things will soon become ordinary". In a StarNews interview on March 4, Stray Kids said the EP would show their "potential energy", be "crazy" in the meaning of "extraordinary", and show a "new side". Their label JYP Entertainment stated the group "will solidify its presence and continue its surge in popularity through the extraordinary music, concept, and performance of the new well-made release".
Music and lyrics
Oddinary is twenty-two minutes and three seconds long, and consists of seven tracks in various musical genres including hip hop, trap, EDM, and rock. All of the tracks were mainly produced and written by Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han, who worked as the in-house production team under the moniker 3Racha. Other members also participated in writing the tracks; Lee Know, Seungmin, and I.N co-wrote "Waiting for Us" while Hyunjin and Felix co-wrote "Muddy Water". Other songwriter-producers Versachoi, DallasK, Trippy, Jun2, Nickko Young, and Millionboy, most of whom the group has worked with previous records, also co-wrote songs for the release.
In an online press conference to promote Oddinary, Changbin stated the EP has added relaxation, composure, and moderation more than the previous release, which focused on explosive energy, while according to Bang Cham: "We wanted to tell that the part of you which can seem odd and strange to people around you can serve as a special factor that can make you cooler and more gorgeous". In the introduction video Intro "Oddinary", leader Bang Chan said every song on the EP blends into the main theme of Oddinary.