BLACKPINK

K-pop sensations BlackPink rose to worldwide prominence after their mainstream breakthrough toward the close of the 2010s. Their fusion of hip-hop and trap textures within dance-pop yielded repeated number-one singles across Korean and U.S. charts, widening their global reach through tracks such as "Whistle," "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du," and "How You Like That." In 2020 they became the highest-charting female Korean act on the Billboard Hot 100. That year also brought their debut Korean-language studio album The Album, which achieved sweeping international success. Their second studio set, Born Pink, followed two years later and led both the Korean albums chart and the Billboard 200. The subsequent Born Pink world tour surpassed the Spice Girls’ record for the highest-grossing outing by a female group.

Assembled by YG Entertainment, the quartet unites Korea-born lead vocalist Jisoo Kim, New Zealand-raised main rapper and vocalist Jennie Kim, Australian-raised main vocalist Rose Park Chae Young, and Thai lead rapper Lalisa Manoban (aka Lisa, born Pranpriya Manoban). BlackPink entered the scene with the single album Square One, which contained their opening chart-toppers “Boombayah” and “Whistle.” Crafted alongside Teddy Park, Future Bounce, and Bekuh Boom, Square One established the “K-trap” approach that became the group’s hallmark. Both songs advanced on U.S. and Korean rankings and crossed into the French singles chart. Several months afterward they issued Square Two, which debuted at number 13 on the U.S. Heatseekers chart and number two on the World Albums chart while marking the first K-pop girl-group entry on Canadian rankings.

In summer 2017 the group released the chart-topping single “As If It’s Your Last,” their third leader on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart. Later that year they made their Japanese debut with the Blackpink EP (YGEX/Avex Entertainment), presenting earlier hits in newly recorded Japanese versions. By topping the Japanese charts, BlackPink became only the third foreign act to achieve that distinction. Re:BlackPink arrived in early 2018, gathering previously released tracks from both Japanese and Korean releases. The Square Up EP followed that summer, led by the international hit “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du.” In addition to appearing on the U.K. trending chart, the track delivered the highest Billboard Hot 100 placement for an all-female K-pop act after Wonder Girls’ 2009 hit “Nobody.” The EP also rose on the Billboard 200 to become the highest-charting all-female K-pop release at number 40. That October the group signed a global partnership with Interscope/Universal and joined English pop star Dua Lipa on the collaborative single “Kiss and Make Up,” which reached the Billboard Hot 100 and U.K. Top 40. BlackPink closed the year with their Japanese debut album Blackpink in Your Area.

In 2019 the quartet announced an international tour featuring appearances at Coachella and Summer Sonic and released a second Korean-language EP, Kill This Love. The project topped the U.S. World Albums chart behind the further international success “Kill This Love.” With their worldwide profile continuing to climb, BlackPink issued their seventh global-chart number one, “How You Like That.” They also joined American pop artists on Lady Gaga’s “Sour Candy” and, with Selena Gomez, on “Ice Cream.” The latter appeared on their first official Korean-language studio album The Album, released in October 2020. In addition to the Gomez duet, the set included rapper Cardi B on “Bet You Wanna.” Upon release The Album led the Korean chart and entered the top three in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. BlackPink’s fourth live album, Blackpink 2021 ‘The Show’ Live, captured performances from their January pay-per-view virtual concert The Show. After that event’s success, the group issued a Japanese edition of The Album in August before returning to the studio.

BlackPink’s sophomore full-length Born Pink arrived in September 2022, propelled by the international chart-toppers “Pink Venom” and “Shut Down.” It reached number one on the Korean albums chart and the Billboard 200. Following the album’s launch, they began the Born Pink world tour, which ran from October 2022 to September 2023 and broke the Spice Girls’ record as the highest-grossing tour by a female group. In May 2023 they previewed their mobile game Black Pink: The Game with the single “The Girls.”