After two summer pre-releases, BLACKPINK has returned to the music scene on October 2 with their long awaited full-length album “THE ALBUM,” complete with 8 tracks highlighting the group’s overall upbeat sound and vocal colors. The album has been widely anticipated by fans and listeners from around the world due to their collaborations with American artists Selena Gomez and Cardi B. “THE ALBUM” has also been well-received by the public and fans, amassing over 530,000 preorders from South Korea alone.
Their two pre-releases, “How You Like That” and “Ice Cream” have topped charts prior to the album launch, landing a spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The girls of Blackpink recently took home a music show award on SBS Inkigayo with their title track, “Lovesick Girls” after sweeping the South Korean music charts. Their music video also reeled in over 150 million views within the first week of its release, showcasing the group’s influence and popularity within the global music industry.
“THE ALBUM” was also met with favorable reviews from music critics. Metacritic anointed the group’s newest work with a rating of 71 out of 100. Critics praised the overall production of the album, noting the variety of genres presented by 8 diverse tracks and bringing the overall pop-infused vision of the members to life. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the members of BLACKPINK, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, have also expressed that their album showcases a more mature side of themselves and even hoped that their fans from all across the globe could find joy in listening to the album during such unprecedented times.
On October 11, it was revealed that BLACKPINK has snagged number two on Billboard’s Top 200 Album chart. Billboard has additionally announced that BLACKPINK is the first to be the highest-charting female group since Danity Kane in 2008. This achievement proves to be quite a historic feat for the girls and K-Pop.
Currently, there has been talks about some possible solo promotions for the members, specifically Rosé, who is widely loved for her unique vocals. YG Entertainment has also stated earlier this year that members would present their solo works after their album release. Fans are now looking forward to an upcoming release that would bring the spotlight on the group’s main vocalist.
Julie Kim
Asia Journal
(Los Angeles Times Advertising Supplement)
