BLACKPINK’s Major Debut: New K-Pop Girl Group Lands No. 1 & 2 on World Digital Songs Chart
Blackpink is less than a month old, but the new girl group is already making major moves on the Billboard charts with their debut.
The multinational quartet — consisting of South Korea’s Jennie and Jisoo, Australia’s Rosé and Thailand’s Lisa — made their official debut on the K-pop scene with two singles, “Boombayah” and “Whistle.” The tracks both debut atop Billboard’s World Digital Songs at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, with about 6,000 downloads sold each. “Boombayah” sold slightly more than “Whistle.”
Blackpink is only the seventh K-pop act to hit No. 1 on World Digital Songs. The group now joins the company of PSY (who has four No. 1s on the chart), BIGBANG (with three) plus 2NE1, EXO, CL, BTS, plus G-Dragon and Taeyang (all with one). Nevertheless, Blackpink is the fastest act to hit No. 1 on the chart, and only the third to hold the top two positions after PSY and BIGBANG.
The new girl group under YG Entertainment (home to PSY, BIGBANG and 2NE1), Blackpink embrace the hip-hop sensibilities and club-ready sounds with which their seniors gained an international following. “Boombayah” has the ladies rapping and belting over booming, exotic beats while “Whistle” brings together impassioned crooning and their youthful hip-hop delivery with minimal drum ‘n’ bass and an undeniable whistle hook. The tracks were unveiled alongside their accompanying music videos that introduced the group as fashion-forward young women where Jennie and Lisa handle most of the rapping, with Rosé and Jisoo delivering vocals amid physically-demanding choreography.
cr. Billboard