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Happy anniversary to one of the most talented and iconic girl groups of our time, BLACKPINK.
Composed of the members Jisoo (oldest, vocalist and visual), Jennie (rapper, center and face of the group), Rosé (vocalist) and Lisa (rapper, dancer and maknae), the talented girls debuted on August 8, 2016, with their single album Square One.
Over the course of six years, BLACKPINK has achieved what most artists can only dream of. Innumerable world records, global fan-following, cult-like status in pop culture and an inimitable legacy.
Members took to their respective social media accounts to celebrate their sixth debut anniversary, confirming their much-awaited comeback almost two years after they released their first full-length album, THE ALBUM, in October 2020, with the lead single Lovesick Girls.
BLACKPINK members are often accused of not fully exploring the depth and extent of their musical potential, and the girls are all set to turn the tide around with their grand comeback and their second full album, BORN PINK, which will be released in September.
But before that, BLACKPINK members rang in on the anniversary of their debut by officially announcing their upcoming pre-release single Pink Venom, which is all set to drop on August 19 at 1 pm KST (9:30 am IST).
Post the release of their album BORN PINK, the talented girls will embark on a grand-scale world tour in October, much to the delight of BLINKs.
Ranked: 9 BLACKPINK songs and what makes them so iconic
BLACKPINK has released fewer songs in their career as compared to their contemporaries, but there is no doubt that their music, quality, lyricism and style quotient has left an indelible print on the musical footprints of not only their discography but the world music scene.
Today, on their anniversary, we have ranked nine of their best tracks and pre-release singles in terms of pop culture impact, overall packaging of the track, and how far the girls have pushed the envelope in terms of music, styling, etc.
To keep it fair, the rankings do not include solo projects, collaborations with other artists, and Japanese album releases. The anniversary special listicle solely focuses on BLACKPINK as a whole and their Korean language songs.
Disclaimer: This list is based entirely on the author's opinion.
9) Stay - Square Two
It is unlike any BLACKPINK song, yet it is a track-only these four girls could have made. Stay from their second single album, Square Two, has a quiet, simmering energy which is in sharp contrast to their “girl-crush” concept.
Rosé and Jisoo’s vocals mesh beautifully with just the right kind of rap verses by Jennie and Lisa to make this a gem of a track that can be attributed as a worthy predecessor to their track Lovesick Girls, which was released four years later as the lead single of their first full-album, THE ALBUM.
8) How You Like That - THE ALBUM
How You Like That is the first pre-single from BLACKPINK’s first studio album, THE ALBUM. How You Like That is characterized by everything BLACKPINK stands for and is essentially a tribute to their global stardom and the members' impact on pop-culture.
Definitely boasting some of the catchiest melodies in K-pop with top-tier fashion and styling, How You Like That was the perfect ending to the glorious chapter one of their musical careers, before they embark on their second one with BORN PINK, releasing in September.
7) Kill This Love - Kill This Love EP
Kill This Love, the lead track from the self-titled EP, is bold, boisterous and beautiful, everything BLACKPINK members are known for and to be.
The song is what cements BLACKPINK members as pop-culture crusaders, crushing any form of hatred and negativity, the song instantly became a break-up anthem for young millennials and as they say in today’s internet language, the girls definitely slayed!
6) As If It’s Your Last - As If It’s Your Last tracklist
Pop perfection! As If It’s Your Last is a lovely standalone track that deserves more credit in the girl group’s shining discography.
The members’ vocals and rap blend effectively in this fun and frisky pop song filled with enjoyable moments and cute fashion (the 2010s Gossip Girl era styling was on point).
As If It’s Your Last joined their first two singles, and was the group’s second song to reach 2,500,000 certified downloads in South Korea.
The song is jolly and joyful and doesn’t take itself too seriously and this is what makes it a K-pop classic for ages.
5) Boombayah - Square One
BLACKPINK’s debut music video Boombayah was the perfect introduction to the world of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa, and six years later, the song still holds.
Placing How You Like That and Boombayah in the rankings was tough, but what makes this song stand out is the iconic and memorable “hair flipping” dance and Rosé’s smooth floor sliding moves.
Exuberant, upbeat and “don’t mess with me” kind of vibes, the girls make a confident and charismatic debut with Boombayah, cementing their status as “Queens of K-pop”.
4) Playing with Fire - Square Two
Playing with Fire ticks all the boxes - experimental music, unique use of the girls’ vocals and rap, superbly packaged and an addictive chorus (BLACKPINK’s musical strength).
The lyricism of the song is laudable and some of the best the quartet has to offer, this underrated track deserves more love and acknowledgement from fans for sure.
Playing with Fire also hit number one on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart upon release and remains a shining jewel in their crown.
3) Whistle - Square One
A tough toss-up between Whistle and Playing with Fire, as both the tracks are immaculate in nature showcasing the girls’ true talents in the best way possible.
Whistle is characterized by an ingenious hook, and it is such an atypical BLACKPINK song yet it seamlessly incorporates everything the girl group is known for.
It is high on swag and not energy, quite unlike other tracks from the group. It is simple, minimal and effective, which makes the most of the repetitive verses and choruses. Gold tier indeed.
2) Lovesick Girls - THE ALBUM
BLACKPINK is often accused of not making meaningful songs and only rehashing bubblegum pop songs, but Lovesick Girls is the answer for all the naysayers and critics.
A deeply moving and sublime track disguised as a peppy and vigorous song, Lovesick Girls, the group’s title track from their first album THE ALBUM hits right in the gut.
Co-written by members Jennie and Jisoo alongside a slew of other lyricists, the poignant track is a powerful cry for help, effectively shedding light on the importance of one’s mental health and well-being. A priceless track from a very talented group of artists indeed.
1) DDU-DU DDU-DU - Square Up
No surprises here as BLACKPINK’s DDU-DU DDU-DU is not only the most iconic song in their discography, but it is a cultural reset in the history of pop music, propelling them to global stardom.
Everything about this song is perfect - the fashion, visuals, vocals, production, choreography and pop-culture impact. It is not just a shining jewel in their discography but synonyms to the girls’ international popularity.
It is everything and has everything we loved and continue to love about the group and we are sure BLINKs will celebrate the group’s sixth debut anniversary by grooving to this timeless track.
BLACKPINK has recently extended its lead as the most-followed musical act on YouTube after hitting 76 million subscribers.
