It is hard to imagine the current music industry without looking at the success of BLACKPINK. Since their debut in 2016, members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa have become familiar names to music fans all over the world.
Their rise to fame brought several changes to how girl groups operate today. This article looks at the specific facts and records that define their impact on the global stage.
Massive Touring and Music Success
For a long time, the biggest concert tours belonged to male groups or Western female acts. BLACKPINK changed this trend with their recent "Born Pink" world tour.
The tour ran from late 2022 to 2023 and included 66 shows in massive stadiums. It generated over $260 million in ticket sales. This number makes it the highest-grossing tour ever by a female group. They sold around 1.5 million tickets to fans across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
Before this, the record was held by the Spice Girls for their 2019 reunion tour.
Music festivals in the United States rarely featured Korean pop groups in headlining spots before BLACKPINK. This changed in 2019 when they became the first K-pop girl group to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
They returned to the same festival four years later in 2023. This time, they performed as a headlining act on the main stage. This marked the first time an Asian act headlined Coachella in its history. Their setlist included both group hits and solo songs from the individual members.
The group also set new standards for engagement on video and music platforms. They currently hold the title for the most-subscribed music artist on YouTube. Their channel has accumulated over 90 million subscribers, surpassing major Western artists like Justin Bieber.
Their music videos frequently break viewing records upon release. For example, the music video for "DDU-DU DDU-DU" was the first by a K-pop group to surpass one billion views on the platform. These numbers showed the industry the power of a dedicated global fanbase.
Individual Brand Partnerships
Outside of their work in music, BLACKPINK also engaged in individual partnerships with brands.
Jisoo became the Global Ambassador for Dior Fashion and Beauty, as well as the face of Cartier's Panthère collection. She often appears in campaigns featuring Dior's major bag lines, such as the Lady Dior, and attends fashion weeks in Paris as a main guest.
Jennie partnered with Chanel as a House Ambassador, often wearing their custom outfits for concerts and public appearances. She also collaborated with Calvin Klein to design her own limited-edition capsule collection, which featured her handwriting on the brand's logo.
Rosé was appointed as the Global Ambassador for Saint Laurent, becoming the first person to hold this title for the brand in 59 years. In addition to fashion, she fronts global campaigns for Tiffany & Co., representing their HardWear and Lock jewelry lines.
Lisa worked as a Global Ambassador for Celine, frequently attending runway shows and appearing in their ad campaigns. She also partnered with the Italian jewelry house Bulgari, where she helped design a limited-edition watch featuring her favorite flower, the edelweiss.
A New Contract Model
Most recently, BLACKPINK changed the standard for how K-pop contracts work after their original seven-year deal ended.
In late 2023, all four members renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment for group activities only. However, they decided to manage their solo careers separately from the agency. This separation allows them to release solo music and pursue acting through their own individual management teams.
This unique agreement keeps the group together for albums and concerts while giving the members personal freedom over the projects they engage in individually.
