It’s hard to imagine the current music industry without looking at BLACKPINK’s success. Since their debut in 2016, members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa have become household names to music fans around the world.
Their rise to fame has brought about several changes in the way girl groups operate today. This article examines the specific facts and documents that define their impact on the global scene.
Mass tour and musical success
For a long time, the largest tours were entrusted to Western male or female groups. BLACKPINK changed this trend with their recent “Born Pink” world tour.
The tour ran from late 2022 to 2023 and included 66 shows in huge stadiums. It generated over $260 million in ticket sales. This number makes it the highest-grossing tour ever by a female group. They have sold approximately 1.5 million tickets to fans across North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.
Prior to 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 as headliners before BLACKPINK. This has changed 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 headliners on the main stage. This marked the first time an Asian group headlined Coachella in its history. Their setlist included both hits by the group and solo songs by the individual members.​
The group has also set new standards for engagement across video and music platforms. They currently hold the title of the most subscribed music artist on YouTube. Their channel has amassed over 90 million subscribers, surpassing major Western artists such as Justin Bieber
Their music videos often 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 fan base.​
Individual brand partnerships
Outside of their work in music, BLACKPINK has also engaged in individual partnerships with brands.
Jisoo became the Global ambassador of Dior fashion and beautyas well as the face of Cartier’s Panthère collection. She often appears in campaigns featuring major Dior handbag lines, such as Lady Dior, and attends fashion weeks in Paris as a featured guest.
Jennie collaborated with Chanel as an ambassador for the House, often wearing their custom dresses for concerts and public appearances. Her too collaborated with Calvin Klein to design his limited-edition capsule collection, which featured his handwriting on the brand’s logo.​
Rosé has been named Global Ambassador for Saint Laurent, becoming the first person to hold this title for the brand in 59 years. In addition to fashion, she is responsible for global campaigns for Tiffany & Co., representing their HardWear and Lock jewelry lines
Lisa worked as a global ambassador for Celine, often attending fashion shows and appearing in their advertising campaigns. She also collaborated with Italian jewelry house Bulgari, where she helped design a limited edition watch featuring her favorite flower, the edelweiss.
A new contractual model
Most recently, BLACKPINK changed the standard on how K-pop contracts work after their original seven-year deal expired.
In late 2023, all four members renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment only for group activities. However, they decided to manage their solo career separately from the agency. This separation allows them to release solo music and pursue acting through their own individual management teams.
This unique arrangement keeps the group together for albums and concerts, giving members personal freedom over the projects they commit to individually.
