As one of the biggest girl bands in the world, K-pop group Blackpink has a massive fanbase that, even compared to other fanbases, stands out in its loyalty and dedication to promoting the artists’ creative projects.
So it surprised no one when the band’s debut album “The Album” broke numerous records. “How You Like That,” the first song of the album to come out, became the second most popular song worldwide on Spotify within 24 hours of its release.
However, despite its commercial success and accolades from fans, critics have spoken openly about their disdain for the album; though it set many records, the music itself is mediocre. “How You Like That” and “Pretty Savage” are simply products of state-of-the-art technology and practice, something that everyone is capable of doing. Though “Crazy Over You” takes one back to the days of 1990s hip-hop exotica, there’s nothing particularly special about the piece in terms of style. To top it off, the members don’t even produce their own music.
Unlike other rising artists, Blackpink is polished and methodical in everything from its music production to social media posts. Crisp and strategic, rather than highlighting the group’s unique qualities, they use well-planned costumes and style that give off a more manufactured view of their artists than many other groups.
Regardless of critical opinion of their music, though, the girl group also set two other records for the most simultaneous viewers on a YouTube video premiere not only in the music video category, but overall as well, with the live premiere of their single “How You Like That” reaching up to 1.66 million viewers at a time. The group also broke various Guinness World Records and iTunes records as well.
Had they not been a K-pop group, though, Blackpink’s debut album may not have been so successful. K-pop fans are known for their ardent, sometimes obsessive, passion, and Blackpink’s fanbase has been vital to their album’s record-shattering success.
Though Blackpink may have more sales and fans than many other bands, their debut album perfectly embodies the concept of manufactured success. From their cult-like fans to their mediocre music churned out by producers and lyricists, every aspect of the girl group points to the truth that they’re simply a face for the dozens of industry professionals that fabricate their work for a happily-deceived audience.