BLACKPINK’s drop in streams and sales sparks flop claims amid strong debut

BLACKPINK’s drop in streams and sales sparks flop claims amid strong debut

• BLACKPINK's DEADLINE breaks K-pop girl group sales records
• Sales and streaming dropped sharply after initial release
• Fans debate if the comeback is a flop or still a big success

Did our AI summary help?

South Korean girl group BLACKPINK has faced a wave of internet criticism after noticeable decreases in streaming numbers and physical album sales in the days following the debut of their latest EP, DEADLINE.

The comeback, marking the group’s first full-group release since 2022, initially delivered huge figures, with Deadline selling over 1.46 million copies on its first day — the highest one-day sales ever recorded for a K-pop girl group.

The title track “Go” also entered the Spotify Global chart’s top ten, underscoring BLACKPINK’s massive global fanbase and continued popularity. However, over the subsequent days, physical sales dropped sharply, with Hanteo Chart reporting just 7,109 copies sold on the second day and 2,026 on the third. Streaming positions for album tracks on global charts similarly slid, with some songs seeing dramatic falls in ranking.

These downward movements quickly led to social media commentary labelling the comeback a “flop”, with many fans accusing listeners of abandoning the music after initial hype. Some posts called the sustained engagement disappointing and questioned whether the album’s quality or promotional strategy was adequate.

But many fans and observers pushed back against the “flop” characterisation, pointing out that BLACKPINK’s achievements are still remarkable. Despite the decreases, the group’s DEADLINE remains on global charts and outperforms many contemporaries. In addition, DEADLINE’s lack of traditional promotions — no major fan events, signings, or billboard campaigns — and scheduling around weekends with variable physical store hours could partly explain the sales drop, according to supporters.

Some fans also noted that certain tracks include songwriting credits that have drawn controversy, which in turn may impact casual listeners’ enthusiasm to stream those songs.

Also read: BLACKPINK's Rosé becomes the first K-Pop artist to win the BRIT Award for APT song

While BLACKPINK’s post-debut metrics have declined more rapidly than some expected, broader context suggests DEADLINE remains a major commercial success and a significant comeback for one of K-pop’s most successful acts.