BLACKPINK achieves historic BRIT Gold Certification with 'The Album'

'The Album' debuted at number one on the Gaon Album Chart, selling 1,092,550 copies in its first month.

BLACKPINK has made history as the first K-pop girl group to earn a BRIT Gold Certification for an album in the United Kingdom. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has officially certified their debut studio album, 'The Album', with gold status, solidifying BLACKPINK's global influence and success.

'The Album', the album by @BLACKPINK, is now #BRITcertified Gold pic.twitter.com/LnjYoSRcW2

— BRIT Awards (@BRITs) May 17, 2024

Released on October 2, 2020, by YG Entertainment and Interscope Records, 'The Album' has reached a significant milestone. According to the BPI's certification criteria, albums achieve gold status upon selling 100,000 units, while singles need to sell 400,000 units to be certified gold. BLACKPINK’s accomplishment with 'The Album' marks a historic moment as they become the first female K-pop artist to receive a gold certification for an album in the UK. This achievement underscores the group's growing popularity and impact on the global music scene.

'The Album' debuted at number one on the Gaon Album Chart, selling 1,092,550 copies in its first month. This achievement made it the best-selling album by a female act in South Korea at the time and the first to surpass one million sales in the chart's history. The album received generally favourable reviews from music critics, who praisedBLACKPINK's vocal ability and stylistic variety.

The album features collaborations with prominent artists, showcasing BLACKPINK’s versatility and global appeal. American singer Selena Gomez collaborated on the track 'Ice Cream', while rapper Cardi B featured on 'Bet You Wanna'. The opening track, 'How You Like That', blends pop, trap, and hip-hop, with regal horn blasts and a confident hook, along with Arabic music influences during Lisa's second verse rap. The lyrics convey a "positive and hopeful" message about facing dark situations with confidence and strength, encouraging listeners not to be discouraged and to stand up again.

'The Album' explores a range of musical styles and themes. The track 'Lovesick Girls' is a dance-pop and electro-pop song with influences from the 2000s. Featuring acoustic guitar and EDM elements, the song delves into the pain experienced after a heartbreak. The album's variety of sounds and themes highlight BLACKPINK's ability to blend
different genres and emotional narratives, making it a standout in their discography.