Every BLACKPINK song, ranked (2023)

21. "How do you like it?"

"How You Like That" has the synths, lyrical choruses, catchy onomatopoeia and self-assured attitude that have become calling cards of the group's music.

In this case, however, the whole falls short of the sum of its parts, and the song's chorus, a sparse instrumental trap interspersed with the odd "How you like that!" or "Bada bing bada boom boom boom" - not enough to tie it all together.

More than a year after the group's previous single "Kill This Love," "How You Like That" seemed like a hollow approximation of what a BLACKPINK song should sound like. It's still a hit, but a dissonant one that requires more than a few listens.

Featured Music:Rosé and Jisoo's shared bridge leading to "Look at the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane."

20. "Ice Cream (as Selena Gomez)"

"Ice Cream," which features Selena Gomez, is first and foremost a summer song. He's playful and flirtatious, but too easily falls into a monotony that's only really broken by Lisa's rap verse, which features iconic lines like "Mona Lisa kinda Lisa."

The song allows Rosé and Jennie to soar towards some of the high notes, and Gomez's appeal is seamlessly integrated, but in the end "Ice Cream" seems to lack substance.

highlight of the song: Lisa's rap verse, which has some of the funniest lyrics in the entire song and begins with the line "Chillin' like a villain, yeah rah rah rah."

19. "Forever Young"

BLACKPINK promoted "Forever Young" in 2018 along with the title track "Square Up" "Ddu-du Ddu-du".play music in music programs.

While "Forever Young" is poppier than its counterpart, it also relies on a drop in the chorus that never seems to connect. The final moments of the song deviate completely from the earlier, softer verses, turning into a breakdown that begins with the line "BLACKPINK is the revolution!"

While it's definitely a slap in the face, the music still doesn't feel like it connects, making the ending not as satisfying as it could have been.

Featured Music:Jennie's rap verse, which is arguably one of her best and includes the iconic line, "Say life sucks? But mine is a movie."

18. "So Long"

The final track on BLACKPINK's first EP, "Square Up," is eclectic in a way that doesn't make up for it. Certain production elements of the song, particularly the reverberation of the vocals, make the song feel a bit hazy and oppressive at points.

That said, "See U Later's" great synth hits in the pre-chorus and rap verses make it memorable and fun, and the minimalist chorus, complete with lines like "So long, maybe never," works best. than that. . does on other tracks.

Featured Music:The chorus lines: "Would have, could have, should have, no" and "So long, maybe never."

17. "Really"

On “Really,” BLACKPINK loosens up a bit, leaning into a laid-back rhythm that is still filled with the group's trademark swagger.

It's the most cohesive track on "Square Up," but it still feels flat compared to the driving force behind the rest of the album and has no standout moments.

Featured Music:"That playlist, my favorite, so play it / But baby, F is a love song / I need you to say, say."

16. "I hope not"

"Hope Not" is a song that is easy to overlook among BLACKPINK's other tracks. A stripped down pop ballad with a sparse guitar instrumental, "Hope Not" allows the group's voices to really shine as they sing about love and regret.

like michelle kimnoted in a Pitchfork review, "Hope Not" is an odd choice to round out the group's second EP, "Kill This Love."

Still, its smooth choruses, minimalist production, and emotional appeal make it a worthy black sheep among the group's EDM and trap discography.

Featured Music:The harmonies and reverberation in the final section of Rosé.

15. "You Never Know"

"You Never Know" is the closest pop ballad to BLACKPINK's full album. While it's a bit of an odd choice to end the album, it does its job well as a ballad, layering soaring vocals over a mostly piano-backed instrumental.

While "You Never Know" lacks the serious punch of 2016's ballad "Stay," it has a vulnerability and assertiveness that's worth listening to.

Featured Music:The final chorus, which cuts to Rosé and a string-based instrumental.

14. "Hopper"

"Kick It" is upbeat and fun, relying mostly on heavy bass synth and light percussive elements to keep it moving.

It rounds out the eclectic nature of BLACKPINK's second EP, "Kill This Love," but falls short of the anthemic title track or "Don't Know What To Do."

"Kick It" also plays noticeably more upbeat than other tracks on the group's discography, oscillating between different beats on the verses and cutting a fresh break in the chorus.

It's an energetic treat for the ears that keeps you on your toes.

Featured Music:Song Review: "I'm gonna kick it how I want to kick it / When I want to kick it / No, you can't tell me not to kick it / 'Cause I'm about to kick it."

13. "Boombayah"

"Boombayah" is a pure dance hit, but its repetitive nature makes it the weakest of BLACKPINK's four 2016 singles that set them on the path to stardom.

While the chorus is perfect for jumping on the dance floor, it's marred by a high-pitched squeal in the chorus that's accompanied by a hand-over-mouth gesture in the song's choreography.recalling harmful stereotypes of Native Americans.

In many ways, "Boombayah" is a blueprint for many of the group's other singles, which feature relentless but voiceless choruses and lean toward repetition as a closing force (and, of course, the iconic "BLACKPINK in Your Area"). ").

That being said, "Boombayah" also includes some of Jennie and Lisa's most iconic verses, which are the most memorable part of the song.

highlight of the song: The flow based on triplets in the back half of Lisa's verse.

12. "Crazy About You"

"Crazy Over You" feels like it's trying to merge three separate songs together.

Up to a point, it works: the song's frequent tempo changes can be jarring, but there are enough moments of aural delight, like the synth strings coming in during the chorus, that it doesn't seem like too much work.

By the time the second verse hits, the beat feels familiar enough that it's not too hard to go back, but the new elements in this song keep you on your toes.

Featured Music:Jisoo's “like eee eee eee” in the chorus, particularly the high note she plays at the beginning of the phrase.

11. "Pretty Wild"

"Pretty Savage" is undoubtedly BLACKPINK's most swaggering song to date, and it totally works.

The song turns the group's calling card on its head, turning it into a vocal hook at the beginning of the song. The track itself is littered with casual insults and assertions about the group's dominance.

The line "Yeah, we've got some b----it's that you can't control" perfectly sums up the vibe of the song, but it doesn't pack the same punch as tracks like "Ddu-du Ddu-du." or "Kill this Love."

Featured Music:The bridge, which cuts to Rosé's voice, a minimalist bass, an acoustic guitar and some open snare hits.

10. "Ddu-du Ddu-du"

The most defining feature of "Ddu-du Ddu-du" is Jennie's fast rap verse, which hits you like a ton of bricks after the song's first chorus.

The song is dramatic and confident, but it lacks the same kind of thematic substance as tracks like "Kill This Love", despite following a similar structure.

Its bridge and final bars don't feel like a particularly satisfying conclusion, as the group repeats the lyrics, "tteugeowo tteugeowo tteugeowo like fire" along with the bizarre "BLACKPINK!" over an instrumental that dials the song's flute-like hook up to 11.

Featured Music:The speed of Jennie's rap verse and the fact that she delivers it from the top of an impressive tank.in the music video, makes it one of the most iconic.

9. "Stay"

"Stay" is perhaps the biggest outlier in the entire BLACKPINK discography. An almost country ballad backed by an acoustic instrumental, "Stay" is deceptively good in its subtlety.

It's a departure from the typical self-assured group fare, instead offering a simple plea: "Stay."

Even with the change in style, "Stay" gives Jennie and Lisa a rap verse, allowing them to show that they can have a more soulful style that doesn't always show up in their typical fast-paced lines.

While "Stay" is certainly the black sheep of Blackpink's first two EPs, it was the first evidence that they could stay out of the dance-pop realm and set a precedent for later tracks like "Hope Not."

Featured Music:The song's chorus, which highlights the distinct but complementary vocal colors of all the members.

8. "I Bet You Want It (with Cardi B)"

"Bet You Wanna" is a fun track that enlists Cardi B to deliver the song's second verse. It's one of the most upbeat tracks on "The Album" and also one of the strongest.

The song's bass-based instrumental allows both Cardi's verse and BLACKPINK's beautifully layered vocals to stand out.

He's shy, confident, and vocally strong, with a taunting chorus leading into a triumphant chorus. It's easily one of the group's funniest tracks and most successful collaborations.

Featured Music:"BLACKPINK... ¡Cardi!"

7. "I don't know what to do"

A track that was promoted alongside "Kill This Love", "Don't Know What To Do" returns to the group's pop core and draws on mid-2010s pop/EDM influences.

While the chorus is sparse, a throbbing bass, whistle-like hook, and Jisoo's floating vocals make it punchy.

However, "Don't Know What To Do" stands out, mainly because it's a very refreshing departure from the group's typical trap sound, which comes through stronger than ever on the "Kill This Love" EP.

It's a testament to Blackpink's ability to pull off finer concepts while also maintaining their own recognizable identity.

Featured Music:Every time Rosé or Jennie sings "I don't know what to do" at the beginning of the chorus.

6. "Kill This Love"

“Kill This Love” is BLACKPINK's most aggressive single, balanced by a stripped-down pre-chorus that relies on female vocalists Jisoo and Rosé to deliver the song's emotional impact.

Defined by crisp snares and a synth sound that sets the song's militant tone, the track's stripped-down moments allow its chorus to pack a punch, even with minimal vocals.

As a result, "Kill This Love" has a better sense of momentum than some of the group's later singles, which end with subpar comebacks. His final moments are bombastic, but more importantly, they feel earned.

Featured Music:Jisoo singing about crying bloody tears while looking like a mermaid from another world, and Rosé crying while driving a car in anger.in the music video.

5. "Playing with Fire"

"Playing With Fire" was BLACKPINK's first true foray into heartbreak, and they pulled it off with aplomb.

Since it debuted on "Square Two," it's easy to see how this song paved the way for the group's future releases, both thematically and musically. "Playing With Fire" is sparse but showcases the song's theme with couplets like "My love is on fire / Now burn, baby, burn."

Featured Music:The catchy synth line in the chorus, and the four members trade lines over it.

4. "I love to hate myself"

"Love To Hate Me" stands out on BLACKPINK's first full-length album, giving each member a chance to shine.

Rosé's "No No No Drama In My Life" is a perfect introduction to a seething chorus highlighting Jennie's ability to deliver snappy likes like "Wake up yeah maybe I'll reconcile." Jisoo's slide in "I'ma let you fade into the background" is dramatic and understated at the same time, and Lisa's rapping on this song is one of the best verses she's ever done.

Overall, this song is a treat to the ears, from the breathy hi-hats to the tight drums to the vocal harmonies that add depth to the song's faster lines.

"Love To Hate Me" balances intensity with ease in a way that gives the song a perfect sense of drive.

highlight of the song: "I could do it wrong on my own, I don't need no help / Single, the hand I was dealt, like oh well."

3. "whistle"

"Whistle" far surpasses its "Boombayah" counterpart. From Jisoo's opening theme song "Hey boy", he is cool and confident, combined with a whistle and minimalist production elements that allow the members' voices to shine.

The ebb and flow of "Whistle" eventually builds into a final chorus that's sure to get you excited, but its laid-back confidence, particularly in comparison to "Boombayah," is what makes it great.

Featured Music:Jisoo's “hey boy” perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the song.

2. "As if it were the last"

"As If It's Your Last" is BLACKPINK's poppiest and triumphant song.

The song, released as a standalone single during the summer of 2017, was the group's only music release all year, but it worked. Their chorus is one of the most memorable in the entire BLACKPINK discography.

The track's hiccup comes in Lisa's rap verse, which marked the group's first verse entirely in English. One lyric, "Imma fall in love baby / You gon' finna catch me" stumbles by using "finna," a borrowed word from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) that isbest paraphrased as "going to"in conventional English.

In this case, "finna" is used redundantly and in a way that seems only to highlight a closeness to blackness.

Ultimately, "As If It's Your Last" encapsulates the best parts of the group's sound, from the EDM influences that define much of their work to the charisma and vocal talent of the members themselves.

We'd be remiss if we didn't notice that it contains the best location of BLACKPINK's calling card at the end of the bridge.

Featured Music:It has the most perfect placement of a "BLACKPINK in your area" in the entire BLACKPINK discography.

1. "Girls in Love"

"Lovesick Girls" is effervescent and a perfect title track for Blackpink's first full-length album.

It's both fresh and nostalgic, calling to mind bygone eras of pop by blending acoustic and EDM elements, as well as a synth sound during Lisa and Jennie's rap verse that gives the song an early-decade pop quality. of 2010.

While it feels like a natural follow-up to 2017's "As If It's Your Last," it's still a hit in 2020.

"Lovesick Girls" is an anthem, tender, vulnerable and confident all rolled into one, and it never loses its momentum. While the production is excellent, what really sets this song apart from the rest of BLACKPINK's discography is its effect and paradoxical sense of desperation and security.

It reaches a kind of maturity and depth, best demonstrated in Rosé and Jisoo's shared bridge, that BLACKPINK hasn't always achieved in their previous signature songs. There is an assertiveness in declaring that "we are the girls in love" while still admitting that "they are still looking for love", showing a paradoxical vulnerability and security at the same time.

Ultimately, it's a testament to BLACKPINK's most impressive skill, first demonstrated on 2016's "Playing With Fire": delivering angst in the form of an outright punch.

Featured Music:The last chorus, which changes the chord progression of the previous choruses and gives the final moments of the song a beautiful sense of urgency.

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