- Released in 2020, BLACKPINK’s Ice Cream, a cross-market collab with Selena Gomez, showcases the group’s early push into Western pop market.
- The track incorporates K-pop with bubblegum pop elements, indicating a stylistic shift targeting global radio and streaming playlists.
- The track’s longevity depicts how legacy-era releases continue accumulating views even after their debut years.
On Wednesday, BLACKPINK’s digital power expanded once more as the music video for Ice Cream officially surpassed the threshold of 1 billion views on YouTube. The achievement, confirmed by YG Entertainment on April 16, solidifies the quartet’s success, making the MV as their 10th team-wide video to join the billion-view club. Notably, this is the highest number achieved by any K-pop act in history.
BLACKPINK x Selena Gomez Song Adds to Their Previous Hits
BLACKPINK’s 2020 collaboration with American pop star Selena Gomez acted as a colorful exit from the group’s usually edgy "girl crush" aesthetic. With a bubblegum pop track and a simple rhythm and upbeat sound, Ice Cream features LISA, JENNIE, JISOO, and ROSÉ alongside Gomez in a retro dreamscape.
The track’s commercial performance was reflected in its digital velocity. When it was released as the second single from the group’s debut studio venture, THE ALBUM, the song entered at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. During that time, it set a milestone as the highest-charting K-pop girl group song, sustaining its chart position for eight consecutive weeks. The song also neared the top at No. 8 on the Billboard Global 200, charting 14 weeks of success.
For Gomez, this achievement marks her fourth entry into the billion-views club, which includes Come & Get It, Calm Down, and We Don’t Talk Anymore. Whilst for BLACKPINK, Ice Cream’s popularity comes after the success of the group’s seven other singles, including Pink Venom and Ddu-Du Ddu-Du, the latter of which have already attained the 2 billion marks.
The success of the single had sustained the lead of the BLACKPINK venture. Notably, THE ALBUM peaked at No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart. Notably, the project experienced a 26-week run on the former and seven weeks on the latter charts. This momentum gradually bolstered their second studio album, Born Pink, to the summit of the Billboard 200, making them the first K-pop girl group to do so.
