Thanks To Their Latest Smash, Blackpink Become The Fourth Korean Act To Reach The Pop Radio Chart

As Blackpink’s new single “Ice Cream” arrives on the Hot 100 at No. 13—making it the highest-charting single by a South Korean girl group in the history of the the all-genre chart—and No. 2 on the Digital Song Sales ranking—marking the band’s second placement in the runner-up rung this year—the quartet also see their latest launch reach a Billboard tally they’ve never appeared on before.

By simply reaching the tally in any manner, the all-female vocal outfit joins a group that includes some of the most successful artists from their home country, and they manage what so many others have not yet been able to.

“Ice Cream” launches on the Pop Songs chart, a ranking of the most-played tracks on pop radio stations across the U.S. every week, at No. 32, earning the loftiest debut this frame. With their first appearance on the genre-specific tally, Blackpink has become just the fourth name from South Korea to find their way to the roster, and they follow in some giant footsteps.

Psy was the first South Korean musician to appear on the Pop Songs chart, which he managed way back in 2012. His international smash “Gangnam Style,” which is largely credited with introducing many Americans to K-pop, rose as high as No. 10. The song still stands as the highest-charting cut by a star from the Asian nation.

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BTS earned their first placement on the Pop Songs ranking in 2018, and since then, they’ve accrued more radio wins than any other soloist or group from South Korea. So far, they’ve sent half a dozen cuts—“Mic Drop” with Desiigner (No. 25), “Fake Love” (No. 34), “Waste It on Me” with Steve Aoki (No. 38), “Boy With Luv” with Halsey (No. 22), “Make It Right” with Lauv (No. 24) and mot recently, “Dynamite” (No. 18)—and they may have more coming.

Fellow South Korean all-male vocal band Monsta X have also sent a pair of tunes to the Pop Songs ranking, with their first, “Who Do U Love?” with French Montana, lifting to No. 26 in 2019. Earlier this year, they returned to the tally with “You Can’t Hold My Heart,” which only rose as high as No. 40.

“Ice Cream” also features Selena Gomez, who is no stranger to pop radio success. This latest placement marks her twenty-fourth tune to reach the roster and her fourth of 2020.

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