Jennie’s Album Scores a Historic High: She Has What the Other BLACKPINK Members Don’t

On March 7, Jennie (BLACKPINK) officially released her debut album RUBY. Featuring 15 tracks and collaborations with six international artists, the album boasts top-tier production in both music and visuals. Throughout RUBY, Jennie delivers a deeply personal statement, showcasing her artistic growth after nine years as a global K-pop star.

Critical Acclaim from Music Publications

More than a week after its release, RUBY continues to make waves, receiving positive feedback from both fans and critics. Major international publications have given the album impressive ratings. Rolling Stone awarded it 3.5/5, while NME, the UK’s leading music magazine, rated it 4/5, calling it a bold and confident debut. Clash Music was particularly impressed, giving RUBY a 9/10, praising Jennie’s vocal abilities as BLACKPINK’s main rapper.

Jennie also earned recognition from the Grammy website, which listed RUBY as a must-listen album for March, alongside MAYHEM by Lady Gaga. The review applauded RUBY for delivering on its promise of an immersive, genre-blending sonic experience, solidifying Jennie’s status as a global artist.

A Historic Score from Pitchfork

However, the most anticipated review came from Pitchfork, one of the world’s most respected and notoriously tough music critique platforms. On March 12, Pitchfork officially reviewed RUBY, awarding it a remarkable 7.1, a score that left fans overjoyed.

In its review, Pitchfork highlighted how BLACKPINK’s global success had shifted the group’s musical direction, sometimes leading to lackluster songs tailored for Western audiences. It noted that previous solo projects from Rosé (rosie), Lisa (Alter Ego), and Jisoo (Amortage) lacked strong artistic identity. However, Jennie’s RUBY took a different approach, demonstrating greater ambition in production and songwriting. The review stated, “If JENNIE has the most robust individual musical identity of the quartet, it’s because her songs have a crucial element the others’ lack: They sound good.”

Critic Joshua Minsoo Kim praised RUBY for its diverse and well-crafted tracks, each offering a unique sonic experience. However, Pitchfork also made some sharp remarks about Jennie’s performance style, “JENNIE excels on these tracks because she knows how to play the game. Much like Rihanna, she’s been lambasted for lazy performances and an indifference towards honing her vocals, but she also has enough charisma—a stylish flair—to carry weaker productions.”

Pitchfork listed Handlebars and Damn Right, which features production by Mike WiLL Made-It, as standout tracks, describing them as RUBY’s most captivating moments. In contrast, songs like Twin (an acoustic ballad criticized for its vague lyrics), Seoul City (deemed directionless), and Start a War (a mellow anthem reminiscent of SZA but with an awkward delivery) were ranked among the weaker tracks.

A Rare Achievement for a K-Pop Soloist

Following the review’s release, Pitchfork’s rating of RUBY quickly went viral in music forums, with Jennie’s fans celebrating the achievement. Few K-pop artists have received scores above 7 on Pitchfork, with only select albums from BTS, f(x), NewJeans, Red Velvet, Seo Taiji & Boys, and TWICE surpassing that mark. Notably, RUBY outscored BLACKPINK’s previous releases, Kill This Love (6.2) and Born Pink (6.5).

Jennie now holds the highest Pitchfork rating for a solo K-pop artist. This is particularly striking given that Lisa’s debut album received a 5.2, with a review so harsh that some felt it read more like a 2.5. Similarly, Rosé’s rosie only managed a 5.5.

Adding to the buzz, Pitchfork critic Joshua Minsoo Kim sparked a heated debate on Twitter with Lisa’s fans, who argued that music reviews are subjective and that personal taste determines whether an album is good or not.

Meanwhile, Jennie reached another milestone on March 12, becoming the most-streamed female K-pop soloist in Spotify history, with a total of 3.609 billion streams across all her songs. Previously, she had only two solo singles and a few collaborations, but the release of her 15-track album significantly boosted her streaming numbers. With RUBY’s continued success, more record-breaking achievements are expected in the near future.