BLACKPINK’s “DEADLINE” Sets New Record with 1.77 Million Copies Sold, but Streaming Numbers Drop by 59%

BLACKPINK’s third mini-album, “DEADLINE,” achieved a record-breaking sales figure yet experienced a sharp decline in the global music streaming market.

Released on February 27, “DEADLINE” sold 1,774,577 copies in its first week, setting a new record for the highest initial sales volume among K-pop girl groups. On the day of release alone, 1,461,785 copies were sold, surpassing the 1.54 million copies sold for their previous album, the second studio album “BORN PINK.” The total estimated sales for the album could reach around 2.66 million copies.

The album also performed well on the U.S. Billboard charts. It entered the Billboard 200 at position 8, accounting for 52,000 units including 41,000 physical album sales. This marked BLACKPINK’s fifth appearance on this chart. In the UK’s Official Charts, the album reached position 11, while the Title Track “GO” landed at position 44 on the singles chart.

However, the global streaming response was lukewarm. According to Spotify’s daily cumulative streaming figures, streaming numbers for days 1 to 5 of this album dropped by approximately 59% compared to their previous work, even when measured against the highest peak values. A placement on Billboard’s main “Hot 100” chart now seems unlikely.

The contrast between strong album sales and weak streaming performance is attributed to a more than three-year long hiatus between albums and flawed release strategies. Industry insiders analyzed that the delayed release of preview tracks that should have been unveiled alongside the tour caused dissatisfaction among fans, leading to scattered streaming activity. While core fans engaged in “retaliation shopping” by purchasing large quantities, trend-sensitive global listeners turned away. Overseas fans also offered blunt critiques of the song quality, describing it as “like music promoted in big supermarkets” or a “B-grade track.”