Ranking BLACKPINK solos

These past few months have been hectic for the four members of BLACKPINK- Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, and Rosé- as they have been on their large-scale world tour, preparing for their Coachella headlining act, and for Jisoo, releasing solo music. With Jisoo’s release of ME, a mini-album composed of “Flowers” and “All Eyes On Me,” all four members have officially released their solo projects, each varying in genre and aesthetic. Read below for a ranking of every solo song by them from worst to best.

“Flower”- Jisoo

Although it hurts to put a title track in last place, “Flower” lacks the energy and charisma of the other solos, whether title track or B-side. The song follows a simple melody, and the beat drop in the chorus feels empty. For me, the song’s only true highlights were the music video’s impeccable styling and the clean aesthetic of it all. Although fans defend the song by saying that “Flower” perfectly encompasses Jisoo’s vibe, I know she has the capability to do so much more. The song isn’t necessarily bad in any way; it just feels incredibly sub-par, especially compared to the B-side of the album, “All Eyes On Me.”

“MONEY”- Lisa

“MONEY” took over the world in 2021, as it became the unofficial song affiliated with Netflix’s “Squid Games” on TikTok, with millions of videos made to it. Although the song is catchy and fun (and sounds incredible in concert), “MONEY” alone does not have much going for it, despite the fact that Lisa was the one who sang it. The instrumentals are repetitive, and the lyrics are cheesy. However, Lisa’s charm alone makes up for what the song lacks. It’s incredibly easy to be harsh towards a piece like “MONEY” with lyrics like “Drop some money / All this bread so yummy, yeah.” Still, the unintentional and organic growth of the song was a powerful moment for not just Lisa but all of K-pop. One of YG Entertainment’s biggest mistakes was that they did not promote this song further, as I believe it could have reached even greater heights if only given a chance.

“All Eyes On Me”- Jisoo

As soon as I first listened to this song, I was not only pleasantly surprised, but shocked that this was not chosen for the title track of ME. This club-ready anthem featured Jisoo’s impressive vocals and a dance-worthy beat. The only downside to this song was that the chorus lacked complexity, as it was once again just a beat-drop; however, a much more exciting one than “Flower.” “All Eyes On Me” has much more flavor and charisma than “Flower,” and BLACKPINK fans can only hope that we will hear the song live at Coachella.

“Gone”- Rosé

With songs like “Gone,” it is clear that Rosé has the most personal attachment to creating music out of the rest of the members. After it was revealed that she had waited two years after writing the breakup ballad for YG to let her release it, it can only be wondered how many other solo songs YG has hidden from the public. “Gone” is sonically simple as the background is just acoustics, but it works so well with this track. The lyrics are heartbreaking, describing Rosé’s difficulties with moving on with relationships and reluctance to wish happiness for her ex-lovers. It’s personal, somber, and a perfect artistic representation of Rosé.

“LALISA”- Lisa

No song more perfectly encapsulates Lisa’s confidence, charm, and influence than “LALISA.” The song combines self-love with bragging about her talents and universal power. “LALISA” also is a shoutout to Lisa’s Thai heritage, as she is seen wearing traditional Thai outfits in the music video and the lyrics share: “From Thailand to Korea / And now here / Went for the throat” in Korean. The song is loud and flashy in the best way possible, and it mixes perfectly with Lisa’s electrifying dances in the music video. Despite the lyrics being mainly related to Lisa’s rise to the top, “LALISA” is a perfect hype-song for anyone.

“SOLO”- Jennie

You can never go wrong with the classics, and this holds true with Jennie’s iconic “SOLO,” the first BLACKPINK solo that the world was introduced to in 2018. The song is sophisticated, perfectly showcasing Jennie’s trademark style. If a song could be described as wealthy, “SOLO” would be the perfect candidate.The English rap will forever go down as one of BLACKPINK’s best verses, and it was even further improved by the new version that Jennie performed on BLACKPINK’s live-streamed online concert in 2021. The song reflects upon leaving an ex-lover with a new sense of self-appreciation, with Jennie singing the leading Korean hook of the song: “I’m a shining solo.” Although Jennie only has one officially released solo song, it’s clear that quality over quantity wins with “SOLO.”

“Hard To Love”- Rosé

When it was first announced that Rosé would be having a solo song on BLACKPINK’s Born Pink, excitement was an understatement for how fans felt, as Rosé has proved time and time again that she is incredibly passionate about her solo work. Moreover, “Hard To Love” served as a palette cleanser to BLACKPINK’s discography, with the song having a pop-punk influence with an underlying guitar hook. In “Hard To Love,” Rosé sings about her self-insecurities in relationships, with lines like “I’ll make you feel like heaven / But I swear I’m not a saint” and “Up ’til I’m down / I’m all in ’til I’m out.” The song shows Rosé’s musical capabilities, as it serves as a highlight of not only her but BLACKPINK’s entire discography.

“On The Ground”- Rosé

Rosé became the second BLACKPINK member to release a solo in March 2021 with her mini album -R-, featuring the tracks “On The Ground” and “Gone.” Out of every solo, there is something extraordinary about “On The Ground” that the other solos don’t have. Maybe it’s the unapologetic self-expression or the euphoric feeling that the lyrics provoke. “On The Ground” is a song about working your whole life to realize that the essential things in life are what you already have, like your friends, family, and self-love. It’s a great metaphor, especially for the cutthroat K-pop industry that Rosé works in. Besides the message, the song’s composition is also addicting through the emotional pre-chorus build-up and synths in the chorus. Rosé’s musicality shines through with this track, and her passion for creating music is incredibly evident with songs like this. It’s clear that in the future when BLACKPINK ceases to exist as a group, Rosé will hopefully continue to release her solo music and expand her discography even further.