Jennie's 'Ruby' Album Sales and Critical Reception

Jennie (제니), a member of the iconic K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, is receiving rave reviews for her debut solo album 'Ruby' (루비), which has also seen remarkable sales figures. According to Hanteo Chart, 'Ruby' sold 661,130 copies in its first week following its release on March 7. This achievement marks the highest first-week sales for a K-pop female solo artist in 2025.

In terms of first-week sales among K-pop female solo artists, Jennie's record ranks third overall. Previously, her BLACKPINK bandmate Jisoo's single 'ME' (미) (2023) topped the chart with 1.17 million copies sold, while another member, Lisa, followed with her single 'LALISA' (라리사) (2021) at 736,000 copies. However, both Jisoo's and Lisa's singles featured two tracks, and the years 2021 and 2023 saw a surge in album sales due to post-pandemic recovery spending.

Thus, Jennie's first-week sales stand as the highest for a full-length solo album by a K-pop female artist.

Additionally, 'Ruby' has made significant strides on music charts, reaching the highest position for a K-pop solo artist at number 9 on the Apple Music 'Top Albums' chart in the U.S. It also secured the number 2 spot on the European Apple Music 'Top Albums' chart, marking a significant achievement for K-pop female solo artists.

The title track 'Like Jennie' is also climbing the charts steadily, ranking 6th on Melon's Top 100 as of 11 AM today, and maintaining a strong presence across major domestic music platforms. On Spotify's 'Daily Top Songs Global' chart, it debuted at number 12 and quickly rose to number 7. Other tracks from 'Ruby,' including 'Handlebars' (feat. Dua Lipa), 'ExtraL' (feat. Doechii), and 'Love Hangover' (feat. Dominic Fike), are also receiving widespread acclaim.

Renowned American music publication Pitchfork rated 'Ruby' 7.1 out of 10, praising Jennie's versatility and charm, noting her ability to transform girl sound into a powerful new style. This score is notably high, especially when compared to Ariana Grande's 'Eternal Sunshine' (2024) and Billie Eilish's 'HIT ME HARD AND SOFT' (2024), which received scores of 7.2 and 6.8, respectively. Jennie's album ranks as the eighth highest-rated K-pop album of all time.

To celebrate the release of 'Ruby,' Jennie will hold a special event titled 'The Ruby Experience' (더 루비 익스피리언스) at the Inspire Arena in Incheon on March 15.