BLACKPINK have been in your area since 2016 and, over the last seven years, they’ve built up a strong catalogue of world-beating bangers and gentle moments of poignancy – tracks that saw them headline Coachella in 2023. Among them are record-breaking singles and festival anthems, but also the songs that don’t get the recognition they deserve. Here, in no particular order, are our picks for BLACKPINK’s 10 most underrated songs.
‘The Happiest Girl’ (‘Born Pink’)
BLACKPINK aren’t really known for producing tender ballads, such is their reputation for creating huge dancefloor-ready bangers. But ‘The Happiest Girl’ from 2022’s ‘Born Pink‘ saw them shift gear and show they’re just as capable of tugging at our heartstrings as they are making us dance.
‘See U Later’ (‘Square Up’ EP)
BLACKPINK have plenty of songs about staying true to yourself and kicking dumb boys to the curb, but ‘See U Later’ savagely does just that with added sass. “Now you ain’t got no best friend / You’ll spend a lonely weekend,” Lisa taunts at one point. “Yeah, you loser, bad guy wannabe.”
‘Hope Not’ (‘Kill This Love’ EP)
Another rare soft entry in BLACKPINK’s oeuvre, ‘Hope Not’ is set to sparse acoustic guitar, the space it leaves filled by the band’s emotive delivery. “You need to meet someone better than me and be happy,” they sing resignedly in the chorus. “But I hope not to the point where you forget me.”
‘Really’ (‘Square Up’ EP)
If there’s one season that BLACKPINK suit best, it’s summer. ‘Really’ proves exactly why as the four-piece take on tropical-tinged, laidback hip-hop beats. The message of the track is slightly less relaxed, though – here, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa confront a lover and ask them to confirm their true feelings.
‘Kick It’ (‘Kill This Love’ EP)
The ‘Kill This Love’ EP pushed BLACKPINK’s boundaries, bringing subtle invention to their accessible pop. ‘Kick It’ is a prime example, its sonics refusing to take the obvious direction as the girls sing about independence and freedom.
‘Bet You Wanna (feat. Cardi B)’ (‘The Album’)
It’s pretty wild that a collaboration with someone as huge as Cardi B could be considered underrated. For some reason, though, ‘Bet You Wanna’ gets overshadowed when it comes to celebrating the tracks on BLACKPINK’s debut album. It’s light, fun and flirty – a perfect song for daydreaming about holiday romances to.
‘Stay’ (‘Square Two’ EP)
BLACKPINK might have debuted with the upbeat, fierce ‘Boombayah’ and ‘Whistle’, but their first EP also contained this more low-key, string-laden introduction to the then-new girl group. ‘Stay’ grows from guitar and harmonica to bubbly handclaps, all the while maintaining its poise and elegance.
‘Love To Hate Me’ (‘The Album’)
On ‘Love To Hate Me’, BLACKPINK enter frosty territory. “You ain’t worth my love if you only love to hate me,” they tell someone who’s been messing them around, and the instrumental dips its temperature to match, accompanying them with minimal layers and zero warmth present at all.
‘Don’t Know What To Do’ (‘Kill This Love’ EP)
Sure, ‘Don’t Know What To Do’ usually gets a bit more recognition than the rest of the songs on this list but, considering just how great it is, it’s still not enough. It’s an almost perfect pop song that’s full of yearning and melancholy, but sets it to a sky-scraping, piercing backing. Stunning.
‘Kiss And Make Up’ (‘Dua Lipa (Complete Edition)’)
Sure, this is technically a Dua Lipa song that BLACKPINK featured on, but it’s still flying under the radar as far as the K-pop superstars’ catalogue goes. As coming togethers of global pop icons go, this one is sizzling – a tale of lust set to a heatwave-worthy instrumental.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift’s most underrated songs
