BLACKPINK Drops New Album
BLACKPINK released their new album *DEADLINE* as part of New Music Friday, alongside Bruno Mars' *The Romantic* and singles from aespa ft. Anderson .Paak and Ava Max. The Pop Base roundup post generated massive buzz with over 16,700 likes. Meanwhile, Megan Moroney's *Cloud 9* debuted at #1 on HITS Top 50 with 146k units, beating Bad Bunny and Baby Keem.
[BLACKPINK's *DEADLINE*](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFDE3g2XVGiKiXRtXr3knKb8SL5dJCzgHOphzsj-y_CUfNectX08lg-m6fE46P-Xesc4ME7tM3KZHQEd1inq9LjjQswIu1lIYywAs6FlhY6Nzx7-y3G0utDCbA3dHXw246owft2jnoXMrL_8bmpRAbNTCPJVQSuLaDBorXPGpFSy5thYRKJBI_NFI3hUys0A-Dui40Tf6uqUd6eIDZz5CG7KQNHDPh91ddSs8cta4gBG2KUbob3B4PJPorfR3DnOs7e) set a new record for female K-pop acts, selling 1,461,785 physical copies on its first day. This surpasses the group's own previous best, when their 2022 album *Born Pink* sold over 1 million copies on its release day. *Born Pink* was the first album by a Korean girl group to top the charts in both the US and the UK. Bruno Mars' *The Romantic* is his first solo album in nearly a decade, following the Grammy-winning *24K Magic* in 2016. His last full-length project was the 2021 collaboration with Anderson .Paak, *An Evening with Silk Sonic*. The new album's lead single, "I Just Might," already debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The aespa and Anderson .Paak track, "Keychain," is a single from .Paak's directorial film debut, *K-POPS!* The collaboration blends .Paak's funk and R&B roots with aespa's K-pop sound, reflecting the film's theme of cultural exchange. This follows .Paak's recent work with other K-pop artists, including G-DRAGON. Country singer Megan Moroney's #1 debut is a significant milestone, building on a rapid career ascent. Her 2022 single "Tennessee Orange" went viral, leading to her major label debut album *Lucky* in 2023. She was named New Artist of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards. The artists Moroney outsold are major streaming forces. Bad Bunny's recent album, *Debí Tirar Más Fotos*, made history as the first Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year at the 2026 Grammys. Following the win, it returned to #1 on the Billboard 200 with 135,000 units in a week. Baby Keem's sophomore album, *Ca$ino*, debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, selling 72,000 units in its first week. The project, which follows his 2021 debut *The Melodic Blue*, features a collaboration with his cousin, Kendrick Lamar.
