Pitchfork Gave BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE a 5.7 — But 1.46 Million First-Day Sales Say Otherwise

BLACKPINK waited nearly four years to drop DEADLINE — and within hours of its release, the conversation wasn’t about the music. It was about a single number: 5.7 out of 10, courtesy of Pitchfork. The internet, predictably, did not take it well.

📋 DEADLINE — Overview

What Did Pitchfork Actually Say?

Pitchfork reviewed DEADLINE and assigned it a score of 5.7 out of 10, describing the EP as a brief project with limited standout moments while acknowledging the group’s continued cultural stature. The outlet noted GO and JUMP showed awareness of evolving K-pop trends but argued much of the record felt stylistically familiar. It highlighted GO as the EP’s strongest entry, partly driven by the Chris Martin co-write.

It’s worth noting that Pitchfork’s relationship with K-pop has always been complicated. For a broader understanding of how music criticism works across genres, the history of music journalism on Wikipedia offers useful context on how Western publications often evaluate non-Western pop on their own terms. The Numbers vs. The Review

According to the Hanteo Chart, DEADLINE recorded 1,461,785 copies sold on its first day — setting a new personal record for the quartet and breaking the record for the highest first-day total sale reported for a K-pop girl group. On Spotify, GO debuted at No. 9 on the Global chart, while DEADLINE ranked as the fourth-highest K-pop EP on the platform at the time of release.

😤 How Did BLINKs React?

Following the review’s publication, online reactions quickly surfaced across X and other social media platforms, with many users comparing the score to previous BLACKPINK releases and the members’ solo work. The comparison that stung most? Jennie’s solo album Ruby reportedly scored higher — leading some fans to question whether the group dynamic itself was being penalised by critics.

💬 “This is embarrassing.. Jennie please stop working with the group and just do your solo for the rest of your life.” — X user reaction trending after the Pitchfork score dropped

Not all critics agreed with Pitchfork, though. Rolling Stone praised the project, noting that BLACKPINK mix up the tough and the coquettish in their own unmistakable style, and that DEADLINE leaves you ready for more. Clash Magazine described the EP as containing five songs that expand on BLACKPINK’s identity in a punchy, unified fashion, walking the perfect line between evolution and honouring their trademark style.

For full BLACKPINK DEADLINE track breakdowns, comeback analysis, and K-pop news, head to TechnoSports’ Entertainment section. And stay up to date with all the biggest K-pop releases and chart news at our TechnoSports K-pop hub.

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