Why Girl Groups are Dominating the Music Industry
Girl groups come in wide varieties. With genres for everyone mixed with eye-catching choreographies and whimsical wardrobes, it is no wonder the world seems to be captivated by these groups.
With the rise in popularity of K-Pop internationally, western audiences have taken a liking to music produced outside of their own countries. K-Pop, however, is not new. The first generation of the idol industry came about in the early 1990s. The first girl group was formed by what we now know as SM Entertainment, and was named S.E.S which stood for the members' names Sea (now known as Bada), Eugene, and Shoo. Since the first iteration of a girl group, we have seen many different takes and concepts when it comes to each group's style, but the formula remains basically the same: put together a group of young, attractive, and talented women and have them make good music.
Although it seems to be the same formula for boy groups, girl groups tend to chart better. This year alone, as of November 8, 2022 the majority of the top ten songs trending on MelOn are by girl groups or female idols.
Girl groups promote the image of strong, independent modern women. It is easy for a female audience to want to emulate what their favorite idols do. But it’s more than that: girl groups really lean into the genre of pop, making it easier to acquire an audience of all types of people. Men and women alike stick by girl groups. While boy groups tend to be marketed toward more of their female audiences, girl groups promote concepts that resonate more with their music, therefore attracting a variety of fans.
BLACKPINK is currently known as the biggest girl group in K-Pop. They have amassed a very supportive fanbase, with each of the members sporting over 60 million followers on Instagram. With a hiatus of over two years, the group was still able to sell out their BORN PINK world tour. They have one of the most loyal fanbases out there despite not releasing any projects together in those two years. The reason is in their concepts. Their music speaks to those who love upbeat songs. Even when we get darker themes, such as “Shut Down,” which are not conventional bubblegum pop, their music still has high energy along with bold colors and easy-to-follow choruses. It is clear with the over 200 million views on their music video for “Shut Down” that millions truly love BLACKPINK!
TWICE typically is the go-to for the embodiment of bubblegum pop songs that make you want to drop everything and dance. Their gorgeous music videos motivate fans to replay their songs over and over. Early this year, they had everyone jamming to their comeback BETWEEN 1&2. They premiered their “Talk that Talk” music video on August 26, 2022 which now has over 101 million views.
Even with younger groups, we still see massive success, such as with the girls of NewJeans. Their debut single “Attention” has over 30 million views on YouTube. The young girls seemed to hit it off with a bang, and their funky tunes and fresh looks keep us wanting more.
The women of K-Pop are taking over by sticking to their femininity and capitalizing on it. Girl group concepts work well with pop music, and once artists venture out to other genres or styles, their fanbases typically stand by them, having now formed a beautiful connection with the stars.
Edited by Kelly Sipko