Jennie’s track “Handlebars” from her solo album “Ruby” has entered the Billboard “Adult Pop Airplay” chart at No. 40, as of April 5th (local time). Jennie has become the third K-pop female solo artist to appear on the chart.
Prior to Jennie, Rosé and Lisa of BLACKPINK each had two songs chart on the list. Notably, this week’s chart features three members of BLACKPINK simultaneously. Rosé maintains her personal best ranking at No. 5 with “Apt.,” while Lisa is at No. 38 with “Born Again,” a collaboration with Doja Cat and Raye. The “Adult Pop Airplay” chart ranks songs based on the number of times they are broadcast on pop radio stations across the United States, targeting an adult audience (primarily aged 25-54). Unlike popularity driven by fandom or SNS streaming, the ranking is determined by consistent radio exposure, indicating broader support from American listeners. K-pop artists often receive strong reactions on SNS and streaming platforms, but entering the US radio charts has traditionally been considered relatively difficult.
Looking at K-pop as a whole, only four solo artists have entered the “Adult Pop Airplay” chart: Jennie, Rosé, Lisa, and Jungkook of BTS. Jungkook reached No. 9 with his duet with Charlie Puth, “Left and Right,” while his solo track “Seven” peaked at No. 19, and his collaboration with The Kid LAROI & Central Cee, “Too Much,” reached No. 22.
“Handlebars” is a collaboration between Jennie and global pop star Dua Lipa. Jennie released her first solo album “Ruby” in March and made history on the March 22nd Billboard Hot 100 chart by simultaneously charting three songs – “Like Jenny,” “Handlebars,” and “Extravaganza” – making her the first K-pop female solo artist to achieve this feat.
Written by Jung Yoon ITranslated by Lee So Yun