These days, you can’t switch on the radio or listen to an international chart without hearing one of Blackpink’s many hit singles. Then there’s the Netflix documentary, various brand endorsements, campaigns, and must-have merch. So it’s no surprise that Blackpink’s Rosé, Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa’s success story has drawn comparisons to the world’s bestselling girl band of all time, the Spice Girls, who reigned supreme in the 90s.
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In fact, Blackpink and the Spice Girls’ road to fame and world domination is even more similar than you might first expect. Here are eight times Blackpink gave us Spice flashbacks.
Both bands were formed pretty much the same way
While we’d all love to believe our favorite girl band members were childhood besties with a shared dream, both bands were formed through rigorous audition processes. In other words, they were manufactured.
The Spice Girls were brought together in 1994 by relatives Bob and Chris Herbert of Heart Management, after an advertisement in The Stage newspaper, and Blackpink began in 2011 when YG Entertainment held international try-outs for preteen or teenage girls to create a new group.
Fortunately, the girls from both bands all clicked instantly, becoming known for their close sisterhood bonds. As the Spice Girls belted out at the time, “friendship never ends”.
Whistle vs Wannabe
When Blackpink introduced themselves to the world with debut single Whistle in 2016, we were instantly transfixed – much like the Spice Girls’ introduction back in 1996, with the irritatingly catchy lead single Wannabe. But did you know that both bands had to fight for the songs to be used?
In the documentary film Blackpink: Light Up The Sky, BP producer Teddy Park admitted most music bosses were opposed to Whistle becoming the band’s debut single: “Because it has this weird country vibe to it, and it’s super minimal. It just sounded empty for lots of people. Most people were against it. We just pushed forward, whatever.”
The Spice Girls shared the same dilemma exactly 20 years prior when record execs tried to talk them out of releasing Wannabe, which eventually went to No 1 in over 30 countries and became the bestselling single by a girl group in the world. Nice.
American domination
The American music market is a big one, and also a tough one to crack. Even more so when you’re an international artist or act. And while many world-famous acts struggle for years to make a dent on the American charts, Blackpink and Spice Girls were practically instant successes.
After Wannabe topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the US for four weeks, the Spice Girls became household names in America, and even performed a 41-night sell-out tour without one of their members (Ginger did a runner in 1998, FYI).
Not only did Blackpink perform at America’s iconic Coachella festival in 2019, but their debut album also reached a very impressive No 2 on the country’s Billboard’s 200 album chart in 2020. Blackpink is certainly in the area, even in 90210.
Pepsi campaigns
In September, the Blackpink girls gave us instant déjà vu when they announced their mega-deal to serve as Pepsi ambassadors for the brand in China, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines, starring in TV commercials for the new Pepsi Black.
The Spice Girls also did a mega-deal with Pepsi in 1997, starring in TV commercials, selling Spice Girls branded soda cans, and even releasing a limited edition Pepsi single, Step to Me.
Funny enough, while BP is selling us “no sugar, no regrets” Pepsi, the Spice Girls advised us to guzzle the full sugar version (92 million promotional packs of the cola were produced during the Spice campaign, which surely made a lot of dentists very rich).
Classic album covers
The Spice Girls’ debut album “Spice” and Blackpink’s debut “The Album” are both basic designs, relying solely on their powerful branding, which is rare to see. Bizarrely, one is in white and the other in black, like an eerie reflection of time. Needless to say, the simplicity worked for both covers, making them instantly recognizable and world-famous.
Merchandise for all
If there’s one thing pop music fans love, it’s official merchandise from their favorite bands. So it’s no surprise Blackpink has blasted their branding across everything from backpacks and hoodies to glowsticks and trainers.
However, if they really want more merchandise inspiration, they should look at the Spice Girls’ catalog, which included everything from candy and dolls to cameras, crisps, and even motorbikes. In fact, nostalgic Spice fans continue to lap up new merchandise and vintage vinyl online and at concerts, more than two decades later.
Jennie vs Geri
When Blackpink dropped their music video for How You Like That, we instantly noticed Jennie’s new two-tone locks. Not because it looked like an exciting new trend – because it seemed like an exact copy of Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell’s contrasting ginger and blonde hair, which became her signature look. Was Jennie’s new hairdo a tribute to Ginger Spice? It certainly looked like it.
Going solo
The Spice Girls and Blackpink have been two of the biggest girl bands the world has ever seen, so it was quite unusual to see some of the bands’ members release solo music during the height of their success.
The Spice Girls’ Scary Spice Mel B was the first to score a No 1 song alongside rapper Missy Elliott in 1998’s I Want You Back, and Blackpink’s Jennie released her worldwide hit, Solo, in 2018.
But Blackpink should watch out. Once the Spice Girls started tasting solo success, it became the beginning of the end for the band. And we’re not ready to let go of our favorite Korean foursome just yet.
