K-pop girl group power has proved strong, as singers Jennie of girl group Blackpink and Chaeyoung from Twice landed on Rolling Stones' The 100 Best Albums of 2025 list with their recent solo works.

Jennie's first solo full-length album “Ruby” was named No. 29 on the top 100 list, leaning “heavily into the ideas that dominated R&B-leaning pop in the 2000s and ’10s, sometimes updating them in intriguing fashion,” according to the music magazine.

“Ruby” was released in March this year as the singer's first studio album with a star-studded lineup of featured artists including Dua Lipa, FKJ, Doechii, Childish Gambino, Kali Uchis and more.

Likening Jennie to pop star Rihanna, the magazine complimented the K-pop singer's “impressive ability to command the center of candy-coated pop-R&B,” with “moments that feel like if not direct at least second-generation descendants of the hazy introspection shown by the Barbadian mogul on her 2016 classic, 'Anti.'”

Chaeyoung, whose “Lil Fantasy Vol. 1" was named No. 89, was applauded for “living her lil fantasy” while making it clear “she’s a work in progress with room to grow.”

“On her solo debut, lyrics about the loss of old friends, forgiveness and embracing your own quirky self pour out of the singer-rapper, as she mixes neo-soul, trip-hop and funk in her dreamy pop songs,” wrote the magazine.

“Lil Fantasy Vol. 1" was released on Sept. 12 as the singer's solo debut album. She took part in writing both the lyrics and music for all nine tracks, according to her agency JYP Entertainment.


BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]