Blackpink managed a significant win at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, making history as they came out on top in an important category.
The South Korean girl group emerged victorious in the Group of the Year category, marking their first triumph in the field. They faced competition from fellow K-pop acts, including Fifty Fifty, NewJeans, Seventeen and Tomorrow X Together. This year’s nominees were not limited to South Korean acts, as Blackpink also outperformed artists like the Jonas Brothers, Flo and Maneskin.
Blackpink’s win carries historical significance as they became only the second all-female act to claim the Group of the Year award. The first girl group to achieve the feat was TLC, the R&B trio known as one of the best-selling girl groups of all time.
TLC has won the Group of the Year award—which has gone by different names—twice. They earned their first victory in 1995 for their video “Waterfalls.” They then returned for more hardware in 1999 for their “No Scrubs” visual. It’s important to note that in recent years, the award has transitioned from being specific to music videos to simply for groups creating music videos, so Blackpink didn’t win for a specific release.
When considering all groups with at least one female member, the list of winners expands to include names like Talking Heads, The B-52s and the charity-oriented USA For Africa, have all won Group of the Year, as they are bands comprised of both men and women.
No Doubt claims the second-most trophies in this category, having won three times in the past. The group, which is fronted by Gwen Stefani, took home the prize for their videos “Don’t Speak,” “Hey Baby” with Bounty Killer and “It’s My Life.”
Blackpink’s win is a notable achievement for South Korean musicians. K-pop stars have been consistently recognized in this category for the past five years. BTS secured four of those wins, but with the band currently on hiatus, they were not competing in the category, allowing Blackpink to seize victory.
Blackpink had previously been nominated for the Best Group award five times, losing to BTS each time until their triumphant win in 2023. The group’s “Pink Venom” was also awarded Best Choreography this year, and in the past, they’ve also won Song of the Summer.
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