Ice Cream: Song and Music Video Guide
In August 2020, BLACKPINK's first studio-album campaign was already moving. "How You Like That" had opened the rollout in June. The second pre-release single was a full collaboration with Selena Gomez: "Ice Cream," a bright electropop track built on dessert-themed wordplay and a pastel music video filmed on two continents during COVID-19 restrictions.
Direct Answer: "Ice Cream" is a song by BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez, released on August 28, 2020, through YG Entertainment and Interscope Records as the second single from The Album. It is electropop and bubblegum pop with trap elements, runs 2:56, and is sung mostly in English except for Lisa's Korean rap verse. The official music video, directed by Seo Hyun-seung, pulled 79.08 million YouTube views in 24 hours. The song debuted at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Watch the official video on YouTube. Stream it on Spotify or Apple Music.
Where "Ice Cream" Sits in The Album Rollout
YG treated 2020 as a staged launch, not a surprise drop.
| Date | Release |
|---|---|
| June 26, 2020 | "How You Like That" (first pre-release) |
| August 28, 2020 | "Ice Cream" with Selena Gomez (second pre-release) |
| October 2, 2020 | The Album, with "Lovesick Girls" as the title track |
Gomez has said she first met Jisoo and Rosé at New York Fashion Week in 2018. BLACKPINK have said they grew up dancing to her music as trainees. YG teased an unnamed collab artist in July 2020; the partner was confirmed as Gomez on August 11, and the title "Ice Cream" followed on August 21. Ariana Grande is a credited composer, which is why early fan guesses pointed at her before Gomez was named.
The single sits next to BLACKPINK's other 2020 Western feature, "Sour Candy" with Lady Gaga (May 28, 2020, on Chromatica). Both use food metaphors; only "Ice Cream" is a BLACKPINK-led single on The Album. See the full eight-track sequence in the The Album guide and the collaborations index.
Credits and Sound
Recorded at The Black Label in Seoul. Mixed at The Lab (Los Angeles) and MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach). Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York).
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Released | August 28, 2020 |
| Album | The Album (October 2, 2020) |
| Length | 2:56 |
| Key / tempo | E major; 80 BPM |
| Genre | Electropop, bubblegum pop, trap-pop |
| Languages | English, with a Korean rap verse from Lisa |
| Composers | Tommy Brown, Mr. Franks, Teddy, Bekuh Boom, Victoria Monét, 24, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande |
| Lyricists | Bekuh Boom, Victoria Monét, Teddy |
The writing is built on ice-cream double entendres rather than a narrative ballad. Teddy Park and Bekuh Boom were the core BLACKPINK-side writers; Grande, Victoria Monét, Tommy Brown, and Mr. Franks came in from the US pop side; Gomez is credited as a composer.
Music Video
Seo Hyun-seung directed the clip, which premiered on BLACKPINK's official YouTube channel on August 28, 2020, after an 18-second teaser the day before. BLACKPINK shot in South Korea. Gomez shot in the United States. The split was a COVID-19 production constraint, not a concept choice. Behind-the-scenes films from both camps posted on August 29.
The video is a candy-colored set piece: Gomez drives a pastel ice cream truck marked "Selpink"; BLACKPINK appear in ice-cream parlor, tennis-court, and amusement-park setups. Jennie shares a scene with a capybara; Rosé appears with a golden retriever; Jisoo's sequence is cherry-themed. Gomez's truck stock is tied to Serendipity Ice Cream, a brand she has an ownership stake in. She also issued a "Cookies and Cream Remix" flavor for the collab.
| Video metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| 24-hour YouTube views | 79.08 million (third-largest MV debut at the time) |
| Group comparison | Behind "How You Like That" at 86.3 million in 24 hours |
| 1 billion views | April 15, 2026, BLACKPINK's eighth video to hit the mark |
On September 2, 2020, the group posted an animated ZEPETO performance version using 3-D avatars and parts of the original choreography.
Chart Performance
In the United States, "Ice Cream" debuted at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, ahead of "How You Like That" and "Sour Candy" (both peaked at 33). It was the first top-20 Hot 100 single by a female Korean act at the time, and it became the longest-charting Hot 100 song by a female Korean act after eight weeks, passing the group's own four-week run with "Kill This Love." First-week US activity included about 23,000 digital sales and 18.3 million streams.
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 13 |
| US Digital Songs | 2 |
| US Streaming Songs | 8 |
| Billboard Global 200 | 8 |
| Billboard Global Excl. US | 6 |
| South Korea (Gaon Digital) | 8 |
| UK Singles | 39 |
In the UK it gave BLACKPINK a fifth top-40 single, a first for a Korean act at the time. Certifications later included platinum in Australia and Canada, gold in Japan and New Zealand, and silver in the United Kingdom.
South Korean music-show wins included three Inkigayo trophies (September 20, September 27, and October 4, 2020).
Awards and Year-End Lists
Nominations included Best Collaboration at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards, Music Video of 2020 at the People's Choice Awards, and Best K-Pop at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. It won Favorite Collaboration at the Weibo Starlight Awards.
Year-end critic lists that included the song: Billboard's 100 Best Songs of 2020 (74), Rolling Stone's 50 Best Songs of 2020 (13), and the Associated Press Top 10 Songs of the Year (10).
Frequently Asked Questions
When did BLACKPINK release "Ice Cream"?
August 28, 2020, as the second pre-release single from The Album.
Who is featured on "Ice Cream"?
Selena Gomez. It is billed as BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez, not a hidden feature.
Did Ariana Grande sing on the track?
No. She is a credited composer. Gomez is the featured vocalist.
Is "Ice Cream" on The Album?
Yes. It is part of the October 2, 2020, studio album after the two 2020 pre-release singles.
Why were Gomez and BLACKPINK not in the same video locations?
COVID-19 travel limits. BLACKPINK filmed in South Korea; Gomez filmed in the United States.
Where should I listen next?
The previous single is "How You Like That". The album title track is "Lovesick Girls". The full sequence is on the The Album page.