JENNIE Earns Ruby NME Recognition Among 2025 Best Albums

Among the best albums of 2025, NME officially selected Ruby by JENNIE, praising its bold creativity and originality. NME also highlighted “Zen” as a standout track that showcases JENNIE’s strong artistic direction. This selection, along with praise from Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Complex, raised JENNIE’s global recognition as a solo artist.

Ruby Earns JENNIE a Place on Global Best Albums Lists

JENNIE’s first full-length solo album Ruby continues to secure spots on prestigious lists of the best albums of 2025. On June 26 (local time), British music magazine NME published its mid-year roundup of top albums on its official website. In that list, Ruby was featured as one of the standout releases of the year so far, and this recognition came as part of growing international praise for JENNIE’s ambitious solo project. The feature marked another significant moment in her journey as an artist evolving beyond group boundaries.

JENNIE Gains Praise from NME as Ruby Joins Best Albums List

In its review, NME described Ruby as “bold and original,” commending its creative direction and fearless sound. The magazine added that JENNIE had “seized her own mythology with startling clarity,” praising how personal and distinct the album feels. Among the tracks, NME singled out “Zen” as a highlight that captures the essence of JENNIE’s new musical identity, and their write-up positioned Ruby not just as a good K-pop album, but as a significant global release with artistic weight. This sentiment reflects how international critics now view JENNIE as a soloist capable of shaping her own legacy.

JENNIE Gains Recognition as Ruby Becomes a Best Albums Milestone

JENNIE’s work on Ruby received similar praise from major American outlets such as Rolling Stone, Complex, and Billboard. She stood out as the only K-pop artist to appear on all three lists of the best albums of 2025, and these publications acknowledged her growth as an artist and her ability to deliver a cohesive, impactful solo record. For JENNIE, this marked a milestone that proved she could hold her own on the world stage, and the critical reception showed that Ruby successfully expanded her artistry beyond expectations.

Ruby Showcases JENNIE’s Creative Direction and Musical Versatility

JENNIE personally produced the album, crafting its concept, sound, and message from start to finish. With this project, she aimed to express her identity while pushing her musical boundaries with confidence. The album features 15 tracks, covering a wide range of genres and emotional tones, and starting with the title track “like JENNIE,” it includes standout songs such as “Love Hangover” (feat. Dominic Fike), “Mantra,” and “ExtraL.” Listeners praised the album’s variety, noting that every track feels distinct yet tied together in one cohesive vision.

Fans Celebrate Ruby as a Rare Album with No Skippable Tracks

JENNIE made K-pop history with Ruby, breaking multiple records for female soloists. She sold 661,130 copies in her first week, the highest debut for any female K-pop solo artist in 2025, and also became the first to place three songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 as a soloist. Korean online community theqoo quickly picked up the news, sparking waves of congratulatory posts, and fans shared that they kept the album on repeat, calling every track a must-listen. They especially appreciated how Ruby never feels boring, thanks to its genre diversity and polished execution, and many expressed pride that the album was recognized not only by NME, but also by Rolling Stone, Complex, and Billboard.

Rolling Stone Honors JENNIE as New Face of Global K-pop

Rolling Stone named JENNIE’s Ruby a defining and standout album of 2025, elevating her global artistic standing. Her bold creative direction and impressive chart success helped expand K-pop’s image on the international music stage.

Here’s a link to theqoo.

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