Amongst the rush of new girl group debuts within the K-Pop industry, YG Entertainment�changed the standard with the debut of 2NE1 in 2009.� Of all the girl groups, I can confidently say that 2NE1 had the strongest debut and has stayed true to their sound throughout their career.� With the release of their latest album, 'Crush,' it seems fitting to cover the transformation of 2NE1 into the spearheads for K-pop's penetration into the Western music industry.

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A Hot Debut

The four members, CL, Bom, Dara, and Minzy, made their informal debut as a group through a commercial campaign for LG Electronics�their song,�"Lollipop," with Big Bang for the campaign was a huge hit. �The girls made a big splash with not only their sound (for me CL stood out as a rapper to be reckoned with), but also for their fashion as well (who could possibly overlook Dara's palm tree hair?). �It was evident that 2NE1 would bring a fresh sound to K-pop, making their official debut a highly anticipated event.�

2NE1 made their official debut with "Fire."� "Fire," produced by Teddy Park of 1TYM, highly contrasted the cute and/or sexy concepts of all other girl groups at the time. Rather than catering to male viewers, 2NE1 made a strong first impression with their badass swag and sense of female empowerment. �This new approach changed the game for future girl groups and the K-pop music industry. �

Continued Success

Following the success of "Fire," 2NE1 continued to release chart topper after chart topper. They established an unconventional digital hip-hop sound completely unique to the group. �What impressed me the most about the group was their ability to continue making progressive music while staying true to a sound where fans could listen and know, "Oh, this is 2NE1!"�

In my opinion, the next milestone hit for 2NE1 was�"I Am the Best." �Although there were many chart toppers between their debut to this point in their careers�including the 'Song of the Year' winner, "I Don't Care," and my personal favorite 2NE1 track, "Go Away,"�"I Am the Best" catapulted 2NE1 into a new level of success. �Not only was the production value of this song seemingly higher than those of their previous videos and artistically brilliant, but the sound was also catchy; in 2NE1 saying, "I am the best," with that level of confidence, they established themselves as truly being the best. �The track was heard�around the world in clubs and backtracks in popular shows, catching the eyes of famous producers and designers as well--this song solidified 2NE1's status as global idols.�

A more mature sound

After their unprecedented success in 2011, 2NE1 again killed the music scene with hits such as "I Love You." "I Love You" demonstrated a more mature sound, with each verse fitting the voice and personality of each member flawlessly. I believe this is one of 2NE1's strongest tracks, contrasting their hard/tough image with a more vulnerable sound.�

Although many fans complained that�"Falling in Love," (and their subsequent promotion�"Do You Love Me") were weaker than the previous songs, I really appreciated the sound of "Falling in Love." �Rarely do you hear reggae undertones in K-Pop music. This illustrates what appeals to me most about 2NE1--rather than focusing on commercial success, they aren't afraid to experiment with sounds and think outside of the box with their music, which is what makes them true artists. �

2NE1 came back strong last year with "Missing You," which swept the charts. "Missing You" was a beautiful song about heartbreak--they ditched their raps and showcased their vocal talent in this surreal-sounding track. �This, to me, stomped all predictions that 2NE1 had already hit their peak. �

Finally, we come to the present, with 2NE1 again topping charts with their newest album, 'Crush' including the all-kill single, "Come Back Home," which somehow manages to incorporate sounds that resemble reggae and EDM (not sure how that works, but it does...). �The music videos for�"Happy" and�"Come Back Home" were finally released on March 2, and they were well worth the wait.

"Happy" is a very light and fun song. �The video is very 2NE1-esque with bright wardrobes, crazy hair, and tons of positive energy--this was paired with graphics by the ever so talented Mina Kwon, taking the bubbly-ness of this song to a new level.

As for "Come Back Home," I thought this music video was done beautifully. �The analogy of the "virtual reality" mixed with the computer graphics recreating a "trip" experience aligned well with the tempo of the song. �And not only did the girls look fierce, rocking multiple hair-styles per usual, but through this video we were able to see a new artistic concept from the group. �

Many are saying that this is 2NE1's strongest album yet, and I'm looking forward to following their promotions!�

When it comes to fashion and music-style, 2NE1 truly is on their own level.� They are able to incorporate new genres of music into their own sound, yet remain strikingly consistent with their general sound, leading to the success of their tracks worldwide.� Unlike other groups it is difficult to say that 2NE1 has drastically changed since their debut�they have always stayed true to their individuality and their sound (their debut was that strong).� However, it is safe to say that 2NE1 has matured as a group, now composing their own music and, of course, experimenting with new fashion. 2NE1 pushes boundaries that other K-Pop artists don't dare cross, which has evidently paid off seeing the worldwide love that 2NE1 has received. As someone who has followed their growing success, I am extremely excited to see what more 2NE1 has in store for us!�

Which 2NE1 do you prefer, the one that brought the fire and I don't care attitude or the current one with a more mature sound? Vote in our poll below and share your opinions in the comments!

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