[24] BigBang held their official debut on August 19, 2006, at Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul during the YG Family 10th Anniversary Concert, which was broadcast the following month.

Their second Korean studio album, Remember (2008), yielded the number one single, "Sunset Glow", a remake of the song of the same name by Lee Moon-se, released in 1988.

They reunited to collaborate with 2NE1, their label's new girl group who had been dubbed as "The Female BigBang" at the time,[54] for "Lollipop", a song used to promote a cell phone by LG Cyon.

[55] BigBang also released their third endorsement digital single "So Fresh, So Cool" to promote the beer brand "Hite", although Seungri was not in the commercial due to the fact he was not of drinking age.

[59] Kicking off the new year with the 2010 Big Show concert[60] at Olympics Gymnastics Arena,[61] BigBang flew to Japan to embark on their Electric Love Tour.

[76] After nearly two-year hiatus as a full group, BigBang returned to South Korea with their 2011 Big Show concert,[77] showcasing songs from the upcoming EP Tonight.

[83] After promotions for Tonight was finished, BigBang released a special edition album with two new tracks: the chart-topper "Love Song" and the top 3 "Stupid Liar".

[98] The album release coincided with their annual concert, Big Show 2012, held at Seoul Olympic Park Stadium from March 2–4 to a sold-out crowd of 40,000 fans.

"[121] In 2015, BigBang made their comeback by releasing special project singles for their album Made: M, A, D, and E.[122] The first single, M, released in May, included the two songs "Loser" and "Bae Bae", which debuted at number one and number two, respectively, on Billboard's World Digital Songs, making the quintet the first K-pop boy band to top the chart and the second Korean artist to occupy the top two slots simultaneously after labelmate Psy.

[174] "Flower Road" set a record in China, reaching over a million sales in 3 days and 14 hours, the shortest amount of time for a Korean artist.

[177] On March 11, 2019, Seungri announced his retirement from the entertainment industry due to scandals surrounding the Burning Sun nightclub, resulting in his departure from BigBang.

Japan once compared their early materials to that of American hip-hop artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, stating that their songs included "catchy vocals, [...] rap and characters".

Lead single "Blue" was distinguished for its "more interesting electronic samples and production techniques",[217] "Bad Boy" was described as a "nostalgic"[93] and "perfect pop song" that "transcends language",[218] and "Monster" was praised for its mournful vocals and orchestral sound.

[228] Justin McCurry from The Guardian stated, "Each of the five members has his own individual look, and their musical range is equally eclectic, covering R&B, hip-hop, house, electro and pop.

[231] The Chosun Ilbo explained that their "strong lead among idol groups" was a result of the quality of their music, noting that "whenever Big Bang promotes new songs, they want to introduce something new and tell us new stories.

[236][237] On the other hand, their song "Loser" attempted to "humanize the group" by discussing their flaws,[238] "Sober" talks about chasing one's dream,[239] and "Last Dance" is an ode to the band's time together.

[245] The group's use of props during performances—including "an abundance of pyrotechnics, streamers[,] confetti",[246] LED lights,[247] fog,[248] as well as digitalized "fire-breathing dragons and a rotor-spinning helicopter"[249]—has been well received by critics.

Their skinny jeans and Converse shoes trended widely in South Korea, and Taeyang received attention trading his cornrows for a faux hawk.

[260] In March 2012, Krista Mahr from Time magazine praised the group's concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul, describing them as "K-pop gods" for their stage presence.

[264] The Korea Times called BigBang "the icons of Korean pop [music]"[240] and stating that G-Dragon's rise to one of the most accomplished songwriters in K-pop "has inspired many young idol-wannabes to become singer-songwriters.

"[265] Yonhap News Agency noted that the group helped "spread K-pop as a cultural brand spanning the U.S., Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

"[266] In 2011, the BBC declared that "K-pop bands, including Big Bang, are making their mark around the world", specifically citing the group's contribution to YG Entertainment's economic growth.

[270] Jacques Peterson from The Sydney Morning Herald attributed BigBang's success to giving a "idiosyncratic twist" on genres that breaks the mould of the idol group formula.

"[272] Seoul-based entertainment journalist Mark James Russell praised the group for defying categorization, stating how "[o]f all the mainstream acts, they're doing the most to push boundaries of what is considered K-pop.

"[230] Los Angeles Times praised BigBang's constant sonic and image reinvention, calling the group as "one of the most inventive, aesthetically visionary acts in its genre.

[275] In 2016, they were chosen as ambassadors for the country's "Creative Korea" tourism campaign[276] and ranked second on Time magazine's reader polls for Most Influential People in the World, behind only American politician Bernie Sanders.

[278][15] BigBang was named one of the most influential artists of the Hallyu Wave by The Korea Herald and among the acts that best represent K-pop,[279] as well as the "Top Male Idol Group in the Past 20 Years" in The Dong-A Ilbo's survey of both the Korean public and music critics.

[223] BigBang's music has influenced numerous artists, including BTS,[289] Pixie Lott,[290] A*M*E,[291] Cho PD,[292][293] Got7,[294] Astro,[295] Teen Top,[296] Monsta X,[297] Chang Kiha,[298] SF9,[299] Victon,[300] Dynamic Duo,[301] Zion T.,[302] Sonamoo,[303] Topp Dogg,[304] Nu'est,[305] Mamamoo's Hwasa,[306] Loona's Vivi,[307] Secret Number's Jinny,[308] Block B's U-Kwon,[309] iKon,[310] Blackpink,[311] Sơn Tùng M-TP[312] and Grimes.

[313][314] Chinese boy band OkBang was specifically fashioned after BigBang and was described as having "many similarities to Big Bang in terms of musical style, wardrobe and hairstyles.

[342] Their first world tour set the record for highest ticket sales in Taiwan,[343] while their London shows gathered the largest crowd for a K-pop concert held in the UK.