Spotify’s most-streamed song in 2020 should thank TikTok and lockdown
The prize for this year’s most-streamed song should really go to social media. That’s because the driving force that made The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” Spotify’s top song of 2020 was a viral dance challenge on TikTok.
As numerous countries went into lockdown in early 2020, the social media craze saw countless reluctant parents being dragged onto kitchen dance floors by toe-tapping and dabbing teens for a 15-second dance synchronized to the song’s punchy, 1980s-style synths.
In the course of the pandemic that saw families spending more time online and less outside, the #blindinglightschallenge racked up 450 million views on TikTok, hands down beating the 295 million views for the song’s official music video on YouTube.
Over on Spotify, the song picked up 1.6 billion streams this year, beating other hits like “The Box” by Roddy Ricch and “Dance Monkey” by Tones And I.
But despite writing the song many homes will come to associate with the pandemic, the Canadian singer came only fifth among the most-streamed artists on Spotify.
Ahead of The Weeknd, the most streamed artist among all Spotify users around the world is the Latin trap and reggaeton singer Bad Bunny from Puerto Rico, who collected more than 8.3 billion streams, according to Spotify’s annual review Wrapped.
With his record “YHLQMDLG” he also made this year’s most streamed album, which was streamed around 3.3 billion times.
American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish meanwhile claimed the title as the world’s most-streamed female artist for a second year in a row.
In keeping with the lifestyle changes during the pandemic, Spotify noted dramatic rises in the number of home-haircut, work-from-home and garden-themed playlists.
The audio streaming service Spotify, founded in Sweden in 2008, is the world’s largest music streaming service with more than 320 million users and a good 144 million paying subscribers in over 90 countries.
Most Streamed Songs Globally
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
“Dance Monkey” by Tones And I
“The Box” by Roddy Ricch
“Roses – Imanbek Remix” by Imanbek and SAINt JHN
“Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa
Most Streamed Artists Globally
Bad Bunny
Drake
J Balvin
Juice WRLD
The Weeknd
Most Streamed Female Artists Globally
Billie Eilish
Taylor Swift
Ariana Grande
Dua Lipa
Halsey
Most Streamed Albums Globally
YHLQMDLG, Bad Bunny
After Hours, The Weeknd
Hollywood’s Bleeding, Post Malone
Fine Line, Harry Styles
Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa
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