The Weeknd’s global hit “Blinding Lights” has become the first song in Spotify’s history to surpass five billion streams, the streaming platform announced on Sunday (31 August).
The milestone extends the song’s record-breaking legacy. Released in November 2019 as part of The Weeknd’s After Hours album, “Blinding Lights” spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the first track to stay in the chart’s top 10 for an entire year.
The track has also topped several all-time rankings. In November 2021, it overtook Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” to lead Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 chart. More recently, it was named No. 1 on Billboard’s list of the Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs of the 21st Century.
The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, reacted to the news by sharing Spotify’s announcement with his 78 million Instagram followers. The artist has previously described the success of the song as “humbling,” saying he is grateful listeners continue to return to it.
“Blinding Lights” also holds the record for being the first track to reach four billion streams on Spotify, a milestone it achieved in January 2024. It remains the most popular of The Weeknd’s 28 entries in Spotify’s “Billions Club,” the most by any artist on the platform.
