JJ’s Streams Of Statistics, Volume 5: The 21st Century Billions Streaming Club

Welcome back to Part Two, as I round up the 21st Century:

When the Billions Club really takes off.

1. Coldplay – “Yellow” = 2,820,337,474
2. Coldplay – “Viva La Vida” = 2,576,258,265
3. Eminem – “Without Me” = 2,508,185,022
4. The Killers – “Mr Brightside” = 2,496,834,195
5. Eminem – “Lose Yourself” = 2,459,454,254
6. Linkin Park – “In The End” = 2,435,774,654
7. Coldplay – “The Scientist” = 2,197,797,930
8. Eminem – “Til I Collapse” = 2,156,004,356
9. Linkin Park – “Numb” = 2,103,010,921
10. Eminem – “The Real Slim Shady” = 2,073,591,768
11. Arctic Monkeys – “505” = 2,052,095,504
12. Jason Mraz – “I’m Yours” = 2,047,017,229
13. Eminem – “Mockingbird” = 1,997,709,391
14. Shakira – “Hips Don’t Lie” = 1,938,748,507
15. Keane – “Somewhere Only We Know” = 1,874,922,549
16. White Stripes – “7 Nation Army” = 1,865,260,016
17. Miley Cyrus – “Party In The USA” = 1,795,392,048
18. Rihanna – “Umbrella” = 1,766,866,232
19. Train – “Hey Soul Sister” = 1,760,720,881
20. 50 Cent – “In Da Club” = 1,728,929,843

Based on the Top 10, it’s the decade that variation forgot.

The top 20 gives the impression guitars were still prominent but the full picture shows a shift away had begun.

• The dominance of Coldplay and Eminem is even more pronounced, both with 12 entries, stretching into the 2020s.

• At the emo end, Linkin Park appear four times (“What I’ve Done” and the Jay Z assisted version of “Numb” round out their entires), Papa Roach (“Last Resort”) and My Chemical Romance (“Teenagers”).

• Having doubled up with 1986’s “Living On A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name,” Bon Jovi make a surprise late appearance with 2000s “It’s My Life.” It’s popularity given a recent boost from the November 2024 Pitbull collaboration.

As guitars are eased aside, rap and R&B make big strides.

• Aside from Eminem there’s Outkast (“Hey Ya” and “Ms. Jackson”), Jay-Z alongside Alicia Keys, 50 Cent (“In Da Club” and “Candy Shop”), Kanye (“Heartless,” “Stronger,” “Flashing Lights” and “Gold Digger” with another three to come from the 10s)

• Lady Gaga (“Bad Romance,” “Just Dance” and “Poker Face”) and Katy Perry (“I Kissed A Girl” and “Hot And Cold”) represent the big pop song. Both go onto have seven Billion Club entries and based on current career trajectories it’s possible Gaga will add more.

---

1. The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” = 4,700,421,613
2. Ed Sheeran – “Shape Of You” = 4,215,892,939
3. Lewis Capaldi – “Somebody You Loved” = 3,791,626,183
4. The Weeknd ft Daft Punk – “Starboy” = 3,734,640,768
5. Post Malone – “Sunflower” = 3,702,131,756
6. The Neighbourhood – “Sweater Weather” = 3,563,213,232
7. Drake – “One Dance” = 3,523,971,956
8. Imagine Dragons – “Believer” = 3,322,639,628
9. Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” = 3,289,262,405
10. Billie Eilish ft Khalid – “Lovely” = 3,188,278,740
11. James Arthur – “Say You Won’t Let Go” = 3,164,198,612
12. Chainsmokers ft Halsey – “Closer” = 3,142,176,897
13. Post Malone ft 21 Savage – “Rockstar” = 3,116,251,408
14. Chainsmokers ft Coldplay – “Something Just Like This” = 3,006,176,897
15. Vance Joy – “Riptide” = 2,963,936,767
16. Shawn Mendes – “Senorita” = 2,941,559,784
17. Harry Styles – “Watermelon Sugar High” = 2,935,164,482
18. Hozier – “Take Me To Church” = 2,896,935,557
19. Tom Odell – “Another Love” = 2,879,330,920
20. Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now” = 2,843,760,995

The top 10 offers a lot more variety than the 00s. But a select number of acts came to the fore in this decade joining Coldplay and Eminem as repeat offenders.

Its also the decade that non-English language songs made a real impact.

The Billions Club covers the whole world with every continent represented (excluding Antarctica: Despite what Happy Feet would have you believe, penguins are not all round entertainers singing and dancing their way through the extreme conditions) but even those whose first language isn’t English tended to find success in that language.

The 2010s upended that.

• They aren’t in the decade top 20 but Bad Bunny, XXXTenacion, Karol G, J Balvin, Daddy Yankee and others have challenged the English language supremacy.

• Then there’s the not at all French sounding Patrick Watson (he’s Québécois) whose “Je Te Laisserrai Des Mots” is the biggest French language song on streaming. It’s also an example of the power of going viral.

What did was Covid, and the human desire to find songs to provide emotional heft to their feelings. In 2021 its downbeat beauty was picked up by Tik Tok users to complement their sadness.

• On a more upbeat note, dance music and a host of DJs took control with Calvin Harris, David Guetta and The Chainsmokers being the most prominent.

Alternative / Rock is in the minority by this stage with some notable exceptions.

• I’ve barely heard of The Neighbourhood but they’re in the decade top 10 and have two more besides (“Daddy Issues” and “Soft Core”). Dave Grohl makes it back with Foo Fighters; Everlong, 20 years after “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

• “I Wanna Be Yours” by Arctic Monkeys, an album track from AM is their top streaming song. One of four tracks from that album to join the club. It’s an unlikely winner, the lyrics adapted from a poem by punk poet; John Cooper Clark. That along with “505” from their debut album are present thanks to being picked up through TikTok.

• Showing that there is still room for allsorts, we also have indie folk from Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met” and The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey” & “Ophelia.”

---

1. Harry Styles – “As It Was” = 3,755,625,510
2. Kid Laroi ft Justin Bieber – “Stay” = 3,458,730,488
3. Glass Animals – “Heatwaves” = 3,287,218,009
4. 24k Goldn ft Ian Dorr – “Mood” = 2,916,296,780
5. Taylor Swift – “Cruel Summer” = 2,756,085,179
6. Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” = 2,422,621,795
7. Olivia Rodrigo – “Drivers Licence” = 2,401,202,152
8. Olivia Rodrigo – “Good 4 U” = 2,357,759,122
9. SZA – “Kill Bill” = 2,356,417,802
10. Elton John and Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (Pnau remix)” = 2,279,368,201
11. Dua Lipa ft DaBaby – “Levitating” = 2,259,959,983
12. Jung Kook – “Seven” = 2,205,747,726
13. Lil Nas X – “Industry Baby” = 2,125,688,967
14. Lewis Capaldi – “Before You Go” = 2,118,130,544
15. Roddy Ricch – “The Box” = 2,097,753,314
16. Manuel Turizo – “La Bachata” = 2,056,748,471
17. Adele – “Easy On Me” = 2,036,878,170
18. Billie Eilish – “Birds Of A Feather” = 2,033,378,841
19. Doja Cat ft SZA – “Kiss Me More” = 2,031,797,43
20. Lil Nas X – “Montero” = 2,024,802,934

As we’re only at the half way mark for the 20s the stories and trends for the decade have still to take shape and develop.

• “As It Was” is the fourth biggest song ever at the time of writing, having got there in a shorter time than the songs ahead.

• Its within 36m of Lewis Capaldi and at current trajectory may well beat him to become the third track into the 4bn club.

• Olivia Rodrigo has the unmatched feat of scoring seven entries from one album, her debut; Sour. I can’t say follow up Guts has underperformed but so far its only generated one more entry. Still plenty of time for her to add more.

The big hitters of the 10s are still generating new additions to the club without being as prolific.

• Elton John returns after a 40 year absence, hitching himself to one of the most prolific billionaires of the last 10 years. Dua Lipa has twelve entries to the club since 2017. From “Rocket Man” in 1972 to “Cold Heart” in 2023 he has the longest span of any act. For good measure he also features with “I’m Still Standing.

• I’ve already touched on TikTok’s ability to drive popularity but that was with acts already world famous. It’s reach is further apparent elsewhere in the Billions Club, doing the same for acts who are far from household names.

• There’s Dhruv, a citizen of the world:

Not much happened until 2021 when it went viral on TikTok leading to being signed by a major label.

• Or there’s Elley Duhé who released Not Fit For Society in 2020 and went the other way from Dhruv. It was released by a major label and having missed the charts she was dropped. It found a home on TikTok a couple of years later propelling it to the Billions Club while her profile remains under the radar.

• Tom Odell has really supercharged the TikTok effect. “Another Love” was a hit across Europe in 2013 but missed the US charts completely.

it soundtracked a deluge of emotional videos on social media. In the three years since it has gone from nowhere to just under 3bn plays and the 23rd most played song ever.

Lastly, these are the big hitters of the Billions Club:

All of the acts to have reached double figures in terms of songs, counting both lead artist and featured credits.

1- The Weeknd = 26
2- Bad Bunny = 21
3- Drake = 20
4- Ariana Grande = 19
5/6 – Justin Bieber / Bruno Mars = 17
7 –Rihanna = 16
8 – Taylor Swift = 14
9- Billie Eilish = 13
10-14 – Coldplay / Dua Lipa / Ed Sheeran / Eminem / Post Malone = 12
15-16) Calvin Harris / Maroon 5 = 11
17- XXXTenacion = 10

• The Weeknd doubles up on biggest song and most songs.

• Taylor Swift hasn’t been too hampered by her self imposed mid 10s Spotify boycott.

STOP PRESS:
It’s been a month since I collated the figures and as I finish writing the membership of the Billions Club has increased from 882 to 906.

Notable new additions joining for the first time are;

• Pink Floyd – “Another Brick In The Wall Pt 2”
• NSYNC – “Bye Bye Bye”
• Men At Work – “Down Under”

While Elton extends his timespan past 50 years: with new entry, “Your Song”.

The music never stops.

---

---

Views: 80