Canadian music icon Abel Tesfaye, widely recognized as The Weeknd, has achieved a remarkable milestone in the music industry as his chart-topping single Blinding Lights has become the first track to exceed five billion streams on Spotify.
Spotify announced this incredible achievement in a post on its official Instagram account, which the artist later shared with his fans.
The song released in November 2019 as the second single from his After Hours album, Blinding Lights rapidly gained global acclaim, dominating the Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks and making history as the first song to stay in the top 10 of the chart for an entire year.
The song's lasting appeal earned it the distinction of Billboard’s Greatest Hot 100 Song of All Time in 2021, and it was recently recognized as the No. 1 track on Billboard’s list of the Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs of the 21st Century.
The Weeknd, reflecting on the song’s streaming triumph when it reached four billion plays earlier this year, expressed his gratitude for the deep connection his music has forged with fans around the world.
With this latest accomplishment, the artist solidifies his position as a leading figure in the streaming age, boasting an impressive 28 songs in Spotify’s exclusive Billions Club, more than any other artist.
