Streaming Part 6
Stiff Upper Lip kept their 90’s momentum going into the new millennium, with 32,000 EAS actually topping its predecessor. The title track has over 10 million Spotify streams and all the others top 1 million.
Even so, it seemed the 2008 album Black Ice was yet another comeback album for the Classic Rock titans. Peaking at #1 in 29 countries, including their first US #1 in 27 years, this album firmly put AC/DC back on the map. Streaming platforms show it is not forgotten either. Approaching 25 million on Spotify, Rock ‘N Roll Train alone almost equals the total of the Stiff Upper Lip album. War Machine is also strong at 13 million, and two more tracks top 7 million. On Youtube it’s even bigger. Beginning your live show with a full size locomotive bursting on stage to the sound of Rock ‘N Roll Train will give you a few extra views – and almost 100,000 EAS.
At first glance it seems Rock or Bust is an even bigger album than Black Ice on Spotify. At 26 million Rock or Bust edges Rock ‘N Roll Train as their biggest song since Thunderstruck on that platform. However, Rock or Bust benefits from being released in the streaming era. It was released in November 2014, just 7 months before AC/DC first became available on Spotify (June 30th 2015). During the past two months the Rock or Bust total has increased by just 5.8% on Spotify (the least of all their albums), while the Black Ice total has increased by 8,9% (a catagory led by FOTW and DDDDC both above 11%). With that in mind, 100,000 EAS is not as impressive but no disappointment either.
Rock ‘N Roll Train has gained over 2.6 million streams in the past two months (over twice as many as the song Rock or Bust). This makes it not only their biggest song since Thunderstruck, but their 10th biggest song ever! Not bad four decades into their career!
Today AC/DC’S classic song “Back in Black” became their first to pass 1 Billion plays on Spotify (1.000.087.000)!
The track is now 1 of 16 pre-2000 tracks to pass that threshold.
The next in line are likely AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” (962.2M) and Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” (961.4M). “Thunderstruck” is also well on it’s way to make it 3 for AC/DC (919.2M).
Leading track is Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with 1859.2M. So far Queen is the only act with multiple tracks on the list. They have 4 (Bo Rhap, Don’t Stop Me Now, Another One Bites & Under Pressure).
Not that Rumours is not insanely popular anyway, but Dreams has went crazy, since that Tik Tok guy on the skateboard.
I’ve not really been following the pre 2000 songs much of late, will AC/DC have 3 over 1B, before anybody else has 2?
Yes they will. Besides Queen of course. They already have 4.
Yeah, that’s what I meant, excluding Queen.
After AC/DC next in line to have 2 pre 2000 songs over 1B are the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Under the Bridge 908.1M
Californication 895.1M
And then Nirvana’s 2nd song is Come as You Are with 835.7M.
Of course by then Queen are gonna have 5 songs top 1B!
We Will Rock You 887.2M
Californication was released in the summer of 2000 though, the album is from 1999 but I think the most important thing is when did these songs became famous.
About AC/DC, let’s not forget that they arrived late on Spotify (2015), if not Highway To Hell would’ve probably reach 1B already, and Thunderstruck would be very close.
Californication was indeed released as the 4th single from the album in may 2000. But the album, and first 3 singles, were released in 1999. The album debuted and peaked at #3 in June 1999. Therefore I consider all it’s songs released pre-2000. However, it is possible the song benefitted from being fairly recent when Spotify began. I have a list of top pre-2000 songs dated feb. 2018 on which Californication rank as #10. 4 years later (jan. 2022) it’s down to #25. So it’s popularity is fading somewhat compared to the other oldies on the list. But the same… Read more »
Yeah it’s possible that Under The Bridge’s popularity is partly explained by the Chilis’ massive success during the 1999-2006 period, so even though the song is from 1991 its trajectory might be closer to a song from 2000 or so.
Btw I truly have no idea why my post got so many downvotes… I’m gonna assume there’s some weirdo out there with fake accounts who doesn’t like me 😆
Today “Hells Bells” passed 250M plays on Spotify (250.142M). That’s a big threshold for any song, any song that old anyway (1980). But it’s also the 3rd song from “Back in Black” to reach this mark. That’s big for a catalog album, but not unheard of. I know of 15 other pre-2000 albums reaching that. “Hells Bells” always kinda went toe-to-toe with “Shoot to Thrill” though, also from BIB. And sure enough, that one stands at 249.614M plays and will become the 4th song from BIB above 250M in just a few days! THIS is rare as just one other… Read more »