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The youtube stats for November Rain are just insane. 2 billion views? There are popular acts now that would kill for those kind of views. I wonder how many of them will still be getting these kind of stats in 30 years? I have always been curious though on why November Rain does even better than Sweet Child O Mine on youtube. Sweet Child was much bigger in it's initial release and does much better than November Rain on Spotify.
I remember there being a bit of a furore about the track back in 91/92. I recall it being referred to as their Stairway to Heaven, due to it's length, epic nature and extended guitar solo. The video was quite talked about too, which I think they spent a preposterous amount on.
As to it's Youtube popularity, maybe the actual video has it's own popularity. While not exactly the same or on the same scale, I'd imagine a lot views for The Prodigys Smack My Bitch Up is to see the video, not so much to hear the song. Maybe NR also experiences this, only to a far greater extent.
That's true, it's still referred to in those terms to this day. But it's popularity endures (just like Stairway).
There's plenty of similar cases, Aerosmith's Crazy being their most viewed video while it's only their 5th most streamed song...etc., music videos aren't just about music.
True, take The Beatles. At face value it seems crazy that Don't Let Me Down, their 29th most popular track on Spotify, is their most viewed video/track on Youtube. IMO it's clearly the event and the live footage of it, the legendary and iconic Apple Records roof top concert, by the band, that's actually getting the views.
The song was featured in the Thor film. That soundtrack boost from Marvel is huge nowadays.
While I agree with you, that a song in a Marvel film helps give it a boost, November Rain has been one of the most streamed videos on YouTube for years, way prior to its inclusion in Thor.
It’s definitely because of the video.
It’s not that Sweet Child O Mine’s video isn’t good, interesting or entertaining, but November Rain’s music video, besides having a big budget/production, which means really good special effects/cinematography, it tells a whole story like it was a movie, and it’s also, as it shows at the end of the video, based on the short story “Without You”, by Del James, from his book “The Language Of Fear”.
Also, the song itself it’s arguably Axl Rose’s Magnum Opus, it was written before Guns N’ Roses even existed, and it was obviously expected that someone as perfectionist as him would use whatever was within his power (money, and a band full of talented musicians) to make the song a total success, and by the time he finally decided to share his beloved song with the whole world, he already had both.
Its success and popularity it’s very well deserved 🤘🏻💙
