Avicii’s ‘Wake Me Up’ hits 1 billion YouTube plays
Back in 2013, Avicii took to Ultra’s Main Stage to debut his country-tinged single, “Wake Me Up.” The response was expectedly polarizing, with many dance fans — ourselves included — scoffing at the audacious blending of genres. Avicii has certainly received the last laugh, however, as the crossover single has now reached the sacred 1 billion plays mark on YouTube, cementing “Wake Me Up” as his biggest single to date. “Levels,” for reference, which became a veritable phenomenon in its own right, boasts only 230 million YouTube plays.
“Wake Me Up” joins a small, elite cast of electronic tracks to surpass the 1 billion mark on YouTube. Major Lazer and DJ Snake’s “Lean On” reached the milestone back in January, while LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” — which we hesitate to even include in the same category — sits at 1.1 billion plays. Then, of course, there’s the anomaly of PSY’s “Gangnam Style,” which boasts 2.6 billion YouTube plays.
Ultimately, the milestone speaks to the global popularity of Avicii. While he may have fallen out of fashion with many long-time dance fans, his international appeal is undeniable.
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