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The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' becomes first song to pass 4 billion Spotify streams

The Weeknd is setting records on Spotify once again with "Blinding Lights." The Toronto superstar's 2019 hit single became the first song to cross the milestone of four billion plays when the streaming service updated its figures on Friday.
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The Weeknd performs in Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Weeknd is setting records on Spotify once again with "Blinding Lights."

The Toronto superstar's 2019 hit single became the first song to cross the milestone of four billion plays when the streaming service updated its figures on Friday.

It's the latest benchmark achieved by the hitmaker's track, which sped past Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" as Spotify's most-streamed song a year ago.

A Spotify representative says "Blinding Lights" was also the most streamed song on the service in 2020 when it peaked at No. 1 in more than 30 countries. 

"Blinding Lights" is one of two Weeknd songs within the leading streaming music platform's Top 10 most-played list.

His 2016 single "Starboy" holds at No. 6 with nearly three billion streams, almost neck-and-neck with “Dance Monkey” by Australia’s Tones and I.

The Weeknd also continues to be Spotify's top artist with 113 million monthly listeners, according to the service's most recent numbers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2024.

David Friend, The Canadian Press