One billion views for Bohemian Rhapsody video is no fantasy
QUEEN’S 1975 hit Bohemian Rhapsody has become the first pre-nineties music video to get more than one billion hits on Youtube.
The video, which cost just £4,500 to make in only three hours, has beaten the 1987 Guns N’ Roses hit Sweet Child O’ Mine which has 965 million views and the 1985 single Take On Me by A-ha with 915 million.
It joins the ranks of more recent hits, including the most viewed music video ever, 2017’s Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, which has 6.3 billion views. British artist Ed Sheeran comes in second with his 2015 hit Shape of You on 4.3billion views.
Other songs in the top 10 include See You Again by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth, Justin Bieber’s Sorry and the infamous Baby Shark Dance.
Speaking yesterday after the announcement by Youtube, founding Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor issued a joint statement to celebrate the achievement. They said: “We are honoured that Bohemian Rhapsody has just hit one billion views on Youtube.
“We want to thank you all, and celebrate with our amazing fans all around the world by creating three new music videos to our songs, all featuring you.”
The founding members of Queen – which also included Freddie Mercury who died in 1991 and John Deacon – have launched a competition for fans to celebrate, with winners to star in new music videos for three of the band’s biggest hits: A Kind of Magic, Don’t Stop
Me Now and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Queen fans can also watch a newly restored video for Bohemian Rhapsody
on the band’s Youtube channel. Lyor Cohen, global head of music for Youtube, said: “Bohemian Rhapsody is a sonic and cinematic masterpiece that’s one of the most enduring songs of all time.
“The newly remastered video on Youtube will ensure the song continues to be rediscovered, embraced and beloved by old and new generations of music fans around the world.”
Celine Joshua, general manager of commercial, content and artist strategy at Universal Music Group, said: “We are thrilled that Queen’s iconic Bohemian Rhapsody video has reached a historic one billion views on Youtube.”