The Weeknd has set another record. His global smash Blinding Lights has become the first song in history to surpass five billion streams on Spotify.
Spotify executives confirmed the milestone on 31 August 2025, posting on Instagram:
“On August 31st, 2025, The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights became the first song to reach 5 billion streams on Spotify.”
The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, shared the announcement with his 78 million Instagram followers but chose not to add further comment.
An historic moment for streaming
Released in late 2019, Blinding Lights was the second single from The Weeknd’s 2020 album After Hours. With its synth-pop and new wave influences, the track quickly became one of the defining hits of the decade. It has held the title of Spotify’s most-streamed song of all time since 2023, and its latest milestone cements its place in streaming history.
For context, the closest challengers are Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You and The Weeknd’s own Starboy featuring Daft Punk, which complete Spotify’s all-time top three.
The Weeknd on Blinding Lights’ legacy
Earlier in 2024, when the track crossed four billion streams, The Weeknd told Billboard:
“I’ll never stop being humbled by anything I create making its way to millions of people let alone billions! I’m so thankful this song makes people feel a way that they keep going back to listen.”
That sense of humility now carries even greater weight, as Blinding Lights becomes the first track to reach five billion streams.
