'Gangnam Style' officially most viewed video on YouTube
The music video for “Gangnam Style”, a song by South Korean artist Psy, has become the most viewed YouTube video of all time.
The video, which now has over 816 million views since being uploaded in July, became the most watched after overtaking the music video for “Baby”, a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber, which was placed on YouTube in 2010.
With approximately 5.4 million likes, “Gangnam Style” is the most liked YouTube video ever, as recognised by Guinness World Records. The video has averaged approximately six million daily views since its upload.
Guinness World Records previously said about the video: “In years past it was unthinkable that something would be viewed a hundred million times, and now Gangnam Style has achieved more than twice this figure in just three months on YouTube.” Should its daily view count average rate continue, “Gangnam Style” could potentially pass one billion views by the start of 2013.
“Gangnam Style” satirises consumerist aspects of the Gangnam District of Seoul, the South Korean capital. The music video has influenced numerous parody versions, including one called “Mitt Romney Style”, which was created in the run-up to the 2012 United States presidential election.
Park Jae-Sang, Psy’s actual name, said “Gangnam Style” “never targeted foreign countries. It was for local fans”. He said his intention “was to look uncool” in the music video “until the end. I achieved it.”
The song has reached number one on music charts in about 30 countries. Its popularity has extended as far as US President Barack Obama; and Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who can be seen performing one of the dance moves to the song in the video above.
Psy has now signed with The Island Def Jam Music Group, a record label representing such acts as Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber.
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