Sheeran’s Shape of You streamed a billion times

There is a strong chance that many among you were part of the billions from all over the world who streamed Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You these past months. The streaming site Spotify recently came up with its list of the most streamed songs ever and the winner is the trendy Shape Of You with a huge 1,327,618,730 streams.

It is a fact. Song streaming nowadays can reach billions of times. If there was a time when all that a hit record needs is to sell 500,000 copies to be proclaimed Gold and if a million copies can make a Platinum seller, the benchmark to be attained now is billions of streams on Spotify. Please note that it was also Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud that became the first recording to make it to 500 million streams on Oct. 12, 2015, after only 153 days in the site.

Can you just imagine how many times Shape Of You had been listened to since it came out early this year? And those billions are just on Spotify. Aside from other streaming and downloading sites, there were also people who bought the album titled Divide and those who listened to the radio or watched the video, or enjoyed it on other platforms or devices or even live. Thanks to technology, this is how popular or how monumental a hit song can be in this modern age.

Shape Of You was the first tune out of Divide and my first thought when I heard it was that there was no way this single would tank. It was an instant pleaser and easily made No. 1 in all the hit charts. I loved the electro-pop setting propped up by a Caribbean loop. Besides, you have to remember that Sheeran at the time had just come out of the big sellers Photograph and Thinking Out Loud. There was no way he could do any wrong and from the way Shape of You turned out, he did not.

There are other great songs in Divide which is Sheeran’s third album release in six years. Aside from Shape Of You, my top favorites are the nostalgic Castle On The Hill and the killer love song, How Would You Feel (Paean) featuring John Mayer on solo guitar. Also included are Eraser, Dive, Perfect, Galway Girl, Happier, New Man, Hearts Don’t Break Around Here, What Do I Know? and Supermarket Flowers. If what you have is the deluxe copy, then you also have Barcelona, Bibia Be Ye Ye, Nancy Mulligan and Save Myself.

Here now are the Top 20 songs of all time on Spotify’s latest streaming chart. Sheeran is in No. 1 but it is really Justin Bieber who is the top guy because he is in six out of the 20 songs either as a soloist or featured artist.

I can just imagine what a sing-along fest his coming concert will be when he gets to the Shape Of You part. Reminder please for Sheeran’s fans. AEG and Ovation Productions are bringing in Sheeran for a one-night-only show. The red-headed troubadour with the shy “awshucks” appeal will be in Manila on Nov. 7 to perform at the Mall of Asia (MOA) concert grounds. So time now to brush up on those Sheeran songs to be ready to pipe up at the MOA.

Shape Of You by Sheeran; One Dance by Drake feat. Wizkid and Kyla (1,319,798,717); Closer by The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey (1,118,530,320); Lean On by Major Lazer and DJ Snake feat. MO (1,037,020,638); Sorry by Justin Bieber (975,321,715); Thinking Out Loud also by Sheeran (944,187,938); Love Yourself again by Bieber (942,589,690); Don’t Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers feat. Daya (914,062,709); I Took A Pill In Ibiza by Mike Posner (911,222,586); What Do You Mean? also by Bieber (855,955,390).

Despacito by Luis Ponsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Bieber (850,929,235); Let Me Love You by DJ Snake again feat. Bieber (834,598,268); Starboy by The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk (825,262,816); Cold Water by Major Lazer feat. Bieber again and Mo (825,116,854); Cheerleader: Felex Jaehn Remix, OMI (787,402,455); Cheap Thrills by Sia (786,611,601); Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars (763,102,667); Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots (761,081,977); Seven Years by Lukas Graham (756,188,541); and I Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd (742,086,191).