The Weeknd decided to pose with his Spotify Billion Club plaques—24, to be exact. Why? Because when you're the artist with the most billion-streamed songs in Spotify's history, you don't just pose; you flex like a Starboy. On December 17, 2024, Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd, celebrated this mind-blowing achievement at Spotify’s Billions Club Live event in Los Angeles.
The star-studded gathering of 2,000 fans and industry insiders felt more like the coronation of a streaming king. Plaques were handed out for megahits like Blinding Lights and Save Your Tears.
While The Weeknd basked in his billion-stream glory, fans online were busy doing what they do best: meme-ing their hearts out. Even Spotify took to X (formerly Twitter) to say: "blinded by his talent."
A user says: "Him and ariana are the male and female versions of each other."
"That's a lot of plaque for a dentist", a user humorously noted.
A user said: "Kesha could never."
A user thinks that this is a "proof that people have terrible taste in music."
Yet another user went on to say: "We thank autotune and Spotify gift baskets."
For some undisclosed reason, a user thinks the FBI should look into it.
A comment read: "Thank you for the plaque, now i can plaque my walls with plaques."
The Weeknd’s Spotify streams
This milestone puts The Weeknd leagues ahead of his contemporaries. With 24 billion streamed tracks, he’s outpaced Ariana Grande and Drake, both of whom have a “measly” 19 Billion Club entries.
As 2025 approaches, The Weeknd is teasing fans with promises of a new album and tours. He is also foraying into acting and producing, especially with HBO’s The Idol.
Streaming dynasty of The Weeknd
The story of The Weeknd’s glow-up began on March 21, 2011, when he released his first mixtape called House of Balloons. With critics obsessed and fans hooked, the project was a vibe, blending moody R&B and pop. Tracks like Wicked Games and High for This became instant anthems.
After that, he just doubled everything down. Later that same year, he dropped Thursday and Echoes of Silence. By then, The Weeknd was a star, and the world was craving for more of him.
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Jump forward to 2013, and the singer’s first full-length record, Kiss Land, entered the Billboard 200 chart at the second position. Returning in 2015 with Beauty Behind the Madness, the record that placed him on the map.
That same year, he hit a major flex moment: that of being the first artist to have the first three positions within Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart. Oh, and let’s not forget Earned It—the sultry track from Fifty Shades of Grey that was basically the cherry on top of his domination arc.
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