South Korean singer PSY’s famous song “Gangnam Style” was released on July 15, 2012, and quickly captured the attention of audiences around the world.
The song’s unique music video, horse-riding-style dance, and catchy tune made it an extraordinary global hit. “Gangnam Style” also became the first video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views.
Nearly 14 years later, the video’s view count has reached close to 6 billion, raising a major question: how much revenue has it generated?
In 2013, YouTube reportedly stated that “Gangnam Style” had generated more than $8 million in advertising revenue from around 1.2 billion views.
According to an international media report, an estimate based on artificial intelligence suggests that, considering its current number of views and typical advertising rates for music videos, the song’s rights holders have earned tens of millions of dollars from YouTube advertising alone over the years.
This estimate does not include revenue generated from parodies and the song’s use in other videos.
According to the report, determining YouTube earnings precisely is difficult because advertising rates vary depending on several factors. Total revenue may also include income from music sales, licensing, promotional deals, and other sources, in addition to YouTube advertising.
The Song’s Global Impact
“Gangnam Style” propelled South Korean singer PSY to worldwide fame and demonstrated that a song performed in a language other than English could achieve extraordinary success in the global mainstream music scene.
The song’s success also highlighted the growing importance of online views and digital audiences in the music industry. Following this shift, Billboard incorporated streaming and YouTube data into its chart methodology.
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