To celebrate the arrival of its 15th anniversary, the music streaming service Spotify – as if there could be another – released a list of the biggest artists and songs in the UK during the course of that decade and a half, and it’s official: the most streamed song of the past 15 years is The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.”
It’s a testament to the staying power of the song, which first saw release on September 29, 2003 and only made it as high as #10 on the UK Singles chart before promptly beginning its descent and dropping completely out of the top 20. Despite only just barely hitting the top 10, “Mr. Brightside” has subsequently managed to spend a startling 382 weeks within the Top 100, including six weeks in the top 40 and 130 weeks in the top 75.
The cover art for the Killers' single, "Mr. Brightside"
The video for the song was part of the reason that "Mr. Brightside" managed to maintain its success in the early months and years of its release. Directed by Sophie Muller, whose back catalog includes video by such artists as Eurythmics, Shakespears Sister, Bjork, Sparks, Weezer, No Doubt, and The Cure, among many others, "Mr. Brightside" features frontman Brandon Flowers in a love triangle with Izabella Miko and Eric Roberts.
“I love that video because, y’know, how many times do you get to play a pimp in your life and get to do it to the tune of rock ‘n’ roll music?” Roberts told Bullz-Eye in 2008. “I mean, Christ, it was so much fun. I had a great time doing it. Also, the director of that one... Aw, man, she’s just… She was just phenomenal, brother. What a babe. And what a director. I was so impressed with her, and I had so much fun. And she made a wonderful frigging video.”
If you're curious about how the rest of Spotify's anniversary lists played out, we can provide that information for you...and we've done so below.
Spotify Top 15 Artists from the UK by global streams:
1. Ed Sheeran
2. Coldplay
3. Dua Lipa
4. Calvin Harris
5. Queen
6. Sam Smith
7. Harry Styles
8. One Direction
9. Adele
10. The Beatles
11. Arctic Monkeys
12. Elton John
13. Ellie Goulding
14. James Arthur
15. Lewis Capaldi
The biggest tracks on Spotify by UK artists from the past 15 years by global streams:
1. Ed Sheeran - "Shape of You"
2. Lewis Capaldi - "Someone You Loved"
3. Glass Animals - "Heat Waves"
4. Harry Styles - "As It Was"
5. Ed Sheeran - "Perfect"
6. James Arthur - "Say You Won't Let Go"
7. Harry Styles - "Watermelon Sugar"
8. Dua Lipa - "Don’t Start Now"
9. Ed Sheeran - "Thinking out Loud"
10. Ed Sheeran - "Photograph"
11. Coldplay, The Chainsmokers - "Something Just Like This"
12. Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Remastered 2011
13. Passenger - "Let Her Go"
14. Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa - "One Kiss"
15. Dua Lipa - "New Rules"
The UK's 15 most streamed songs of the past 15 years on Spotify:
1. The Killers - "Mr Brightside"
2. Lewis Capaldi - "Someone You Loved"
3. Ed Sheeran - "Shape of You"
4. Drake, Kyla, Wizkid - "One Dance"
5. The Weeknd - "Blinding Lights"
6. Vance Joy - "Riptide"
7. Arctic Monkeys - "Do I Wanna Know?"
8. James Arthur - "Say You Won't Let Go"
9. Ed Sheeran - "Thinking out Loud"
10. 21 Savage, Post Malone - "Rockstar"
11. Hozier - "Take Me To Church"
12. Burna Boy, Dave - "Location"
13. Oasis - "Wonderwall"
14. George Ezra - "Shotgun"
15. French Montana, Swae Lee - "Unforgettable"
