The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” Becomes First Song to Surpass 4 Billion Streams on Spotify – And What That Means For Its Massive Royalty Earnings

Since surpassing Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” over a year ago as Spotify’s most streamed track of all time, “Blinding Lights” has maintained its popularity. It remains one of only two songs by The Weeknd currently in Spotify’s top 10 most streamed songs – his 2016 hit “Starboy” has achieved nearly 2.5 billion streams at #6.

Financially, the song’s streaming success on Spotify alone translates to sizable royalties. Based on industry estimates, the estimated royalty earnings from its over 4 billion streams fall between $15.5-17.5 million for the sound recording. Publishing royalties could add another estimated $4.5 million.

While the precise amounts vary depending on calculations, Spotify is believed to pay around $0.003-$0.004 per stream. This means the record-breaking single has generated well over $20 million solely from Spotify streams for its copyright holders.

Of course, The Weeknd himself – also known by his birth name Abel Tesfaye – does not retain all profits. He shares songwriting credits and royalties with the four co-writers and two co-producers involved in the song’s creation. Ownership of the master recordings is held by The Weeknd’s label Republic Records, through which he likely receives the largest royalty share.

By celebrating annual streaming achievements through initiatives like Spotify Wrapped, which revealed Taylor Swift earned approx. $130 million from Spotify in 2023, streaming platforms provide valuable insights into blockbuster songs’ gigantic revenue flows. “Blinding Lights” stands out as the singular top earner in this realm.