Psy Sets Guinness Record for Most YouTube Likes
Lord of Likes: Psy is now officially the most liked performer in YouTube history.
As Psy’s original Gangnam Style video neared 250 million views on YouTube, on September 20 the Guinness Book of World Records recognized the video as having set a new record for the most ′likes′ on the internet’s top video-sharing site.
The “Gangnam Style” video has amassed 2,141,728 likes since it was first uploaded on July 15, according to Guinness World Records. The video has surpassed the likes logged by LMFAO′s Party Rock Anthem (1,574,963), Justin Bieber′s Baby (1,327,147) and Adele′s Rolling In the Deep (1,245,641).
As of Saturday evening, the video had been viewed 248 million times in just two months and six days. It has a way to go to match the record of 650 million set by Justin Bieber’s “Baby”, but may well surpass that mark given time. “Gangnam Style” is currently racking up views at a faster rate than the 94 million per month being amassed by all of Justin Bieber’s videos combined. Bieber is the most viewed artist on YouTube with over 2 billion cumulative views.
The Korean rapper’s global popularity is all the more remarkable because it is based entirely on “Gangnam Style”, the only song known to most of his fans outside Korea.
During the past week, however, “Gangnam Style” has topped the iTunes singles chart and shows no sign of fading, especially in light of the steady stream of high-profile appearances Psy has been making on popular TV shows like Ellen DeGeneres (twice), Saturday Night Live, Today Show and the MTV Video Music Awards show. By contrast, Justin Bieber’s top current hit is at number 8, with another one just inside the top 100.
Psy has expressed an interest in hitting the American road to give a series of concerts like the ones he had once performed in his native Korea, according to an interview he gave Billboard backstage the iHeartRadio Music festival Friday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. In the interview Psy also expressed his desire to have his new fans know that he writes his songs as well as perform them.
The Guinness committee noted that it has prepared a document certifying Psy’s record for most YouTube likes and that he is free to pick it up any time he wants.
Psy made two appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in one week as his popularity surged to a world record on the strength of the single “Gangnam Style”.