These Classic Songs With Over A Billion Streams On Spotify Are Fueled By Guitars

YouTuber and producer Rick Beato has counted the only songs over 30 years old with a billion streams on Spotify in a new video, and almost all of them wouldn’t exist without guitars.

Spotify has over 300 songs that have reached over a billion streams, but only 17 of them are over 30 years old. The platform’s most streamed song is Ed Sheeran’s pop hit shape of youat 3.23 billion plays and the oldest song on the countdown of tracks over 30 years old is also the one with the most streams – Queen’s iconic 1975 hit Bohemian Rhapsodywhich has amassed a total of 1.97 billion games so far.

Anything but A-Ha’s take on me which is more synth based (although there is still some guitar action in the background) all rely on distorted guitars or funky basses. Check out the full list here:

1. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (1975)
2. Eagles – Hotel California (1976)
3. Fleetwood Mac- dreams (1977)
4. Queen – do not stop me now (1978)
5. Earth, Air and Fire – September (1978)
6. Queen – Another one biting the dust (1980)
7. AC DC – Back in black (1980)
8. Journey – Don’t Stop Believing (1981)
9. Toto– Africa (1982)
10. Michael Jackson- Billie John (1982)
11. Queen and David Bowie – Under pressure (1982)
12. The police – Every Breath You Take (1983)
13. A-Ha- take on me (1985)
14. Bon Jovi- live on a prayer (1986)
15. Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O Mine (1987)
16. AC DC – Stunned (1990)
17. Nirvana – Smells like Teen Spirit (1991)

If you fancy watching Beato’s full video countdown, you can do so below:

The rise of streaming services and the vinyl revival have had a huge impact on the music industry, and in particular on continuing the legacy and love of many iconic tracks from the 90s, 80s and beyond.

The pop culture impact has also seen the popularity of artists such as Kate Bush and Metallica (thanks, stranger things!) but also the use of TikTok has allowed younger generations to find classics like Earth Wind and Fire’s groove and Fleetwood Mac’s dreams. Even the recent stadium tour of Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe reportedly made a profit of $173.5 million in ticket sales, meaning the tour is now the biggest tour of either career. another band, proving that people still love the classics.