Lorde’s Debut Single ‘Royals’ Hits a Milestone with Over a Billion Views on YouTube
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Lorde’s iconic music video has officially joined YouTube’s esteemed Billion Views Club.
The video for Lorde’s debut single “Royals” has reached a milestone of 1 billion views on YouTube, marking the first time the New Zealand artist’s work has achieved such a significant number.
“Royals” serves as the lead single from Lorde’s 2013 debut album, Pure Heroine, which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks. This success made Lorde, at just 16 years old, the youngest artist to reach the top of the charts since Tiffany in 1987 with “I Think We’re Alone Now.” The song garnered Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance, winning in the latter two categories. Following “Royals,” Pure Heroine, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, produced three additional Hot 100 hits: “Team” (No. 6), “Tennis Court” (No. 71), and “Glory and Gore” (No. 68). Over the years, Lorde has released three more top five albums, including her chart-topping sophomore album, Melodrama.
All four of Lorde’s studio albums have been released under a contract established with Universal Music Group when she was just 12 years old. On March 18, she announced that her label contract expired last year, expressing her excitement for a new beginning with a “clean slate.”
“I feel a feeling of openness and possibility, and I’m inspired,” she shared in a series of voice notes to her fans. “It just feels exciting to have removed the container or something for a second.”
As anticipation builds for what Lorde will create next, fans can revisit the “Royals” video below.
