Entertainment

Vevo unveils its most popular music videos of 2020

The music video hosting service said Little Mix were the most-watched musicians in the UK.
The music video hosting service said Little Mix were the most-watched musicians in the UK. The music video hosting service said Little Mix were the most-watched musicians in the UK.

Drake, Justin Bieber and The Weeknd had some of the UK’s most popular music videos of the last 12 months, Vevo said.

And a year like no other led to old favourites spiking in popularity, according to the music video hosting service.

Canadian megastar Drake had by far the most popular music video of 2020 in the UK, Vevo said, with more than 58 million views of his Life Is Good collaboration with fellow rapper Future.

Little Mix
Little Mix Little Mix were the most-watched group in the UK during 2020, according to music video provider Vevo (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Into The Unknown, a song by Idina Menzel from the Frozen 2 soundtrack, was a distant second, with just over 16.5 million views.

The Weeknd was third with Blinding Lights with 15.7 million views while the video for Rain On Me, a duet from Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, was fourth with 13.9 million views.

Drake completed the top five with the lockdown-inspired music video for Toosie Slide, with 13.2 million views.

Also in the top 10 were Bieber (Yummy), Doja Cat (Say So), Menzel and Evan Rachel Wood (Show Yourself, Frozen 2) and Lewis Capaldi (Before You Go).

Bieber rounded out the top 10 with his Intensions music video.

Despite not having a video in the top 10, Little Mix, now a three-piece following the departure of Jesy Nelson, were the overall most watched artists in the UK, Vevo said, with more than 90 million views.

Ariana Grande was second and Billie Eilish third.

Old favourites were given a boost by the tumultuous events of 2020, Vevo said.

The UK’s departure from the EU in January coincided with a 161% jump in views to 17,800 for Swedish rock band Europe’s 1986 hit The Final Countdown.

REM’s It’s The End Of The World saw a 2,719% lift in views after the World Health Organisation declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic in March.

And during the worldwide social justice protests in June, Childish Gambino’s politically charged music video for This Is America saw a 225% increase in monthly views, Vevo said.

Alan Price, Vevo’s chief executive, said: “In a year when the world grappled with a global pandemic and demanded social justice for all, music was a unifier. There’s no doubt, it’s a key part of our lives.”