Did you know who has won the Guinness World Record for most Monthly Listeners on Spotify?

Guinness World Records has declared The Weeknd the most popular artist globally. The Canadian singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has earned two new Guinness World Records titles. He has become the artist with the most monthly listeners on Spotify, with a massive 111.4 million listeners as of March 20. Additionally, he has become the first artist on the streaming platform to reach 100 million monthly listeners.

The Weeknd surpasses Miley Cyrus and Shakira on Spotify

The Weeknd has surpassed other popular artists like Miley Cyrus, Shakira, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Ed Sheeran in monthly listeners. As of writing, Miley Cyrus ranked second with 82.4 million monthly listeners, while Shakira came in third with 81.6 million monthly listeners. Cyrus falls short of The Weeknd's monthly listener count by almost 30 million.

Another 1 Ari ⭐️???? pic.twitter.com/e4q98RdRRi

— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) March 6, 2023

Blinding Lights singer’s popularity on Spotify is attributed to his music's ability to connect with audiences worldwide. The Weeknd's ranking comes after his "Die For You" remix with Ariana Grade went viral on TikTok and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track has become popular among TikTok users, and the song is frequently used as a sound on the app.

New HBO series "The Idol" makes headlines

The Weeknd is not only a music sensation but also a multi-talented artist. He recently made headlines with his new HBO series, The Idol. The show has created a buzz after facing criticism from the music magazine Rolling Stone. However, the 33-year-old Canadian musician defended the series, and HBO has denied the claims made in the article.

Rolling Stone magazine claimed that the series had "gone wildly, disgustingly off the rails." To this, The Weeknd responded by sharing a clip from the series on his social media. In the clip, his character, a cult leader and self-help guru named Tedros, slams Rolling Stone magazine for being "irrelevant." In the caption, he wrote, "@rollingstone did we upset you?"

HBO denies claims made about "The Idol" in a Rolling Stone article

HBO has also denied the claims made in the article, releasing a statement to Entertainment Tonight. The network rejected the article's claims about why the show's original director, Amy Seimetz, left the series, why several episodes were scrapped entirely, and how The Weeknd allegedly had a problem with the show heading towards more of a female point of view.

"The creators and producers of The Idol have been working hard to create one of HBO’s most exciting and provocative original programs. Unfortunately, the initial approach on the show and production of the early episodes did not meet HBO standards, so we chose to make a change," HBO said in a statement about the project.

Despite the controversy surrounding The Idol, several teasers, and trailers have been released for the series, which is set to premiere sometime in 2023. However, no specific date has been announced yet.

We can say, The Weeknd's massive popularity on Spotify and Guinness World Records titles is proof of his music's ability to connect with audiences worldwide. Additionally, his upcoming HBO series, The Idol, is generating excitement among fans despite facing criticism. As a multi-talented artist, The Weeknd has proved himself to be more than just a music sensation, and fans eagerly await his upcoming projects.

- PTC PUNJABI