Congrats are in order for Nirvana, who have the first video from the grunge era to surpass 2 billion views on YouTube. The clip that managed the feat was the one that first put them on the map, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
The Samuel Bayer-directed video first appeared on MTV in the fall of 1991 and went on to help Nirvana to the Best New Artist and Best Alternative Group video wins at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. The clip was reportedly made for an estimated budget between $30K and $50K.
The YouTube 2 Billion Views Club
At present, there are now over 100 music videos that have surpassed the 2 billion mark on YouTube. Admittedly, a majority of the clips fall in the pop, hip-hop, rap or country world, but there are a handful of other rock videos that have already reached the mark.
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Twenty One Pilots have two of them. “Stressed Out” currently sits at 3.08 billion views, while “Heathens” has surpassed 2.26 billion.
The other two rock videos to reach the mark are Linkin Park‘s “Numb” at 2.51 billion and Guns N’ Roses‘ “November Rain” at 2.29 billion at press time.
At press time, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” has hit the 2.008 billion view mark.
Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
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Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll
