Despacito Surpasses 4.6 Billion Streams, Becoming the Most-Streamed Song of All Time

On July 19 2023, Universal Music announced that Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s 2017 single "Despacito" had crossed a staggering 4.6 billion streams across all platforms, cementing it as the most‑streamed track ever. The milestone, achieved within six months of the song’s release, aggregates plays of both the original version and the English‑language remix featuring Justin Bieber.

The song debuted on January 13 2017 as the lead single from Fonsi’s tenth studio album, Vida. Written by Fonsi, Panamanian‑American songwriter Erika Ender, and Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee, and produced by Colombian duo Mauricio Rengifo and Andrés Torres, the track quickly dominated the charts. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 consecutive weeks and held the number‑one spot on the Hot Latin Songs chart for a record 56 weeks.

Behind the numbers was a music video that turned heads from the start. Filmed in San Juan’s La Perla neighborhood and a local bar, the video shattered Vevo’s record for a Spanish‑language video by amassing 5.4 million views in its first 24 hours. It remained the most‑viewed YouTube video worldwide from August 2017 until November 2020, when Pinkfong’s "Baby Shark" overtook it.

In April 2017, a remix featuring Canadian pop star Justin Bieber was released. Bieber added English verses, and the remix expanded the song’s global reach. Its popularity helped push the cumulative play count to the 4.6 billion mark reported by Universal Music, a figure that combines streams of both the original and the Bieber version.

Universal Music marked the anniversary of the song’s release with the announcement, stating that the 4.6 billion figure represented total plays on streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. The milestone made Despacito the first track to surpass four billion streams.

Beyond streaming, "Despacito" earned critical acclaim. It won four Latin Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year, five Billboard Music Awards, and two American Music Awards. The track’s success propelled both Fonsi and Daddy Yankee to new international prominence.

The ripple effects of the song extended far beyond charts and trophies. "Despacito" played a pivotal role in bringing Spanish‑language music into mainstream markets, a trend that began with earlier hits like "La Bamba" and "Macarena". Its crossover appeal demonstrated the commercial viability of Latin pop and reggaeton on global streaming platforms.

Today, "Despacito" remains a benchmark for streaming success. While newer releases have approached the four‑billion‑stream mark, the song’s record still stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, cross‑genre remixing, and the growing influence of Latin music worldwide.

The record will likely be referenced in future discussions of streaming milestones and the evolution of global music consumption. For now, the 4.6 billion‑stream figure remains a landmark achievement in the history of digital music.