Camila Cabello’s “Havana” was the best-selling digital single of 2018, an organization that keeps track of such things announced Wednesday.
The song, which was released in late 2017, was streamed 2.6 billion times around the world – the equivalent of 19 million copies sold – according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
Frances Moore of the IFPI, in a release, called “Havana” the “stand-out hit of the year” and added: “Momentum behind the track continued to build and build at an extraordinary rate as it consistently topped charts and leading playlists.”
“Havana” was released as the second single from Cabello’s debut album – but, according to Ryan Tedder, it was her pick to be first the first single.
“That song didn’t come out first because of all the people that didn’t believe in it,” he told iHeartRadio. But, when the lead single “Crying in the Club” failed to go big, “Havana” was released and, Tedder said, “the rest is history.”
He called it “one of those genre-defying, artist-defining records.”
Last month, the IFPI announced that Canada’s Drake was the world’s best-selling recording artist in 2018, followed by BTS and Ed Sheeran.