It took a little more than a decade but the video for Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” topped 1 billion views this Christmas.
“Thanks to you all!!!!,” tweeted bassist Krist Novoselic, who on Dec. 19 encouraged fans to put the video over the top. “The One Billionth view will be for Kurt!!!!”
Directed by Samuel Bayer in 1991, the video shows Kurt Cobain and his bandmates performing in a high school gym. It premiered on YouTube in June 2009.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the lead single from Nirvana’s second album, 1991's Nevermind.
In July 2018, “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses became the first music video for a ‘90s song to hit the 1 billion milestone.
With nearly 6.6 billion views in three years, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee holds the record for the most-viewed music video.