Ariana Grande‘s “thank u, next” video has set a new record for YouTube’s most-streamed video in the first 24 hours of its release. Since its release at 12pm PT on Friday, the video has earned over 50 million views, breaking the record for most views within 24 hours previously set by BTS, who earned 45.9 million views in August with the video for their song “Idol” featuring Nicki Minaj.
The video, which debuted on YouTube as part of their YouTube Premiere feature, had over 829,000 viewers watching simultaneously at its most active moment, according to Page Six. On Twitter, a spokesperson from YouTube noted that the video was so popular that it overwhelmed their comment system, delaying comments from posting correctly for a brief period.
In a move almost prophetically designed to ‘break the internet,’ the video itself is packed with references to all the biggest female-led movies of the 2000s including Mean Girls, Bring It On, Legally Blonde, and 13 Going On 30, with countless cameos from celebrities like Kris Jenner and Troye Sivan, as well as Mean Girls actors Jonathan Bennett and Stefanie Drummond. The song also references Grande’s recent breakup with SNL cast member Pete Davidson, as well as her past relationships with Mac Miller, Big Sean, and Ricky Alvarez. The track charted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with its release last month.
