Spotify Launches Global Top 50 Music Video Chart, Led by Shakira and BTS

Q: Why did U2 and Martin Garrix keep their historic four-member collaboration a secret until their explosive live debut at Tomorrowland?

They appear to have kept it under wraps to maximize the impact of the song’s launch and let the live moment define it. Everything around “Fireflies” points to a deliberate surprise rollout: Martin Garrix saved the track for the close of his Tomorrowland set, brought out The Edge unexpectedly, and only then moved into the official streaming release. The strategy also fit the song’s long gestation and unusual significance. Garrix said “Fireflies” was started “six summers ago,” and it marks the first time all four members of U2 have appeared on a track with him. Given that history, debuting it in a routine announcement would likely have carried less weight than unveiling it at one of the world’s biggest festival stages. The artists’ own comments reinforce that idea. The Edge described Tomorrowland as one of the most passionate festival crowds anywhere and said playing it there was “such a rush,” while Garrix called the debut “electrifying and very surreal.” Those remarks suggest they wanted the song introduced as a shared event, not just a digital drop. There was also a practical promotional benefit. U2 and Garrix have multiple projects in motion—U2 is building toward a new album, and Garrix has been teasing his next LP—so a surprise festival premiere created immediate social-media buzz, press coverage, and fan curiosity before release. In short, secrecy helped turn “Fireflies” from a collaboration into a headline-making moment.

3 articles · Updated · Entertainment Tonight · Jul 24

Spotify unveiled Music Video Charts Global, its first ranking devoted entirely to music videos, tracking the 50 most-streamed clips worldwide and updating daily at 3 p.m. PT.
Shakira's "Dai Dai" opened at No. 1 on the inaugural chart, followed by BTS' "NORMAL" and LE SSERAFIM's "ICONIC BY MISTAKE," with BTS taking six of the top 10 spots.
A second Shakira entry, "Waka Waka," also made the top 10, extending the singer's strong run as "Dai Dai" has already spent 17 days atop Spotify's Global Chart.
The launch adds a dedicated video metric to Spotify's chart lineup as the platform pushes deeper into music-video consumption alongside its core audio streaming business.