Rihanna has not released an album in nearly a decade, but she remains one of the most prominent music stars worldwide. The music video for her 2010 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Only Girl (In the World),” directed by Anthony Mandler, has surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube.
With this milestone, Rihanna now has 13 videos as a lead, featured artist or collaborator that have each reached more than 1 billion views. The video mirrors the song’s lyrics, showing the singer in a variety of colorful settings and outfits, as she appears to be the only person in the world. The uptempo lead single from her fifth studio album, “Loud,” earned Rihanna the 2011 Grammy Award for best dance/electronic recording.
Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” released nearly 50 years ago, has now exceeded 2 billion views on YouTube, making it the oldest song to reach that milestone in the platform’s history. The six-minute lead single from the group’s 1975 album “A Night at the Opera” is known for its blend of balladry, hard rock, and layered vocals, with references to Galileo and Beelzebub.
Before music videos became standard promotional tools, Queen enlisted Bruce Gowers to direct what is essentially a performance video. It opens with the four band members in silhouette singing the introduction, then cuts to Freddie Mercury at a grand piano in a white satin outfit. The video follows Mercury around the stage before shifting to guitarist Brian May for his solo.
During the chorus, director Bruce Gowers uses visual effects to multiply the band’s image on screen, then alternates shots of Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor singing “Galileo, Galileo.” The video concludes with a stage performance amid smoke during the hard rock section, ending with Mercury at the piano and Taylor striking a gong.
