Adele’s ’Hello’ breaks YouTube record

Adele’s Hello has become the fastest video to reach a billion views on YouTube. It took 88 days to join the club, breaking the 160 days it took for the former record holder, Psy’s Gangnam Style in 2012.

But Gangnam Style still has the most views. Earlier this week, it reached 2.5 billion views. It was more than a billion over runner up Taylor Swift’s Blank Space.

Only 18 videos have reached 1 billion YouTube views. All but two were music videos. The exceptions were an episode of Russian animation Masha And The Bear and a nursery rhyme compilation by British channel Little Baby Burn.

Adele has also been announced to perform live at the Grammys on February 15, as are leading nominee Kendrick Lamar, Weeknd and Little Big Town.

With the British singer’s huge global success with 25, it’s no surprise she was among those listed in US business magazine Forbes’ inaugural 30 Under 30 Europe Entertainment List.

The others included Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Florence Welch, Afrojack, Avicii, FKA Twigs, DJ Snake, Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis, Hozier and newcomer Little Simz. Others included Star Wars ​actors John Boyega and Daisy Ridley, Emma Watson, YouTuber PewDiePie, and footballers Sebastian Giovinco and Thomas Muller.