Published Date:
24 April 2009
By Nicole Green
BRITAIN'S Got Talent star Susan Boyle is making YouTube history as her audition video tops a list of most-watched clips of all time.
Boyle's rendition of the Les Miserables classic I Dreamed a Dream has already been viewed more than 93.5 million times on the video website.
But the number of times people have actually watched the clip, across all outlets, could be nearer to 200 million.
The three-minute clip has been posted on YouTube by over 1,000 members. Combined, the clips have been viewed more than any others in the UK.
One clip alone has been seen nearly 39 million times, putting it straight into the YouTube list of top ten "most viewed" videos in the UK.
Whilst other top-ten clips have clocked up views over long periods of time, Boyle's audition has achieved the staggering number of hits in just 11 days.
Boyle "only learned what YouTube was in the last week" and does not own a computer. But her video is now more popular than clips from pop diva Leona Lewis and American President Barack Obama.
Sarah Wood, operations manager at Unruly Media, a video marketing specialist, said that in many ways the success had not been a surprise.
"It's an uplifting piece of content that has made a strong emotional connection with millions of viewers. Where this clip differs is the speed at which it has spread across the internet.
"Susan Boyle was 'discovered' back in 1999, but this was before social media existed. If we'd had YouTube, Twitter and Facebook in 1999, she would have been singing with Elaine Paige long before now."
Last week, people using Google in the US searched for "Susan Boyle" more than A-list celebrities Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek combined.
Niall McKinney, CEO of the leading trade marketing website, UTalkmarketing.com, said: "This whole phenomenon shows how much access people have to fame.
" To get the level of global promotion Susan Boyle has had would have previously cost record labels tens of millions of pounds and they wouldn't have spent that on a little-known star like her."
Dozens of websites have been set up by adoring fans, and domain names have been snapped up by people who hope to cash in on the "Susan Boyle effect".
A-list celebrities around the world have shown their support, with Hollywood couple Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher posting links to her YouTube clip on social networking site Twitter.
But PR guru Max Clifford warned that with such rapid success, Boyle will have to be protected.
He did not rule out the option of working with Boyle in the future.
He said: "If she's half as lovely as she seems, I'd love to guide her through the minefield that is stardom."
TOP PLACINGS
CHARLIE bit my finger – again!
93,220,504 views
Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love
85,139,461 views
Paul sings Nessun Dorma
47,606,697 views
High School Musical 2 – Everyday
45,082,299 views
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
43,532,557 views
Susan Boyle – Singer – Britain's
40,833,472 views
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Last Updated:
23 April 2009 11:42 PM
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Source:
The Scotsman
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Location:
Edinburgh
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Related Topics:
Susan Boyle
,
YouTube
