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The socially conscious dance smash becomes only the second song featuring a Jamaican artist to reach the milestone, following OMI’s “Cheerleader.”
Clean Bandit’s global hit “Rockabye,” featuring Jamaican dancehall star Sean Paul and British singer Anne-Marie, has surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify.
The 2016 single is now the second song featuring a Jamaican artist to cross the 2-billion mark on the platform, following OMI’s “Cheerleader” (Felix Jaehn Remix). It is Sean Paul’s first song to reach the milestone.
OMI – Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix) (Official Video) [Ultra Records]
Released almost ten years ago on October 21, 2016, “Rockabye” paired Clean Bandit’s electronic-pop production with Anne-Marie’s lead vocal and Sean Paul’s unmistakable dancehall delivery. Nearly a decade later, the song continues to find listeners around the world.
Its success was never guaranteed, according to Sean Paul. “I loved the song, but wasn’t sure how far it would go,” the Jamaican star told Elias Leight in a 2017 Billboard feature. It ultimately became a worldwide smash, reaching No. 1 in the United Kingdom and numerous other markets while climbing to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Beyond its bright, radio-ready production, “Rockabye” carries a socially conscious message. The song is “about doing anything you can to give your child a decent life,” Clean Bandit’s Grace Chatto told Billboard. Co-writer Ina Wroldsen penned the lyrics with her son in mind, giving the record an emotional core beneath its dance-pop surface.
The music video reinforces that theme by following a single mother who works as an exotic dancer to support her child. Anne-Marie told Billboard that listeners were connecting with the record’s celebration of single mothers and its message that they should keep going.
At the time of Billboard’s February 2017 story, “Rockabye” had accumulated approximately 230 million Spotify streams. Its rise beyond 2 billion means the song has added more than 1.7 billion plays since then—a remarkable second life that reflects both playlist longevity and continued global demand.
Clean Bandit – ‘Rockabye’ feat. Anne-Marie and Sean Paul (Live At Capital’s Summertime Ball)
The milestone also marks a dramatic jump from May 2023, when the track was certified four-times Platinum in the United Kingdom for 2.4 million units. The song is also certified 3x Platinum in the U.S.
Sean Paul told World Music Views at the time that it was “awesome” to see the song continue growing and saluted mothers around the world. He also revealed that he and Clean Bandit had worked on additional material, including songs developed during a writing camp in Jamaica.
“Rockabye” served as a lead single from Clean Bandit’s second album, What Is Love?, released in 2018. The track spent nine weeks atop the U.K. Singles Chart and secured the coveted 2016 Christmas No. 1. Its long list of international certifications includes Diamond and multi-Platinum awards across several territories.
Source: worldmusicviews.com