Electric Light Orchestra frontman Jeff Lynne has thanked Spotify after his song, Mr. Blue Sky, hit a billion streams.
The frontman, 76, is set to head back on the road with the Over and Out Tour next year. Lynne will play Manchester, Birmingham and host the final ELO show in Hyde Park, London, over Summer 2025. He has since received an accolade from Spotify, congratulating him on the billion streams of hit song, Mr. Blue Sky.
Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “Hi It’s Jeff Lynne. I’ve just received this award from Spotify for 1 billion streams of ‘Mr. Blue Sky.’ Thanks to all of you for making this happen for me. It means so much. Wishing you all the very best this holiday season. See you next year!”
At the time of writing, the song has 1,035,266,806 streams. Hundreds of comments were left on the post, many of which were messages of congratulations for Lynne.
The official Traveling Wilburys account, which Lynne was a member of alongside George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, wrote: “Congratulations, Otis Wilbury!” Lynne’s moniker in the band was Otis Wilbury.
Others congratulated Lynne on the great Out of the Blue album, which released in 1977. One wrote: “Out of the blue was such a great album. One of my favorite ever!!” Another added: “So well deserved. We love you Jeff!”
A few users poked fun at the miserably small allowance Spotify gives artists per stream. One joked: “Enjoy the $17.00 you earned from the streaming!” Another added: “And he got the check for $37.18 to prove it!!”
Another comment reads: “I congratulate you as a close, over 40 years old intimate fan on this award … for your fantastic and wonderful music more than deserved. I’m already looking forward to next year to hearing and seeing you at Hyde Park in London. Despite the melancholy because of your farewell to the stage and the loss of your friend Richard, I am looking forward to our reunion.”
A separate comment shared a fond memory associated with the song for one person, who wrote: “My wife and I made that our wedding song when we ran off to Chicago and got married onstage at Steppenwolf Theater.”
Fans are now speculating on who could open for the band at their final show in Hyde Park. Jeff Lynne, 76, confirmed the band would bow out with a final performance at Hyde Park in London next year. Those who are attending the gig in July are now wondering who could open for the band.
While there is no confirmation as to opening acts yet, some are hopeful of a legendary performer with ties to ELO could provide some music for the warm-up acts. Taking to the ELO Reddit forum, a user asked: “Opening act in the UK? Anyone know or have a guess as to who it will be?”
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