YouTube have had to upgrade the technology used to count the number of views a video receives following the continued popularity of psy‘s ‘Gangnam Style’.
The video, which was first uploaded to the video site in July 2012, has surpassed the figure that staff at the website ever thought possible. In a blog posted on Google+ it was explained that by crossing the 32-bit integer mark, ‘Gangnam Style’ has forced a change in the way views are counted.
“We never thought a video would be watched in numbers greater than a 32-bit integer (=2,147,483,647 views), but that was before we met Psy,” a spokesperson for YouTube explains. “‘Gangnam Style’ has been viewed so many times we have to upgrade! Hover over the counter in Psy’s video to see a little math magic and stay tuned for bigger and bigger numbers on YouTube. “
Speaking in May 2013, Psy told students at Harvard University in Boston that the viral success of his video was an accident. “‘Gangnam Style’ was not normal,” he said. “‘Gangnam’ was not standard – that was an accident and accidents don’t happen often.” Psy also admitted he has no expectations of matching its success ever again.
Psy also spoke at the world-famous Oxford Union, telling students he “stayed up for 30 nights to find that horse-riding dance” for the ‘Gangnam Style’ video.
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