Backstreet Boys and Westlife collaboration breaks livestream records on WeChat 28 Jun 2022
- Broadcast last Friday (June 24th), a free livestream performance by Backstreet Boys, recorded at Rock Lititz Studio, Pennsylvania, was watched by a record-breaking 45m Chinese viewers via Tencent's WeChat app.
- Sponsored by Lincoln and produced by 24/7 Productions, it was the highest-attended livestream concert on WeChat by an international artist. Reaching 10m viewers within half an hour, more than 25.5m cheers were received during the performance.
- The two-hour show incorporated a special guest appearance from Westlife, broadcast from Smock Alley in Dublin. Directed by Chris Howe and produced by Driift, it enabled the two bands to duet on the Backstreet Boys' hit I Want It That Way and Westlife's My Love.
- It marks the second time Chris and Driift have collaborated with Westlife and their management for a WeChat livestream. The band's previous show, which took place in December 2021, attracted 28m viewers. On both occasions, the performances were filmed specifically for viewing and consumption on mobile devices.
- Following Friday's show, #MyLove was the number one trending topic in China.
- See a clip from Westlife's official Twitter account here.
Sasha Duncan, Head of Production, Driift said:
It's been a real joy to work with Westlife again as part of such an extraordinarily successful collaboration. Achieving this level of engagement in China is unprecedented for international artists, and also highlights the versatility of the livestream format. Whether it's a high-end cinematic production or a performance like this, tailored for viewing on mobile devices, we're proving it's possible to forge a genuine connection with online audiences."
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THE HEADLINES
Omdia tips music publishers’ revenues to hit $10bn this year (see Reports)
Unit1 Studio launches offering potential for immersive avatar concerts through lower production costs (see Digital)
Are we still in the music business? When your POV is worth more than your mp3s (see Opinion)
Is rock’n’roll dead? (see Features)
Book extract: Body Of Work: How The Album Outplayed The Algorithm And Survived Playlist Culture (see Comment)
With MTV channels switching off, is the music video under threat? (see Features)
Spotify partnering with multinational music companies to develop ‘responsible’ AI products (see Digital)
Sam Fender wins 2025 Mercury Prize (see News)
Spotify working on ‘SongDNA’ feature that showcases the people behind tracks (see Digital)
How far should cultural boycotts go? (see Features)
How Subvert is building a co-op owned Bandcamp alternative (see Digital)
Lucian Grainge outlines UMG’s strategy for generative AI partnerships and product development (see News)
The future of music streaming: Change or be changed (see Comment)
Sam Altman: the man who stole the rights from copyright. If he’s the future, can we go backwards? (see Features)
Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl discusses the company's “tremendous catalogue” (see Features)
There’s a £1 idea that could save small music venues. Is Live Nation holding it back? (see Features)
Breaking down the arguments around VMG’s Downtown Music acquisition (see Analysis)
Vevo report shows how fandom turns passion into impact and purchasing power (see Reports)