Life in plastic, it’s fantastic — especially with one billion views. Aqua‘s 1997 hit “Barbie Girl” has now surpassed the milestone view count on YouTube.
The “Barbie Girl” video, which is appropriately pink and plastic-filled, features lead singer Lene Grawford Nystrøm rocking a variety of Barbie-esque outfits (including a pretty dead-on replica of Mattel’s equestrian-themed doll) while roller skating, swimming, getting her hair done and riding in a convertible with her bandmates.
The “Barbie Girl” video was uploaded to YouTube in August 2010, 13 years after the Danish dance pop group (who have since split up) released their most famous — and most controversial — track. “Barbie Girl” spent 16 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 7 and garnering international attention for its cheeky spin on Mattel’s infamous Barbie doll product. Lyrics such as “You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere” and “I’m a blonde bimbo girl in a fantasy world” led Mattel to sue Aqua’s label MCA Records in 2000, arguing that the song could confuse consumers into thinking the toy-making company endorsed its message.
MCA then countersued Mattel for defamation and defended the song as “social commentary,” noting the album Aquarium included a disclaimer that “Barbie Girl” was not sanctioned by the maker of Barbie dolls. In 2002, a Court of Appeals ruled the song was protected as a parody, but threw out MCA’s defamation lawsuit, concluding: “The parties are advised to chill.“
The video is just the latest this week to join YouTube’s Billion Views Club. Other videos that recently reached the milestone mark include Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “Still D.R.E” (which hit the big B after their epic Super Bowl Halftime Show performance Feb. 13) and Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors.”
Watch Aqua’s billion-times viewed take on the Barbie fantasy world below:
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