System Of A Down’s “Chop Suey” is the first metal music video to hit 1 billion plays on YouTube
Posted on December. 4. 2020
Following the release of the band’s 2020 singles “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz,” System Of A Down’s most popularized song and video has managed to reach the ten-figure mark on Youtube, Forbes reports.
The Nu-metal anthem “Chop Suey” now sits at over one billion views, making it the first of the band’s hits to surpass that milestone. System Of A Down are among a few bands from the early 2000’s rock-era that have a video in the one billion view count range; Linkin Park might be the only other band of the same era to have more than one video surpassing one billion views on Youtube.
“Chop Suey!”, the band’s lead single off their 2001 album, Toxicity, propelled them from nu-metal favorites to mainstream recognition. Perhaps it was the quirkiness of “Chop Suey!” that appealed to listeners, or maybe the band’s ability to weave deeply philosophical and abstract concepts into their shocking delivery.
The vocal harmonies by lead singer Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian, along with the repeated bursts of energy, seemed to have defined the song and band throughout their career.
Directed by Marcos Siega, the music video sees all four band members performing to a crowd in a parking lot with a green screen effect at several points, making it look like they are walking through each other. While the band officially released “Chop Suey!” back in 2001, it didn’t hit YouTube until October 3rd, 2009, one day after uploading the Toxicity title track. The song’s wide appeal is evidenced clearly with YouTube views alone. As of November 28th, “Chop Suey!” has 1.05 billion views, while their second most popular video, “Toxicity”, has racked up 491.9 million views.
Earlier this month System Of A Downwere back with a pair of new singles—”Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz”—the band’s first in 15 years.
Both songs speak of a dire and serious war being perpetrated upon “cultural homelands of Artsakh and Armenia.” All proceeds go toward the Armenia Fund.