Source: Business Insider
A lot of online streaming services remain disinclined to offer information about their heavily guarded viewership data. The belief is that if they remain such vital information a secret, away from the public eye, then they are able to create a strategic advantage, which has proven to be beneficial to some of these streaming powerhouses to a certain degree. However, Netflix co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos have often pushed for transparency in the industry, leading them to release viewership data every now and then. This year, Ted Sarandos has once again promoted authenticity as Netflix released the latest list of its most popular television shows and movies at the Code Conference held in Beverly Hills, California, last Monday.
In this momentous event, Ted Sarandos unveiled its viewership data and strategy to the public. He first revealed the member account viewership for Netflix’s award-winning shows based on the streamer’s standard two minutes-watched metric within the first 28 days of release.
Bridgerton Season 1 topped the list with over 82 million member accounts, followed by two powerhouses, Lupin Part 1 with 76 million and The Witcher Season 1 with 76 million. Next on the list is Sex/Life and Stranger Things 3, with over 67 million member accounts. Money Heist Part 4, Tiger King Season 1, The Queen’s Gambit, Sweet Tooth Season 1, and Emily in Paris Season 1 placed themselves in the sixth to tenth spots. Squid Game, which debuted ten days ago, demonstrated promise as the show is on track to becoming the biggest original show ever, having garnered the number one spot in most countries. It can be remembered that Netflix has vowed to commit itself to spend $500 million on content in South Korea this year, and Squid Game is the first sign that the streaming company’s investment is starting to pay off.
Using the same metrics, Netflix has also released its most popular films of all time. Extraction takes the number one spot with over 99 million member accounts, followed by Bird Box with 89 million, Spenser Confidential with 85 million, 6 Underground and Murder Mystery with 83 million. The Old Guard, Enola Holmes, Project Power, Army of the Dead, and Fatherhood are also on the horizon.
Interestingly, the streaming giant also released Top 10 lists based on viewership hours within the first 28 days. Bridgerton Season 1 once again topped the list with over 625 million hours of views, followed by Money Heist Part 4 with 619 million and Stranger Things 3 with 582 million. The Witcher Season 1 also snatched the fourth spot with over 541 million views, followed by two seasons of 13 Reasons Why. For Netflix films, Bird Box landed the number one spot with 282 million, with Extraction and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman succeeding to the throne. The romantic comedy, The Kissing Booth 2, managed to sneak into the top five, breaking the usual action-adventure and sci-fi blockbuster tandem from the previous list.
With all the flak that Netflix has received from the traditional film industry, the streaming giant has proven to be a leading force across the space, garnering millions of member accounts and views worldwide. As it continues to dominate the scenes, it hopes to invest more in forgotten yet earth-shaking genres, contributing much to the growth of the industry in the years to come.
References:
https://observer.com/2021/09/netflix-ratings-most-popular-watched-films-tv-series-viewership/
https://www.gamesradar.com/most-watched-netflix-shows-movies-list/
