How Google ads can make you a superstar

Imagine you’re a moderately successful Indian rapper eager to graduate to global superstardom. You’ve had a few domestic number-one hits and performed on a handful of Bollywood soundtracks, but the likes of South Korea’s BTS and Psy other artists who don’t primarily sing in English have something you don’t: a viral YouTube smash that breaks some sort of record. Most views in a day, for instance.

Going viral can seem a tall order, but not as tall as you’d think, given some of YouTube’s peculiarities. Especially if your name is Badshah. Sony Music India declared in a press release last week that the rappers new video, Paagal, had overtaken BTS’s Boy With Luv and Taylor Swifts Me! to become YouTube’s most-watched video in a 24-hour period, with 75 million views.