Popcaan‘s TWIST & TURN collab with Drake and PartyNextDoor has become his first song as a lead artist to surpass 100 million plays on Spotify.
Previously, the Dancehall star reached this milestone as a featured artist on Jamie xx’s I Know There’s Gonna Be Good Times with Young Thug (167 million plays) and Gorillaz’s Saturnz Barz (165 million).
Released in August 2020, TWIST & TURN was the first single from Popcaan’s FIXTAPE album (OVO Sound/Warner Records). The track was produced by Canadian producer Anthony Paul Jefferies, professionally known as Nineteen85, who is also behind Drake’s hits Hotline Bling, One Dance, and Too Good with Rihanna.
TWIST & TURN (along with ALL I NEED) marked Popcaan’s first official collaboration with Drake, though the two had previously worked on unreleased tracks, including a version of Controlla. In 2023, they reconnected on We Caa Done, which appeared on Popcaan’s Great Is He album.
Despite lacking an official music video, TWIST & TURN has over 17 million views on YouTube.
In the US, the song spent one week at No. 19 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100, five weeks on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, peaking at No. 36, and five weeks on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
It also spent two weeks on the Canadian Hot 100, peaking at No. 47, and six weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 69.
The track was certified Silver in the UK after surpassing 200,000 units in December 2022.
Popcaan’s other top streaming tracks on Spotify include We Caa Done with Drake (59 million plays), My Type (38 million), Silence (35 million), Ova Dweet (31 million) and Only Man She Want (25 million).
As a featured artist, his top songs on Spotify include I’m In Control with AlunaGeorge (85 million), Come Over with Jorja Smith (78 million), Lighters Up with Snoop Dogg and Mavado (39 million), Clarks with Vybz Kartel (36 million), and Should’ve Been Me with Naughty Boy and Kyla (36 million).
Over the past year, Popcaan has received over 275 million views on YouTube, including 21.5 million from Kingston, Jamaica, 13.9 from New York, US, 10.8 from London, UK, 9.32 million from Nairobi, Kenya, and 8.7 million from Georgetown, Guyana.
He recently staged Unruly Fest in London for the first time, and according to a release, Popcaan became the first Dancehall artist to sell out the iconic Crystal Palace Bowl , a feat not achieved by any Jamaican artist since the legendary Bob Marley.
The event, produced by Live Nation, attracted over ten thousand fans, who were treated to a night of electrifying performances and cultural celebration.
Reflecting on his achievement, Popcaan expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am humbled and incredibly proud to make history here in London for my family and the entire Jamaica. This is a dream come true, and I want to thank all my Unruly fans for their unwavering support. Together, we’ve shown the world the power of Dancehall music.”
