We can only apologise in advance for what we’re about to tell you.
Baby Shark – the cute and ultra-catchy children’s song recorded by South Korean company Pinkfong, which the vast majority of people can admit to hearing at least one time and parents across the globe can admit to hearing one too many times – has just officially become the most viewed video on YouTube of all time.
With a total of 7.04 billion views and counting, it edges past the 2017 single Despacito by Puerto Rican pop/rap stars Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.
And if you want an even more mind-blowing statistic, if played back-to-back, this number of views would mean Baby Shark has been streamed continuously for 30,187 years.
Just let that sink in for a moment.
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The video has claimed the most-viewed crown more than four years after it was first uploaded.
The original writer of the song is unclear as it has long been a nursery rhyme/campfire song, and a version of it had previously been recorded and released in German under the name “Kleiner Hai” by Alexandra Müller back in 2007, but it became a global phenomenon after being recorded by 10-year-old Korean-American singer Hope Segoine.
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Produced by educational company Pinkfong and accompanied by a dance routine arguably as viral as the song itself, Baby Shark first went viral in South East Asia, then later in the US and Europe.
It even reached Number 6 in the UK Top 40 Singles chart, and Number 32 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
The one minute and 21 seconds-long earworm song likely has the lyrics, if you can even call them that, “doo-doo-doo-du-du-du-du-du-du” to thank for the endless replays which contributed to its record-breaking total, and has seen a spin-off live tour, a range of merchandise, books and more come out of it.
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On top of that, a number of remixes of the song – one including Luis Fonsi, again, and another which encouraged a promoted the concept of handwashing for children amid the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic – have also contributed to its popularity.
It hasn’t gone down without a fight though.
As previously mentioned, the origins of the song are unclear and it is actually in the public domain and not owned by Pinkfong, which lead to the company being sued in 2019 by children’s songwriter Jonathan Wright – who had recorded a similar version to Pinkfong’s in 2011 and argued that he held copyright on his own take on the material – but no outcome has yet been reported in the case as of yet.
When it comes to the video though, Pinkfong have undeniably won this one, but we’ll leave it up to you to decide whether you feel like congratulating them on the record, or informing them they’ve potentially ruined your life a little in the process.
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Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2020 
