August 14
2020
August 14
2020
Vice
by
Christian Failla
Rebecca Black became an internet phenomenon in 2011 when her song “Friday” went massively viral, fueled by online mockery, parodies, and a brief Billboard Hot 100 run. Nearly a decade later, the video has amassed over 142 million YouTube views and is cited as a precursor to the attention economy that now drives platforms like TikTok. The article argues that in the context of quarantine, the song’s simple fixation on days of the week feels less trivial and more like a reflection on how arbitrary time can seem. It also notes that Black now describes herself as in control of her career, reflecting on going viral at 13 and teasing new music plans for 2020.