In 1993, Eddie Van Halen wanted more people to hear his favourite band. Their biggest song has now been streamed 2,800,000,000 times

In the early 1990s, Eddie Van Halen praised Toto to guitarist Steve Lukather, saying the band’s music was far ahead of what people heard on the radio. His support reflects Van Halen’s admiration for musicians who served a song and helped shape pop music, even when they received less attention than their peers.

Toto’s “Africa” has since become the band’s defining hit, with the headline reporting 2.8 billion streams. The article also notes that the song is being played in Namibia’s desert as part of a long-running art project, giving it an unusual afterlife beyond its original release.