Streaming Hits Record Highs Over July 4th Week: Beverly Hills Cop and Suits Dominate
The week of July 1-7, 2024, shattered records for streaming services, marking the most significant week ever recorded by Nielsen since they began tracking streaming viewership. Over these seven days, TV users spent a staggering 313 billion minutes on various streaming platforms. For the first time, all titles in the top 10 surpassed one billion minutes of viewing, a remarkable milestone.
Leading the pack was Netflix’s “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” which premiered on July 3 and quickly amassed 2.05 billion minutes of viewing. This resurgence of the iconic Eddie Murphy franchise captivated audiences and secured the top spot. Close behind was “Suits,” with 1.5 billion minutes, making a strong comeback into the top 10 following the addition of its final season to Netflix. Previously, “Suits” was exclusive to Peacock, where it enjoyed a record-breaking run.
The holiday week also saw impressive numbers from other series. HBO’s “House of the Dragon” achieved 1.3 billion minutes on Max, setting its second series high in just three weeks. “Your Honor,” streaming on both Netflix and Paramount+, continued its strong performance with 1.23 billion minutes. Hulu’s “The Bear” maintained its popularity with 1.21 billion minutes, barely losing any viewers from the previous week.
Notably, the Independence Day week typically sees high numbers, but this year stood out not just for the top titles but for the depth of popular content. While previous years had individual titles like “Suits” and “Stranger Things” hitting over 3 billion and 4.8 billion minutes, respectively, this year’s variety was unprecedented.
Here’s a look at the top streaming titles for the week:
Overall Top Titles:
- Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix) – 2.05 billion minutes
- Suits (Netflix/Peacock) – 1.5 billion minutes
- House of the Dragon (Max) – 1.3 billion minutes
- Your Honor (Netflix/Paramount+) – 1.23 billion minutes
- The Bear (Hulu) – 1.21 billion minutes
- Dexter (Netflix/Paramount+) – 1.2 billion minutes
- The Boys (Prime Video) – 1.13 billion minutes
- Bluey (Disney+) – 1.09 billion minutes
- A Family Affair (Netflix) – 1.05 billion minutes
- Grey’s Anatomy (Hulu/Netflix) – 1.02 billion minutes
Top Original Series:
- The Bear (Hulu) – 1.21 billion minutes
- The Boys (Prime Video) – 1.13 billion minutes
- Supacell (Netflix) – 806 million minutes
- Worst Roommate Ever (Netflix) – 691 million minutes
- Love Island (Hulu/Netflix/Peacock) – 673 million minutes
- Bridgerton (Netflix) – 628 million minutes
- The Mole (Netflix) – 439 million minutes
- Owning Manhattan (Netflix) – 386 million minutes
- Evil (Netflix/Paramount+) – 362 million minutes
- The Man With 1,000 Kids (Netflix) – 332 million minutes
Top Acquired Series:
- Suits (Netflix/Peacock) – 1.5 billion minutes
- House of the Dragon (Max) – 1.3 billion minutes
- Your Honor (Netflix/Paramount+) – 1.23 billion minutes
- Dexter (Netflix/Paramount+) – 1.2 billion minutes
- Bluey (Disney+) – 1.09 billion minutes
- Grey’s Anatomy (Hulu/Netflix) – 1.02 billion minutes
- Family Guy (Hulu) – 862 million minutes
- Bob’s Burgers (Hulu) – 837 million minutes
- NCIS (Netflix/Paramount+) – 814 million minutes
- Criminal Minds (Hulu/Paramount+) – 799 million minutes
Top Movies:
- Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix) – 2.05 billion minutes
- A Family Affair (Netflix) – 1.05 billion minutes
- Paw Patrol: The Movie (Netflix/Paramount+) – 522 million minutes
- Warcraft (Netflix) – 510 million minutes
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Hulu/Max) – 485 million minutes
- Inside Out (Disney+) – 340 million minutes
- Independence Day (Hulu) – 294 million minutes
- Minions (Netflix) – 276 million minutes
- Trigger Warning (Netflix) – 228 million minutes
- Moana (Disney+) – 211 million minutes
This extraordinary week reflects the growing impact and importance of streaming platforms in the entertainment landscape, highlighting a diverse range of content that appeals to a wide audience. Whether it’s the nostalgic pull of a beloved franchise or the compelling draw of new series, viewers are tuning in more than ever.
