Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer famous for her gravelly voice and iconic blonde hair, has celebrated a major milestone: her 1983 power ballad Total Eclipse of the Heart has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
Despite joining the ranks of global stars like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and Eminem in the exclusive “one billion club,” Tyler revealed that the streaming success has not translated into significant earnings. “Oh, it’s nothing, just about nothing,” she said.
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Neath, Wales, Tyler was discovered by talent scout Roger Bell while performing at a Swansea club. She released her first single, Lost in France, in 1977, but it was Total Eclipse of the Heart five years later that catapulted her to international fame.
“The first time I heard it was when Jim Steinman just played it on the piano in New York,” Tyler recalled. “He sang the song all the way through and I was like, ‘Oh my God, this song is amazing. I can’t believe Jim is giving it to me.’”
Although the original version ran eight minutes, the radio-friendly four-minute edit took the world by storm, topping the UK charts for two weeks and spending four weeks at number one in the US. Over 43 years later, Tyler remains thrilled by the enduring popularity of the track.
“I’m really happy,” she said of the one billion streams milestone. “When you think about it, there are only 8.3 billion people in the world. It’s quite an evergreen song — how many times have you heard it popping up in adverts and movies? People just love it.”
The music video has also been a massive hit, amassing over 1.2 billion views on YouTube. Tyler says she never tires of performing it: “Never, I never get tired of singing it. I love it because everyone can’t wait to sing it.”
Tyler also received a gold plaque for the success of David Guetta’s Together, which samples Total Eclipse of the Heart. Aside from taking photos and having her nephew hang the plaques in her music room, she says she won’t be doing anything special to mark the achievements.
The Grammy-nominated singer has enjoyed a career full of hits, including Holding Out for a Hero, and represented the UK at Eurovision in 2013. In 2022, she was recognized in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list and received an MBE the following year from Prince William for her services to music.
Now 74, Tyler shows no signs of slowing down. She has a spring tour planned and is looking forward to performing for her fans. “I never would have imagined that I’d still be singing,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to the shows and hope everyone comes along and has a great time.”
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