Not that it needs confirmation, but Netflix has been officially crowned as the world’s largest streaming player in 2022.
According to new data collected by audience engagement company Nielsen (via Variety (Opens in a new tab)), Netflix dominated the streaming scene last year, with 11 of the 15 most-watched shows of 2022 originating on the world’s top streaming service.
do not surprise anyone, Weird things Leading the way, the megahit supernatural horror series racked up 52 billion minutes over the past 12 months. That success is largely due to the show’s fourth season, which debuted in May 2022 and kept Netflix afloat amid a turbulent year.
in our area Weird things In our Season 4 review, we said that the show “lives up to its promise by delivering a fun, action-packed, horror-filled entry bursting with plenty of revelations.”
Some of the best Netflix shows have helped the player stay ahead of its competition, too. cocomelon (Third), Ozark (fourth), twelfth place Wednesday — which became the third most-watched show in Netflix history — and Cobra Kai (XIV) is the Netflix original that contributed to its unparalleled success. Netflix has also been supported by third-party licensed series, incl NCIS (ii) f Seinfeld (The tenth).
Netflix’s dominance is emphasized by the fact that only one streaming service — Disney Plus — appears in Nielsen’s data. Three Disney-owned productions made the list, along with encanto (Fifth) , bluish (viii) f The Simpsons (15) Muscles on Netflix Land. Criminal MindsAvailable on multiple platforms, it is the only non-exclusive broadcast show to break into Nielsen’s Top 15 list.
For Netflix, Nielsen’s data proves its business model is still as good as ever. The streaming giant has struggled with 2022, with millions of Netflix users opting out amid numerous cancellations of Netflix shows and the cost of living crisis. These issues have seen Netflix take a lot of financial hits, canceling several shows in development, and bringing forward plans to introduce an ad-based subscription tier.
With Netflix adding 7.66 million new subscribers to its fanbase in the fourth quarter of 2022, and confirmation of just how popular its TV slate is, the operator’s executive team can sleep easier at night — or so it seems.
Analysis: The direct confrontation is not over yet
On the surface, it may appear that Netflix is the dominant force in the streaming industry. However, there is one big qualifier in Nielsen’s data that points out that it doesn’t tell the full story: Nielsen’s data only represents US households, not the broadcast network’s global reach.
The smart money suggests that the most successful Netflix show – in the US – will be just as popular in other regions. Proverbs stranger things 4 And Wednesday were global hits, so there’s reason to believe that Nielsen’s data is a true measure of which TV series are global hits.
Well, mostly anyway. Non-Netflix Originals, incl NCIS And SeinfeldNot available on Netflix outside the US. In a list of hypothetical Nielsen world rankings, they would almost certainly appear at the bottom of the list, if not at all.
However, such arguments will be no consolation to Netflix’s biggest competitors, such as HBO Max, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and even Apple TV Plus. The United States is the single largest market for movies and TV shows globally, and the fact that, outside of Disney, there isn’t a single original series from other banners on Nielsen’s slate is sure to reflect poorly on Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Amazon, Apple, and others.
However, it is not due to lack of trying. Dragon house It drew nearly 10 million viewers when it premiered on HBO and HBO Max in August 2022. Meanwhile, rings of power Season 1 became Prime Video’s most-watched show of all time in September 2022. Even with those huge numbers, neither show has managed to crack Nielsen’s Top 10 TV Shows of the past 12 months.
Of course, those people’s fortunes could change in 2023. The last of uswhich launches in January 2023, is drawing in big numbers on HBO and HBO Max already, while Invincible Season 2 will finally hit Prime Video in late 2023. Apple TV Plus’ 2023 slate also means it could become a major contender before the year is out, while Disney Plus’ upcoming slate of Marvel and Star Wars shows means it can never be left out.
Netflix may be the king of banner ads in the US right now, but it certainly can’t rest on its laurels, and the problems it dealt with last year are proof that they can’t keep their eyes off the ball. If so, it may not dominate the Nielsen TV show ratings this time next year.
For more streaming service coverage, find out the best Netflix movies, best HBO Max shows, best Disney Plus shows, and best Apple TV Plus movies.