The video for Disturbed’s take on Simon & Garfunkel’s classic, “The Sound of Silence,” has surpassed one billon YouTube views, the video platform revealed on Wednesday (May 22). The milestone marks the metal band’s first entry into the Billion Views Club.
The 2015 cover, which was featured on Disturbed’s album Immortalized, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Digital Songs and Mainstream Rock charts.
After the band performed the song on Conan in 2016, Paul Simon reached out to give the track a stamp of approval. Frontman David Draiman revealed via the band’s Facebook page that Simon had reached out over email. “It’s not every day that one of the most prolific songwriters of all time sends you an email message. Allow me to share with you the brief exchange I had with Mr. Paul Simon himself!!!! Somebody pinch me … P.S., and no, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke,” he wrote.
Simon wrote to the group, “Really powerful performance on Conan the other day. First time I’d seen you do it live. Nice. Thanks.” Draiman then responded, “Mr. Simon, I am honored beyond words. We only hoped to pay homage and honor to the brilliance of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Your compliment means the world to me/ us and we are eternally grateful.”
Watch Disturbed’s “The Sound of Silence” music video below.
