Psy's 'Gangnam Style' Sets Records

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And today's last word in business is: Gangnam Style.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC VIDEO, "GANGNAM STYLE")

PSY: (Rapping) Oppan gangnamseutail.

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INSKEEP: That's the music video by the Korean rapper Psy - P-S-Y. Since it was posted in July, it has gotten more than 160 million views - 160 million. The song recently made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And at the rate it's going it will surpass the summer earworm "Call Me Maybe" in YouTube views.

Now this video is hardly a ballad to a youthful crush. The music video shows the rapper in a tuxedo doing a ridiculous dance as he gallops through a materialistic world. The dance caught Britney Spears' attention. She tweeted that she wanted to learn it. So this week, Ellen DeGeneres brought Psy on to her talk show to teach Britney, who was unprepared and wore high heels.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW")

ELLEN DEGENERES: You have to take your shoes off. You're not going to be able to dance like that.

PSY: No, but this, this is fine because mindset of this dance is dress classy and dance cheesy.

DEGENERES: Oh, OK.

INSKEEP: Dress classy, dance cheesy. Words to live by.

That's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GANGNAM STYLE")

PSY: (Singing) Eh, sexy lady. Opp, opp, opp, oppan gangnamseutail. Eh, sexy lady. Opp, opp, opp, opp, eh-eh-eh, eh-eh-eh, oppan gangnamseutail. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.