Bluey Reigns as US Streaming Leader in 2024

The Bluey balloon during the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. Kena Betancur/Getty Images

The Australian animated series Bluey has captivated audiences worldwide, emerging as the most-watched show in the United States for 2024.

The animated series, primarily aimed at young children, has been a fixture on Nielsen’s top 10 streaming charts since the autumn of 2022.

Nielsen, a global data analytics company, tracks media consumption and audience behaviour across platforms.

By the end of 2024, Bluey racked up 55.62 billion minutes streamed, making it the top show on Disney+, just shy of the all-time streaming record of 57.7 billion minutes set by Suits in 2023.

Breaking Records and Setting New Milestones

In October 2024, Bluey had already been recognised as the most-streamed show of the year in the U.S., according to data from Nielsen.

Daley Pearson, Bluey’s executive producer and co-founder of Ludo Studio, expressed his excitement on social media, saying, “Bluey is now the No.1 most-watched show (of all shows) in the United States of America for 2024. How incredible.”

In 2023, Bluey ranked as the second-most-streamed show in the U.S., but its rise to the top in 2024 has made it a true cultural phenomenon.

A Source of National Pride for Australia

Bluey’s success is not just a triumph for its creators.

The U.S. Embassy in Australia also acknowledged the show’s success, commenting, “A huge congratulations to Team Bluey—you’re responsible for lots of little Aussie accents and kids saying ‘dunny’ all across the U.S.”

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers was also pleased with the global success of the cultural export.

“For a country best known for low-grade soap operas, which relies on exports of commodities like iron ore, red meat, and coal for its economic resilience, the global success of the cartoon is a source of national pride,” Chalmers said.

The show’s influence even reached the world of sports in Australia.

During the 2023 World Test Championship, which saw Australia’s men’s cricket team take the title, Bluey’s Cricket episode attracted 563,000 viewers—more than the cricket match’s peak audience of 524,000.

Upcoming Big Screen Debut

Bluey’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down. In Dec. 2024, BBC Studios and Disney announced that the series would make its big-screen debut in 2027.

The film, created by Joe Brumm, will follow Bluey’s ongoing adventures, maintaining the charm and humour that have made the series a global hit.

“I’ve always thought Bluey deserved a theatrical movie,” Brumm said. “I want this to be an experiential event for the whole family to enjoy together.”

Produced by Ludo Studio in collaboration with BBC Studios, the film will be released in cinemas globally before streaming on Disney+.