The latest season premiered on June 3, and within days, it rocketed to the No. 2 spot among all streaming shows. Between June 6 and 12 alone, the show logged a staggering 1.2 billion minutes viewed across nine episodes, according to Luminate’s streaming data.

That’s a massive 244% increase from the previous week, when early episodes totaled just 335 million minutes viewed. But the most jaw-dropping numbers come from comparing this season to last year’s.

Season 6 was already a turning point for the franchise, surpassing all previous seasons in viewership. But it didn’t hit its stride until about a month in. During the week of June 21, 2023, Season 6 brought in 500.7 million minutes viewed across approximately 15 episodes. It wouldn’t crack a billion minutes until July 8—meaning Season 7 has reached that milestone with fewer episodes and in half the time.

Now airing nearly in real-time, Season 7 is heating up fast—and fan-favorite twists like Casa Amor and Movie Night haven’t even arrived yet. If current momentum continues, this season could easily blow past Season 6’s viewership peak.

Adding another layer of intrigue, Love Island UK launched its own new season in the same week this data was collected. Since the two shows share much of their audience and air six nights a week, it’s unclear whether the overlap will boost engagement or lead to viewer burnout.

What is clear: Season 6 turned Love Island USA into a streaming powerhouse. Factors behind that surge include a standout cast, off-the-charts drama, and the addition of Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix as host. Her presence helped elevate the show’s mainstream profile, while social media buzz—especially on TikTok—kept fans glued to every twist and turn.

That success even led to a new spinoff, Love Island: Beyond the Villa, which premieres in July and will follow fan-favorite Islanders beyond their time in the villa.

Produced by ITV America and based on the format owned by Lifted Entertainment and GroupM Motion Entertainment, Love Island USA continues to prove it’s more than just a summer fling—it’s become a cultural phenomenon.

original article: Deadline