The Neighbourhood Reacts as ‘Sweater Weather’ Makes Spotify History: ‘It Feels Bigger Than the Band at This Point’

As sweater weather sweeps through communities, The Neighbourhood's signature track of the same name is achieving remarkable success on Spotify in 2026. Nearly 15 years after its initial release, the band is still astonished by the enduring affection fans continue to show for the song. The Neighbourhood's Jesse Rutherford, Zach Abels, and Jeremiah Freedman chatted about how "Sweater Weather" has officially surpassed the five-billion-stream mark on the platform, according to Spotify.

This accomplishment makes the song just the third to reach such a milestone, and the most playlisted song of all time on Spotify. Zach Abels expressed his amazement at the song's continued relevance, stating that it has become "bigger than the band at this point." The guitarist noted that the song has taken on a life of its own through the internet and fans, with people attributing their own meanings to it, which helps it maintain its connection with listeners.

Released ahead of The Neighbourhood's debut album, I Love You, "Sweater Weather" peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2013 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. Since then, the song has experienced a resurgence every autumn, hitting one billion streams on Spotify in 2021. The annual streams for the song have increased by more than seven times between 2019 and 2024.

Zach Abels explained the song's popularity, attributing it to its intimate mood and universal appeal, as well as its visual and physical hook. "Sweater Weather" has also enjoyed success on YouTube, with its music video surpassing a billion views recently. The band has since released four more albums since their I Love You days, with their latest, Ultrasound, reaching No. 20 on the Top Alternative Albums chart and supporting a sold-out world tour across multiple continents.