# Thrift Shop

> A self-released song reached No. 1 with a viral video and hired radio promotion.

- Owner: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- Kind: Music
- Sector: Entertainment
- Seed date: 2012-08-27
- Observed peak date: 2013-03-16
- Date basis: Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum.
- Spread Score: 51 (Notable, provisional), v1.3
- Mechanics: Underdog, Transgression, Platform jump, Press loop, Response chain

## Summary

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released Thrift Shop, then its Seattle video spread through YouTube and Reddit. Early radio play preceded hired promotion by ADA and Warner Bros. The song topped the US and UK charts, spawned parodies and won two Grammys.

## Timeline

- 2012-08-27 — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (Audio) — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released Thrift Shop featuring Wanz.
- 2012-08-29 — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (YouTube) — The duo released its music video, filmed in Seattle thrift stores.
- 2012-08-29 — pricklypete (Reddit) — A Reddit user submitted the video to r/videos on its upload day.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/thrift-shop

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Thrift Shop.” Case HIS-01560. Spread Score v1.3: 51/100. Updated 2026-10-23. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01560