2025 was another massive year for global music streaming. Viral hits, cinematic pop, and club-ready tracks kept listeners hooked throughout the year. Spotify does not release yearly artist stream counts officially, so this list is based on data compiled by ChartMasters. When we look at the numbers for 2025, one thing becomes clear. Big artists are getting even bigger and they are also reshaping how the industry works year after year.
This year’s list is not just about who streamed the most. The real story is how these numbers shifted compared to last year.
| Rank | Artist | Popular Song (2025) | Popular Album | Lead Streams | Feat Streams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Swift | The Fate of Ophelia | The Life of a Showgirl | 115,009,864,259 | 1,194,479,034 |
| 2 | Bad Bunny | DtMF | Debi Tirar Mas Fotos | 99,453,500,623 | 10,952,365,048 |
| 3 | Drake | Nokia | Some Sexy Songs 4 U | 95,854,121,208 | 28,308,502,558 |
| 4 | The Weeknd | Cry For Me | Hurry Up Tomorrow | 75,638,489,345 | 13,133,272,547 |
| 5 | Ariana Grande | Twilight Zone | Eternal Sunshine | 59,177,743,485 | 3,557,789,404 |
Taylor Swift dominated 2024 too, but the jump to 115 billion streams in 2025 clearly shows how strong her catalog is becoming with every new release. If she keeps growing at this rate, she may soon create a separate benchmark that others will not be able to match.
In 2024, Bad Bunny was extremely close to Taylor Swift, but 2025 saw a bigger gap. Even then, his 99 billion streams show that Latin music continues to remain a global force. Unlike last year, his numbers stayed more stable across months. It shows a stronger long-term listener retention.
Drake’s streaming numbers dipped slightly in 2024 due to controversies and weak singles. But in 2025, he bounced back strongly, helped by the viral success of “Nokia.”
Compared to his massive 2024 fueled by “Blinding Lights” and a global tour, 2025 was slightly quieter. However, crossing 75 billion streams in a slow year shows how powerful his catalog still is. Even a modest year for him performs better than most artists’ peak years.
Ariana did not make it into the 2024 top list, but Eternal Sunshine and the success of “Twilight Zone” pushed her back in. Her numbers are lower than the top four, but they show a clear comeback.
2025 proves that older tracks and albums are carrying more weight than ever. Each of these top artists benefits from fans replaying their entire catalog, not just their latest hit. Several artists had viral TikTok or Instagram hits in 2025, yet none of them came close to entering this list. It shows that Long-term listener loyalty matters more than momentary attention.
Based on this year’s patterns, Taylor Swift is likely to remain the biggest streaming artist unless someone releases a truly groundbreaking album. Bad Bunny and Drake will continue dominating for different reasons. The Weeknd may jump to #2 again if he announces a new album.
