Spotify unveiled its Wrapped 2021 campaign, giving us a peek at the most-streamed artist on Spotify this year.
With more than 9.1 billion streams this year, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny takes the top spot. Bad Bunny managed to edge out some music industry titans like Taylor Swift, BTS, Drake, and Justin Bieber in 2021 to claim that title.
Most Streamed Artist on Spotify – 2021
- Bad Bunny
- Taylor Swift
- BTS
- Drake
- Justin Bieber
Most Streamed Songs on Spotify – 2021
- Olivia Rodrigo | “Driver’s License”
- Lil Nas X | “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
- The Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber | “Stay”
- Olivia Rodrigo | “Good 4 U”
- Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby | “Levitating”
Most Streamed Albums on Spotify – 2021
- Olivia Rodrigo | Sour
- Dua Lipa | Future Nostalgia
- Justin Bieber | Justice
- Ed Sheeran | =
- Doja Cat | Planet Her
Most Popular Podcasts on Spotify – 2021
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Call Her Daddy
- Crime Junkie
- TED Talks Daily
- The Daily
Most Streamed Artists on Spotify in the U.S.
- Drake
- Taylor Swift
- Juice WRLD
- Kanye West
- Bad Bunny
Most Streamed Songs in the U.S.
- Olivia Rodrigo | “Driver’s License”
- Olivia Rodrigo | “Good 4 U”
- Doja Cat ft. SZA | “Kiss Me More”
- Glass Animals | “Heat Waves”
- Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby | “Levitating”
Most Popular Podcasts in the U.S.
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Crime Junkie
- Call Her Daddy
- The Daily
- NPR News Now
There were also some notable music streaming trends on Spotify in 2021. Nostalgia played a huge role in some people’s music listening habits for 2021. In fact, some albums released more than 20 years ago enjoyed renewed streaming success this year. Throwback albums are defined as having been released more than 20 years ago.
Top Streaming Throwback Albums on Spotify
Fleetwood Mac | Rumors
Nirvana | Nevermind
Linkin Park | Hybrid Theory
Guns N’ Roses | Appetite for Destruction
The Beatles | The Beatles
Top Streaming Throwback Songs on Spotify
Fleetwood Mac | “Dreams”
Queen | “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Coldplay | “Yellow”
Nirvana | “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
The Police | “Every Breath You Take”
TikTok trends really helped bring some of these classics back to the forefront in 2021. Spotify says there were over 187,000 ‘sea shanty’ playlists created on its service in 2021 – inspired by another TikTok trend.
Year after year, always the same names! Music never changes, sales still half of what they were in 1999, and unless you are on this list, you are probably a musician making minimum wage!
Nobody has a fair chance. Here’s why:
Katy Perry can spend $11 million dollars to promote one single. CAN YOU? 3 CEOs control the entire music industry. Warmer, Unversal, Sony
Support the music revolution, and you support every musician everywhere in the world.
There is no revolution, just business. Figure a way to get your piece of the pie and quit trying to move a mountain.
You’re screaming into a vacuum, Tom.
Tom, I’m not on this list, don’t write hits or even pop music, and I’m earning a living from streaming services entirely.
Add in the mechanical and publishing royalties, syncs, licensing, and occasional sample clearance, and life is pretty good.
I don’t need to rely on “sales”, playing live, or merch.
Indies like me are out there living the dream and you act like because it’s not 1999 with a Tower Records on every corner selling $18 CDs that nobody is making any money. I’m sure you know that a lot of major acts with hits were making nothing in the 90s, having to sue and declare bankruptcy to get out of contracts. Not just the big acts.
Streaming is the best thing that happened to me and many many other artists. You have to deny that because you’re stuck in the past or you have some parochial view of the music industry. Adapt or die.
JUICE WRLD isn’t spending, promoting-HBO has done minimal promos on their, I think, documentary? Special?
This artist passed away, God rest his soul…
His music, leaked or officially released, sells itself. (the word sells uses loosely here…)
Q: Who are the most streamed artists on Spotify in 2021?
A: The ones with the most fake streams.