Bad Bunny performs at Made In America Festival on Sept. 4.
Music’s reigning biggest players continued to hold court in 2022, and by the looks of Spotify’s most-streamed artists globally, it looks like they’ll probably head into dominating much of 2023.
If you didn’t know it by now, Bad Bunny is the biggest superstar in the world. There are a number of ways to quantify this title, so for now, we’ll look to Spotify’s data certifying the Puerto Rican singer as the most streamed artist worldwide.
To round out the top 5, right behind Benito we have more powerhouses from across the globe. Taylor Swift took the No. 2 position, followed by Drake, The Weeknd and BTS.
Though not the top streamed artists, the likes of Harry Styles, Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo were top of mind with leading positions in Spotify’s most-streamed albums globally and in the U.S.
What was happening elsewhere in pop culture also had an impact on what Spotify users chose to listen to. In the spring, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” increased streams by a whopping 8,700%. There’s no doubt Max from Stranger Things would have appreciated seeing the 1985 hit as the No. 1 most-streamed throwback song of the year.
Just behind it were Coldplay’s “Yellow”, Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady”, Coolio's “Gangsta’s Paradise” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Other spikes came from fashion and internet trends. There was a 660% spike in “Coastal Grandmother” user-generated playlists (think “My Girl” by The Temptations or Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)”) and a 320% surge in user-generated feral girl summer playlists (queue up “Thot S***” by Megan Thee Stallion). Also, in tandem with the proliferance of Little Miss memes— a suitable resurgence of the British children’s book character for the digital age— Spotify had a near 1,400% increase in user-generated “Little Miss” playlists over the summer.
So, how do your most listened to artists stack up to the global music elite? See more of the most important rankings below.
Most-Streamed Artists Globally
Most-Streamed Artists in the U.S.
Most-Streamed Albums Globally
Most-Streamed Albums in the U.S.
Most-Streamed Songs Globally
Most-Streamed Songs in the U.S.
Most Popular Podcasts Globally
Most Popular Podcasts in the U.S.
Most-Streamed K-Pop Artists Globally
Songs With the Most Shared Lyrics Globally
Most Viral Artists Globally
See also: TikTok Beauty Guru Madeleine White Reveals The Next Big Fashion Trends
Photography by: Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images
