The Digital Media Association (DIMA) has compiled several rankings of the most popular artists, albums and songs over the past 12 months on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.
The organization has found that the appetite for music is stronger than ever. Music lovers, in particular, have turned to streaming to maintain a connection with the artists they love.
These include established musicians like Taylor Swift, BTS, Drake and Justin Bieber, all of whom are in the top five most popular artists on Spotify this year, behind… Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican artist hasn’t released any albums in the past 12 months, but has gifted a host of singles to his fans, including “Yonaguni” and “Lo Siento BB”.
And Bad Bunny isn’t the only reggaetonero to be particularly popular on Spotify and the like. According to DIMA, artists of this genre have gained many places in these year-end charts, “benefiting from the ability of streaming platforms to stimulate the discovery and growing popularity of Latin music.” And it’s the same story for rap and hip-hop artists, the report notes.
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Young and in the making
The American association has also noted an interest in emerging artists like Olivia Rodrigo, The Kid Laroi and Moneybagg Yo. The 18-year-old pop star enjoyed huge success with her debut album “Sour”, and in particular with the single “drivers license”. This track is on the charts of the most popular songs on Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify and YouTube.
Kid Laroi has had similar success with “STAY,” created in collaboration with Justin Bieber. The single spent seven non-consecutive weeks atop the US radio charts, after being the subject of a dance challenge on TikTok. It appears in the top five on Amazon Music and Spotify.
“The history of music in 2021 has been defined by incredible artists, both familiar and new, who were able to harness the power of streaming to connect with fans,” said Garrett Levin, CEO of Digital Media Association. “This year, we celebrated the gradual return of live music a year after most in-person concerts have closed, while recognizing that challenges remain. One bright spot amid the continued uncertainty surrounding Covid is that we have again seen a growing number of fans eager to discover new artists and follow their careers, reconnect with old favorites and listen to the artists. and the songwriters they love via streaming.
