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Most monthly listeners ranking

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Want to check the detailed streaming numbers for one artist?

Singers who've led the Top Spotify Artists ranking

Hitting #1 in Spotify’s monthly listeners ranking is no fluke. To reach the top, an artist needs a powerful combination: a deep catalog, current chart-toppers, and global appeal strong enough to dominate today’s pop landscape.

Only a handful of artists have pulled it off. In 2023, just two reached the summit: The Weeknd and Taylor Swift. They also became the first male and female artists to cross the 100 million monthly listener mark on Spotify worldwide—an unprecedented achievement.

This year, they’ve continued to lead the charge, especially The Weeknd, but Billie Eilish and, more recently, Bruno Mars have surged to the top thanks to blockbuster hits.

Zooming out to the full decade, only seven artists have claimed the #1 spot: the four mentioned above, plus Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande.

Interestingly, earlier leaders came from more diverse genres: Drake (hip-hop), Khalid (R&B), and Latin giants like Daddy Yankee and J Balvin all held the crown at one point. But as Spotify’s user base exploded, especially in Asia, the platform has leaned more and more pop. Breaking into that top spot today demands not just fame, but universal, cross-market appeal.

Spotify monthly listeners' peaks

If you are wondering where your favorite artist peaked, the table below lists the highest number recorded by each one since we started tracking them in November 2022.

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What do monthly listeners on Spotify really mean?

Spotify’s monthly listeners metric shows how many unique users have played an artist’s music over the past 28 days. Unlike total streams, which highlight repeat plays, this stat focuses on reach, giving a spotlight to one-hit wonders and viral tracks.

This makes the metric especially favorable to artists with a single, iconic hit that far outshines the rest of their catalog. Think Journey, The Spice Girls, The Police, or MC Hammer, artists whose standout songs continue to attract huge attention on their own.

Playlist placement also plays a major role. Songs heavily promoted in popular playlists—especially during seasonal peaks like Christmas—can dramatically inflate listener counts. Holiday classics often send monthly listener stats soaring as Spotify boosts festive content.

Another quirk? Collaborations. When an artist is featured on a hit, even in a remix, they receive full credit for that song’s monthly listeners. This means a lesser-known artist can see their numbers skyrocket just by appearing alongside a superstar.

In short, the list of artists with the most monthly listeners can be misleading. It doesn’t always represent true popularity or global impact but rather short-term exposure and strategic placements.

Top artists on Spotify

So if you really want to know who’s ruling Spotify right now, look no further. The following ranking reveals the biggest artists on the platform today, measured by both current buzz and long-term dominance.

The ranking

Right now, the race to rule Spotify has four major players.

Drake and Ed Sheeran were the first to go head-to-head. Ed delivered massive hits, but Drake took the edge with a deeper and more consistent catalog.

Then came Bad Bunny’s surge. With Un Verano Sin Ti, it looked like he was ready to take the throne. But just as he seemed unstoppable, Taylor Swift kept rising, reaching new heights with Midnights.

The battle is far from over. Check back daily to watch music history unfold in real time!

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The numbers that shape the ranking and why they count

This ranking showcases the top Spotify artists based on a blend of key performance metrics.

To capture an artist’s current popularity, we consider both their Spotify popularity rating and monthly listeners. For long-term impact, we factor in total streams (as lead artist only) and follower count.

The overall score combines all these indicators, with heavier weight given to actual consumption data, namely popularity and total streams. The star rating follows a logarithmic scale, and when multiple artists share the same number of stars, their precise score determines the order.

We update all stats daily.

While the top of the list is comprehensive, some lower-ranked artists might not appear yet. If you notice someone missing, just look them up using our streaming data tool. If they meet the criteria, they'll be added automatically and instantly.

FAQ: common questions about Spotify monthly listeners

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