Spotify has unveiled its annual Year In Music - and it’s dominated by Drake and his album Scorpion.
The Canadian superstar’s album was one of several big hip-hop releases that debuted on streaming platforms ahead of a physical release. Drizzy has built up huge numbers for the album and broke records following a Spotify takeover - although Apple Music said the record did even better on its service.
The rapper features heavily on Spotify’s various rundowns, which reveal the top artists, albums, tracks and playlists.
On Spotify, Scorpion secured Drake the title of most streamed artist both in the UK and globally. Scorpion, which has Official Charts Company sales of 281,437, was the most streamed album of the year, both in the UK and globally. Lead single God’s Plan, which spent nine weeks as the UK’s official No.1, was was the most streamed track of 2018 both in the UK and globally with over 1.1 billion streams. Overall, he racked up 8.2 billion streams this year.
Ariana Grande’s 49 million-plus monthly listeners made her Spotify’s most-streamed female artist of 2018, following three-time winner Rihanna. Current hit Thank U, Next had the year’s biggest one-week sale in the UK - 95,439 units. She had more than 3 billion Spotify streams this year.
UK artist Dua Lipa broke out as global star in 2018, and she also features strongly on Spotify’s rankings. She’s the second most streamed female artist of the year globally and the most streamed female artist in the UK.
Her Calvin Harris collaboration One Kiss - which was big on Deezer’s 2018 chart - was the UK’s second most streamed track behind God’s Plan. Dua Lipa’s self-titled, platinum debut was the third most streamed album of the year in the UK and fourth globally.
Ed Sheeran dominated last year and he still makes a strong showing in the 2018 Spotify rundowns, as the fifth overall artist globally (and the most streamed British artist in the world).
Today’s Top Hits (22 million followers) and RapCaviar were the biggest global playlists this year.
Spotify’s UK Top Lists 2018:
Most Streamed Artist: UK
1. Drake
2. Post Malone
3. Eminem
4. Ed Sheeran
5. Xxxtentacion
Most streamed female artist: UK
1. Dua Lipa
2. Ariana Grande
3. Jess Glynne
4. Rihanna
5. Anne-Marie
Most streamed track: UK
1. God's Plan - Drake
2. One Kiss (with Dua Lipa) - Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris
3. Nice for What - Drake
4. Shotgun - George Ezra
5. These Days (feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore, Dan Caplan) - Rudimental, Jess Glynne, Macklemore
Most streamed album: UK
1. Drake - Scorpion
2. Post Malone - beerbongs & bentleys
3. Dua Lipa - Dua Lipa
4. Ed Sheeran - ÷
5. George Ezra - Staying at Tamara’s
Most popular Spotify playlists by followers:
1. Hot Hits UK
2. Today’s Top Hits
3. Massive Dance Hits
4. #ThrowbackThursday
5. Every UK Number One: 2018
Spotify’s Global Top Lists 2018:
Most-Streamed Artists: Global
1. Drake
2. Post Malone
3. Xxxtentacion
4. J Balvin
5. Ed Sheeran
Most-Streamed Female Artists: Global
1. Ariana Grande
2. Dua Lipa
3. Cardi B
4. Taylor Swift
5. Camila Cabello
Most-Streamed Tracks: Global
1. God's Plan - Drake
2. Sad! - Xxxtentacion
3. rockstar (feat. 21 Savage) - Post Malone
4. Psycho (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) - Post Malone
5. In My Feelings - Drake
Most-Streamed Albums: Global
1. Scorpion - Drake
2. beerbongs & bentleys - Post Malone
3. ? - Xxxtentacion
4. Dua Lipa - Dua Lipa
5. ÷ - Ed Sheeran
Most-Streamed Groups: Global
1. Imagine Dragons
2. BTS
3. Maroon 5
4. Migos
5. Coldplay
Most-Followed Playlists: Global
1. Today's Top Hits
2. RapCaviar
3. ¡Viva Latino!
4. Baila Reggaeton
5. Songs to Sing in the Car
Genres That Grew the Most in 2018: Global
1. EMO Rap
2. Lo-fi Beats
3. Deep Talent Show
4. Ringtone
5. Brega Funk
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