Top line
As 2021 draws to a close, music giants like Billboard, Spotify, Apple Music, iHeartRadio and many more are releasing their lists of the year’s most played and best-selling songs and albums, and artists like BTS, Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande and Olivia Rodrigo topped many rankings. Here’s a look at some of the most popular music this year.
In this image posted on November 22, Dua Lipa performs onstage for the 2020 American Music Awards, … [+]
Getty Images for dcp
Highlights
Billboard: Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” was the most popular song of the year, surpassing Billboard‘s Hot 100; Drake was the best artist of the year; Controversial country singer Morgan Wallen, who was filmed using a racial slur, took No. 1 on the Top 200 Albums chart for his work. Dangerous: the double album.
Spotify: Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License” was the most-aired song from January 1 to November 27, globally and in the US on the streaming service; Rodrigo’s album Sour was the most widely distributed album in the world; Bad Bunny was the world’s most streamed artist for the second year in a row, collecting 9.1 billion streams.
Apple Music: BTS’s “Dynamite” was the most played song on the streaming service between October 16, 2020 and October 15, 2021; The most Shazamed song – when users ask Siri to identify a song that’s playing – was Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean,” which was requested 11.7 million times.
iHeartRadio: Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” was the most played song on the nation’s largest radio network, garnering 1.2 billion plays; Ariana Grande was the network’s most performed artist, garnering 2.6 billion plays.
Lists
Billboard 100 hot songs:
- “Levitating” – Dua Lipa
- “Save Your Tears” – The Weeknd ft. Ariana Grande
- “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
- “Mood” – 24Goldn ft. ian dior
- “Good 4 u” – Olivia Rodrigo
Billboard The 200 best albums:
- Dangerous: the double album – Morgan Wallen
- Sour -Olivia Rodrigo
- Shoot for the stars Aim for the moon – Smoke pop
- Always – Taylor Swift
- Boy in love certified – Drake
Billboard Best artists:
- Duck
- Olivia rodrigo
- The weekend
- Taylor Swift
- Morgan wallen
Most listened to artists on Spotify in the world:
- Bad bunny
- Taylor Swift
- BTS
- Duck
- Justin bieber
Most Listened to Spotify Songs Around the World:
- “driving license” – Olivia Rodrigo
- “MONTERO (Call me by your name) – Lil Nas X
- “STAY (With Justin Bieber) – The Kid Laroi
- “good 4 u” – Olivia Rodrigo
- “Levitating (ft. Da Baby)” – Dua Lipa
The most listened to artists on Spotify in the world
- SOUR -Olivia Rodrigo
- Nostalgia for the future – Dua Lipa
- Justice – Justin Bieber
- = – Ed Sheeran
- Planet Her – Cat Doja
Most Listened to Apple Music Songs:
- “Dynamite” – BTS
- “driving license” – Olivia Rodrigo
- “positions” – Ariana Grande
- “For the Night (ft. Lil Baby and Da Baby) – Pop Smoke
- “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
Apple Music’s Most Shazamed Songs:
- “Astronaut in the ocean” – Masked wolf
- “Save your tears” – The Weeknd
- “Bad Habits” – Ed Sheeran
- “driving license” – Olivia Rodrigo
- “Start” – Maneskin
Best overall songs from iHeartRadio:
- “Levitating” – Dua Lipa
- “Save your tears” – The Weeknd
- “34 + 35” – Ariana Grande
- “Kiss Me More” – Doja Cat ft. Sza
- “MONTERO (Call me by your name) – Lil Nas X
Top artists in all of iHeartRadio:
- Ariana Grande
- Dua Lipa
- The weekend
- Olivia rodrigo
- Pop Smoke
Tangent
Several popular songs from the past year have appeared on this year’s charts. Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, and Bad Bunny haven’t released any new music this year, and their popularity in 2021 on Spotify, iHeartRadio, and the Billboard The charts are from their releases in 2020. “Blinding Lights” was one of the most popular songs of the last year, and still on Apple Music and Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2021. “Dynamite” was released this year as well. last.
Key context
Last years Billboard The Hot 100 Songs of the Year chart, based on sales, streams and radio plays, was dominated by household names: The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” ranked first, followed by Post’s “Circles” Malone, “The Box” by Roddy Ricch, Dua “Don’t Start Now” by Lipa and “Rockstar” by DaBaby and Roddy Ricch. The most popular album of the last year, according to Billboard, was Post Malone’s “Hollywood Is Bleeding”. “Blinding Lights” was also the most listened to song on Spotify last year.
Further reading
Dua Lipa’s old music Ariana Grande outshines new music in 2021 on biggest radio network (Forbes)
Adele’s “30” becomes 2021’s best-selling album in just three days (Forbes)