Business News Digital

Spotify unleashes listening stats, as streaming service itself declared biggest in the world

By | Published on Wednesday 2 December 2015

Spotify

So, good news if you’re a fan of Spotify and a fan of lists! Spotify yesterday released a lot of lists. The assortment of top fives and other stat-tastic statistics were delivered under the banner Year In Music. So let’s just hope nothing too dramatic happens in the next 30 days to screw all that up.

There were few surprises in the figures. Drake was the most streamed artist of the year worldwide, though Ed Sheeran – as well as being the most streamed artist of the year in the UK – has the title of most streamed artist of all time. On Spotify, obviously. The Bieber takes the Most Streams In A Single Day prize on account of him being such a nice guy now, while Major Lazer had the most streamed song of 2015 (‘Lean On’) and The Weeknd the most streamed album (‘Beauty Behind The Madness’).

Given how much chitter chatter there has been this year on the role of online playlists in driving initial streams, and sustained listening, and therefore sustained royalties, on Spotify, the top five playlists are perhaps particularly interesting. Though mainly in that all five of the top playlists worldwide, and four of the top five in the UK, are Spotify-owned playlists which, despite the importance of label and third-party operated playlists on the streaming platform, confirms that the digital firm’s own curators still have the most influence.

The only playlist in the UK top five not controlled by Spotify itself is the leading Topsify playlist – it’s UK Top 40 set up – which possibly still benefits from being a very early player in the Spotify playlisting domain. Topsify, of course, is now owned by Warner Music as a result of the major’s acquisition of it and sister set-up Playlists.net last year, with the services’ founder, Kieron Donoghue, now VP Global Playlists Strategy & Curation at the record company.

The Spotify lists were unleashed as another stat pack, this one from US app analytics firm App Annie, declared that the Swedish streaming platform was now the biggest specific provider of music streams worldwide – in terms of revenue, app downloads and active users – taking that crown from Pandora. In terms of active users, Spotify’s last declared figures were actually behind Pandora, but it is expected that the former’s next stat brag will put it someway ahead of its rival.

Though, of course, Pandora is only available in three markets – compared to Spotify’s 58 – and the vast majority of the personalised radio service’s userbase is in the US. Pandora’s global expansion has been hindered because its business model so far has relied on the unique licensing framework in America, though the firm is now looking into launching in new territories once again.

Anyway, we promised you lists, you sat there patiently, and here is your reward…

Top Five Global Artists
1. Drake
2. Ed Sheeran
3. The Weeknd
4. Maroon 5
5. Kanye West

Top Five Artists In The UK
1. Ed Sheeran
2. The Weeknd
3. Drake
4. Sam Smith
5. Kanye West

Top Five Global Female Artists
1. Rihanna
2. Ariana Grande
3. Nicki Minaj
4. Beyoncé
5. Ellie Goulding

Top Five Females In The UK
1. Rihanna
2. Beyoncé
3. Ellie Goulding
4. Nicki Minaj
5. Sia

Top Five Global Tracks
1. Major Lazer feat MØ & DJ Snake – Lean On
2. OMI – Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix Radio Edit)
3. Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk
4. Wiz Khalifa feat Charlie Puth – See You Again
5. Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do

Top Five Tracks In The UK
1. OMI – Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)
2. Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk
3. Major Lazer feat MØ & DJ Snake – Lean On
4. Hozier – Take Me To Church
5. Wiz Khalifa feat Charlie Puth – See You Again

Top Five Global Albums
1. The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness
2. Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
3. Major Lazer – Peace Is The Mission
4. Avicii – Stories
5. Meghan Trainor – Title

Top Five Albums In The UK
1. The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness
2. James Bay – Chaos And The Calm
3. Years & Years – Communion
4. Major Lazer – Peace Is The Mission
5. OMI – Me 4 U

Top Five Global Viral Tracks
1. Robin Schulz feat Francesco Yates – Sugar
2. Hotline Bling – Drake
3. Felix Jaehn – Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better)
4. The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face
5. Alessia Cara – Here

Top Five Viral Tracks In The UK
1. Nick Brewer – Talk To Me
2. Lady Leshurr – Queen’s Speech 4
3. The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face
4. Drake Hotline – Bling
5. Fatima Yamaha – What’s A Girl To Do

Top Five Global Playlists
1. Today’s Top Hits
2. Afternoon Acoustic
3. Baila Reggaeton
4. Hot Country
5. RapCaviar

Top Five Playlists In The UK
1. Hot Hits UK
2. Topsify UK Top 40
3. Today’s Top Hits
4. Afternoon Acoustic
5. Feelin’ Good



READ MORE ABOUT: