2015 is coming to a close, and thus Spotify shares it streaming data for the end of the year, which includes their top artists, songs, and albums. It's no shocker that Drake was the most streamed artist of 2015, but that's not to say there weren't a few surprises on the list.
For instance, Ed Sheeran is now the most streamed artist of all time, while Justin Bieber took home the trophy for most streams in one day when Purpose dropped. Major Lazer also had a killer year with their mega-hit "Lean On," which stands as the most streamed song of 2015 with over 540 million listens. The most streamed albums category were dominated by Toronto as the Weeknd and Drake claimed the top two spots. The Weeknd's Beauty Behind the Madness was streamed over 60 million times this year to give it the top spot over the competition.
There were no women in the top five global artists of the year, and while that is concerning, it could be because neither Adele nor Taylor Swift streamed their latest albums on Spotify. Though Drake's "Hotline Bling" was a major success this year, it didn't top the "Viral Song of the Year" in the U.S. list, but rather came in second behind Alessia Cara's "Here." Check out all of Spotify's end of the year categories below.
Global Results
Top Five Global Artists
- Drake
- Ed Sheeran
- The Weeknd
- Maroon 5
- Kanye West
Top Five Global Males
- Drake
- Ed Sheeran
- The Weeknd
- Maroon 5
- Kanye West
Top Five Global Females
- Rihanna
- Ariana Grande
- Nicki Minaj
- Beyoncé
- Ellie Goulding
Top Five Global Tracks
- Lean On (feat. MØ & DJ Snake) – Major Lazer
- Cheerleader – Felix Jaehn Remix Radio Edit – OMI
- Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson
- See You Again (feat. Charlie Puth) – Wiz Khalifa
- Love Me Like You Do – From “Fifty Shades Of Grey” – Ellie Goulding
Top Five Global Albums
- Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd
- If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake
- Peace Is The Mission – Major Lazer
- Stories – Avicii
- Title – Meghan Trainor
Top Five Global Viral Tracks
- Sugar (feat. Francesco Yates) – Robin Schulz
- Hotline Bling – Drake
- Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better) – Felix Jaehn
- Can’t Feel My Face – The Weeknd
- Here – Alessia Cara
Top Five Global Playlists
- Today’s Top Hits
- Afternoon Acoustic
- Baila Reggaeton
- Hot Country
- RapCaviar
MARKET SPECIFIC – U.S.
Top Five Artists in U.S.
- Drake
- The Weeknd
- Kanye West
- Ed Sheeran
- Eminem
Top Five Males in U.S.
- Drake
- The Weeknd
- Kanye West
- Ed Sheeran
- Eminem
Top Five Females in U.S.
- Nicki Minaj
- Beyoncé
- Rihanna
- Ariana Grande
- Lana Del Rey
Top Five Tracks in the U.S.
- Trap Queen – Fetty Wap
- The Hills – The Weeknd
- Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey) – The Weeknd
- Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson
- Lean On (feat. MØ & DJ Snake) – Major Lazer
Top Five Albums in the U.S.
- If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake
- Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd
- Fetty Wap – Fetty Wap
- Dark Sky Paradise – Big Sean
- SremmLife – Rae Sremmurd
Top Five Viral Tracks in the U.S.
- Here – Alessia Cara
- Hotline Bling – Drake
- Sugar (feat. Francesco Yates) – Robin Schulz
- Ex’s & Oh’s – Elle King
- Sunday Candy – Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment (tied for 4th place)
Top Five Playlists in the U.S.
- Today’s Top Hits
- Hot Country
- RapCaviar
- TGIF
- Afternoon Acoustic
