Olivia Rodrigo, Pop Smoke, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, and More Make Strong Showings on MRC Midyear Charts

Rodrigo has the most-streamed song this year so far (via on-demand streams) with her breakout hit “Drivers License,” with other big finishes also on the charts.

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Photo by JMEnternational/JMEnternational for BRIT Awards/Getty Images

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We’re halfway though the year, and MRC Data—formerly Nielsen—has yet again unveiled its midyear charts. 

Unsurprisingly, pop star Olivia Rodrigo has the most-streamed song of 2021 so far (via on-demand streams) with her breakout hit “Drivers License,” as her debut album Sour has moved 1.367 million units and placed second on MRC’s Midyear Top 10 Albums ranking which is based on overall album equivalent units, per Billboard.

Sour finishes only behind country singer Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album in that particular chart, with Wallen coming to the midyear point with big numbers despite being captured on video earlier this year saying the n-word. On the albums chart, Wallen and Rodrigo place above Justin Bieber’s sixth studio album Justice, as well as Pop Smoke’s Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon and the Weeknd’s After Hours—which placed in the top 5 despite releasing in 2020. 

Elsewhere, Taylor Swift Evermore was labeled the top-selling album at the halfway point of 2021 by MRC with 374,000 copies sold, as it tops the Midyear Top 10 Selling Albums, with Folklore and Fearless (Taylor’s Version) not too far behind. 

And in one of the more interesting reveals, Kendrick Lamar’s 2012 effort Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City finds itself as the No. 3 best-selling vinyl record at the midway point this year, landing 99,000 copies sold. 

Take a look at MRC Data’s seven midyear charts below to see where Rodrigo and others placed in other sales categories. 

2021’s Midyear Top 10 Albums, Based on Overall Equivalent Album Units

1. Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album (2.108 million)

2. Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (1.367 million)

3. Justin Bieber, Justice (962,000)

4. Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon (948,000)

5. The Weeknd, After Hours (832,000)

6. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia (829,000)

7. Taylor Swift, Evermore (818,000)

8. Luke Combs, What You See Is What You Get (740,000)

9. Lil Durk, The Voice (735,000)

10. Ariana Grande, Positions (707,000)

2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Albums

1. Taylor Swift, Evermore (374,000)

2. Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album (241,000)

3. Taylor Swift, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (237,000)

4. Carrie Underwood, My Savior (211,000)

5. Harry Styles, Fine Line (162,000)

6. Taylor Swift, Folklore (153,000)

7. Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (146,000)

8. BTS, Be (128,000)

9. Foo Fighters, Medicine at Midnight (126,000)

10. Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (118,000)

2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Vinyl Albums

1. Taylor Swift, Evermore (143,000)

2. Harry Styles, Fine Line (125,000)

3. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (99,000)

4. Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (89,000)

5. Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain (Soundtrack) (86,000)

6. Michael Jackson, Thriller (86,000)

7. Billie Eilish, Dont Smile at Me (83,000)

8. Taylor Swift, Folklore (82,000)

9. Queen, Greatest Hits (75,000)

10. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours (73,000)

2021’s Midyear Top 10 Selling Digital Songs

1. BTS, “Butter” (841,000)

2. BTS, “Dynamite” (283,000)

3. Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In the Ocean” (246,000)

4. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (238,000)

5. Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak), “Leave the Door Open” (203,000)

6. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (199,000)

7. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (187,000)

8. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (176,000)

9. Cardi B, “Up” (166,000)

10. Saweetie featuring Doja Cat, “Best Friend” (148,000)

2021’s Midyear Top 10 On-Demand Song Streams, Audio & Video Combined

1. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (582.8 million)

2. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (438 million)

3. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (411 million)

4. Cardi B, “Up” (376 million)

5. Pooh Shiesty featuring Lil Durk, “Back In Blood” (370 million)

6. Spotemgottem, “Beatbox” (369 million)

7. Lil Nas X, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (366 million)

8. Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In the Ocean” (341.1 million)

9. Lil Tjay featuring 6lack, “Calling My Phone” (339 million)

10. Polo G, “Rapstar” (337.3 million)

2021’s Midyear Top 10 On-Demand Audio Streams

1. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (460.2 million)

2. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (367.1 million)

3. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (334 million)

4. Polo G, “Rapstar” (282 million)

5. Cardi B, “Up” (278 million)

6. SZA, “Good Days” (275 million)

7. Pooh Shiesty featuring Lil Durk, “Back In Blood” (273.5 million)

8. Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In the Ocean” (273 million)

9. Lil Tjay featuring 6lack, “Calling My Phone” (271.2 million)

10. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (263 million)

2021’s Midyear Top 10 Radio Songs, Based on Audience

1. Chris Brown and Young Thug, “Go Crazy” (1.570 billion)

2. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating” (1.438 billion)

3. 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior, “Mood” (1.395 billion)

4. Ariana Grande, “Positions” (1.374 billion)

5. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (1.361 billion)

6. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” (1.326 billion)

7. Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak), “Leave the Door Open” (1.261 billion)

8. Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License” (1.227 billion)

9. Ariana Grande, “34+35” (1.170 billion)

10. Billie Eilish, “Therefore I Am” (1.146 billion)

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