Look, streaming numbers are weird. A billion streams sounds made up. Four billion? That’s basically incomprehensible. But here we are in 2025, and The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” is pushing 5 billion plays on Spotify alone.
These aren’t just stats though. Behind every billion streams is someone’s commute playlist, their gym motivation, their heartbreak soundtrack. Maybe yours.
The songs on this list have wormed their way into our collective consciousness whether we like it or not (and let’s be honest, some of these you’re probably sick of).
What’s mental is how varied this list actually is. You’ve got Queen from the ’70s sitting next to Billie Eilish. Arctic Monkeys rubbing shoulders with Drake. Songs that were hits when they dropped, and songs that took a decade to catch fire.
Spotify changed the game when it launched in 2008. Physical sales collapsed. Downloads became a thing your parents did. And suddenly, the only number that mattered was how many times someone pressed play.
So here’s what happened. All of it. The good, the overplayed, and the “how is that still getting streams?”
The Sound of a Billion Streams
Hear the intro synth hook that started it all. This is the sound that defined the streaming era:
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” – the most streamed song on Spotify. (Official Video)
1. The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights”
4.98 billion streams
Nearly five billion streams. Abel Tesfaye dropped this at the arse-end of 2019 and it became the sound of lockdown, TikTok’s favourite dance challenge, and every single ’80s revival playlist that followed.
The synth work is ridiculous. Throwback but not dated. Nostalgic without being pastiche. It spent 90 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, which is actually insane when you think about it. Your gran probably knows this song. Your weird uncle who only listens to prog rock has probably heard it in Tesco.
There’s something about those opening synths that just works. Simple as that. Timeless production, massive hook, and it dropped at exactly the right moment when everyone was stuck indoors needing something to feel alive to.
2. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
4.50 billion streams
Look, you can hate Ed Sheeran all you want but the numbers don’t lie. Four and a half billion streams. This marimba-driven earworm was everywhere in 2017. Gyms. Weddings. Supermarkets. Your aunt’s Zumba class on Thursday evenings.
The genius of Sheeran has always been relatability packaged in extremely catchy melodies. “Shape of You” is peak Ed: cheeky lyrics that don’t quite cross the line, a beat you can’t help but move to, and just vague enough that everyone projects their own meaning onto it. Is it romantic? Sexual? Does it matter when it’s this catchy?
It held the number one spot before “Blinding Lights” knocked it off. Wedding DJs still play it. Probably will for the next decade.
3. The Weeknd & Daft Punk – “Starboy”
4.04 billion streams
Two of music’s most enigmatic acts. One sleek, dark, impossibly cool collaboration. When this dropped in 2016, it felt like an event.
Daft Punk were basically retired at that point and The Weeknd was cementing his transition from alt-R&B weirdo to full-blown pop star.
That bassline. Those robotic vocals. The video with Abel literally destroying his old image. It’s the kind of song that makes you feel cooler just by listening to it. You know the vibe: driving at night, city lights, main character energy.
Second 4-billion-stream track from The Weeknd on this list. Man’s basically built different.
4. Lewis Capaldi – “Someone You Loved”
4.01 billion streams
Right, so apparently the world needed a good cry. Lewis Capaldi delivered. This piano ballad from 2018 became the breakup anthem, the mourning anthem, the “I’m in my feelings at 3am” anthem.
Capaldi’s voice cracks and breaks in all the right places. The production is minimal because it doesn’t need to be anything more.
Sometimes you just need a Scottish bloke and a piano to absolutely wreck you emotionally. No bells and whistles required.
Four billion people (or, more accurately, a lot fewer people pressing play billions of times) have collectively sobbed to this. That’s mental.
5. Harry Styles – “As It Was”
4.00 billion streams
Sad dance music. That’s what this is. Harry Styles figured out how to make you want to move while simultaneously making you want to cry about your ex, your life choices, or just general existential dread.
Dropped in 2022 and immediately became the sound of that specific post-lockdown malaise where everything felt both exciting and deeply unsettling.
The synth-pop production nods to the ’80s without ripping it off, and Styles’ vocals sit in that perfect zone between vulnerable and confident.
Gen Z claimed him as their own with this one. He’s not a boyband guy anymore. He’s not even just a solo artist. He’s a certified pop heavyweight who can deliver melancholy bangers that rack up 4 billion streams.
6. The Neighbourhood – “Sweater Weather”
The sound that defined autumn for a generation:
3.95 billion streams
This song came out in 2012. Read that again. 2012. It took the better part of a decade to break into the top 10, which tells you everything about how music works now. TikTok found it.
Autumn aesthetic accounts claimed it. Suddenly everyone was posting moody videos with this as the soundtrack.
The alt-pop sound feels permanently autumnal. Moody guitars, that bassline, Jesse Rutherford’s vocals dripping with carefully constructed nonchalance. It’s become synonymous with cozy season, bisexual lighting, and the specific vibe of being 17 and pretending you’re more mysterious than you actually are.
Slow-burn success stories like this didn’t really exist before streaming. Songs just died. Now they can hibernate for years and wake up to billions of streams.
7. Post Malone & Swae Lee – “Sunflower”
3.92 billion streams
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse needed a song. Post Malone and Swae Lee delivered something way better than a standard film tie-in. This became a whole mood in 2018.
The production is so laid-back it’s practically horizontal. Posty’s melodic sensibilities meet Swae Lee’s effortless hooks, and somehow it works both as a blockbuster soundtrack and a standalone summer anthem. It introduced Post to an entirely new audience of kids who just wanted to be Miles Morales.
Also: film soundtracks are genuinely back. This, “Shallow,” “Skyfall”… turns out people still care about theme songs if they’re actually good.
8. Drake – “One Dance” ft. Wizkid & Kyla
3.75 billion streams
Drake went full Afrobeats on this 2016 track and dominated the entire year. Wizkid’s feature was crucial, Kyla’s vocals added texture, and Drake did what Drake does best: made something that sounds effortless but is actually meticulously crafted for maximum playlist penetration.
The hypnotic rhythm made it perfect background music for everything. Parties, yes. But also workouts, studying, cooking, existing. It’s ambient music that also happens to be a banger. That’s the secret, honestly.
2016 Drake was different. This was experimental Drake, global Drake, “I’m going to make dancehall-influenced pop and it’s going to be massive” Drake. He was right.
9. The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay”
3.63 billion streams
Pop-punk’s back but make it modern. The Kid Laroi brought the Gen Z angst, Bieber brought the credibility and fanbase, and together they created the sound of summer 2021. Electric guitars! Actual instruments! Melody that sticks!
It’s nostalgic for emo without being emo. It’s pop without being too polished. Bieber’s been clever with his features over the past few years and this one paid off massively. Laroi got launched into the stratosphere, Bieber stayed relevant, everyone won.
Also it’s just a tune. Sometimes that’s enough.
10. Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”
3.57 billion streams
Wedding season’s favourite song. Ed’s back with another massive ballad. “Perfect” is basically what it says on the tin: a romantic, slightly sentimental, extremely hummable love song designed to make you believe in soulmates.
It’s been the first dance at countless weddings. It’ll be the first dance at countless more. Guitar, strings, Ed’s voice doing that thing where he sounds simultaneously ordinary and magical. Cheesy? Maybe. Effective? Obviously. The streams speak for themselves.
Second Ed Sheeran entry in the top 10. Man understands the formula and he’s not apologising for it.
The Next 40: From Rock Legends to TikTok Hits
The TikTok Effect
Some songs, like The Neighbourhood’s “Sweater Weather,” became hits years after release. This fan-made video shows the exact trend that sent it viral:
11-20: The Pop Powerhouses
- Imagine Dragons – “Believer” (3.54B): Imagine Dragons’ anthemic “Believer” crossed 3.5 billion streams, becoming the soundtrack to every sports highlight reel and motivational workout video. The thundering drums and defiant lyrics turned it into the ultimate hype song.
- Glass Animals – “Heat Waves” (3.49B): Glass Animals broke into the billion-stream club with “Heat Waves” at 3.49 billion. This 2020 indie-pop track became a pandemic hit, with its dreamlike production and nostalgic lyrics perfectly capturing lockdown melancholy.
- Billie Eilish & Khalid – “lovely” (3.42B): The haunting collaboration between Billie Eilish and Khalid on “lovely” reached 3.42 billion streams. Sparse, emotional, and devastatingly beautiful, it’s the song you listen to when you need a good cry.
- The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (3.38B): “Closer” by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey sits at 3.38 billion streams. Love it or hate it, this 2016 track defined a specific moment in pop music where EDM drops met storytelling vocals.
- James Arthur – “Say You Won’t Let Go” (3.36B): James Arthur’s romantic ballad “Say You Won’t Let Go” accumulated 3.36 billion streams, proving the British singer-songwriter’s staying power post-X Factor.
- Tones and I – “Dance Monkey” (3.31B): Australian artist Tones and I dominated with “Dance Monkey,” reaching 3.31 billion streams. The quirky vocals divided listeners, but the addictive melody kept everyone hitting replay.
- The Chainsmokers & Coldplay – “Something Just Like This” (3.29B): The collaboration between The Chainsmokers and Coldplay on “Something Just Like This” earned 3.29 billion streams. When EDM meets rock meets pop, you get festival anthem gold.
- Vance Joy – “Riptide” (3.23B): Vance Joy’s folk-pop gem “Riptide” reached 3.23 billion streams, becoming one of those songs that feels like summer personified. Released in 2013, its longevity is impressive.
- Arctic Monkeys – “I Wanna Be Yours” (3.23B): Arctic Monkeys’ love song “I Wanna Be Yours” hit 3.23 billion streams, gaining a second life years after its 2013 release thanks to TikTok romantics.
- Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – “rockstar” (3.23B): Post Malone teams up with 21 Savage on “rockstar,” which pulled 3.23 billion streams. The moody trap anthem defined 2017’s hip-hop sound.
21-30: The Timeless Classics Meet Modern Hits
- Coldplay – “Yellow” (3.21B): Coldplay’s breakthrough single “Yellow” reached 3.21 billion streams, proving that songs from 2000 can still dominate streaming platforms. The British rock band has maintained relevance across multiple decades, but “Yellow” remains their calling card.
- Lord Huron – “The Night We Met” (3.19B): “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron accumulated 3.19 billion streams, largely thanks to its feature in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why. Film and TV placements remain powerful streaming catalysts.
- Tom Odell – “Another Love” (3.16B): Tom Odell’s piano-driven “Another Love” crossed 3.16 billion streams, becoming another slow-burn success story amplified by social media.
- Hozier – “Take Me to Church” (3.14B): Hozier’s powerful “Take Me to Church” reached 3.14 billion streams, combining gospel influences with rock intensity for something genuinely unique.
- OneRepublic – “Counting Stars” (3.09B): OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars” earned 3.09 billion streams, with its stomping rhythm and anthemic chorus making it inescapable in 2013.
- Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” (3.09B): The steamy collaboration “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello reached 3.09 billion streams, fuelled by the couple’s real-life romance and sultry music video.
- Harry Styles – “Watermelon Sugar” (3.08B): Harry Styles’ summer anthem “Watermelon Sugar” hit 3.08 billion streams, becoming the feel-good track of 2020 when we desperately needed one.
- Ed Sheeran – “Photograph” (3.05B): Ed Sheeran’s third entry, “Photograph,” crossed 3.05 billion streams, solidifying his status as streaming royalty. The acoustic ballad remains a fan favourite.
- Taylor Swift – “Cruel Summer” (3.02B): Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” accumulated over 3 billion streams, proving that sometimes the best singles are the ones that grow on you. Initially a deep cut from Lover, it became a fan-driven hit years after release.
- Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now” (3.01B): Dua Lipa’s disco-pop anthem “Don’t Start Now” reached 3 billion streams, kicking off the disco revival and establishing her as pop’s new queen.
31-40: Hip-Hop Heroes and Pop Icons
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton – “Can’t Hold Us” (3.00B): The high-energy “Can’t Hold Us” hit the 3 billion mark, remaining Macklemore’s most-streamed track with its explosive production and motivational energy.
- Juice WRLD – “Lucid Dreams” (2.95B): Juice WRLD’s “Lucid Dreams” reached 2.95 billion streams, sampling Sting’s “Shape of My Heart” and turning heartbreak into emo-rap gold. The late artist’s influence continues.
- Billie Eilish – “birds of a feather” (2.91B): Billie Eilish’s “birds of a feather” crossed 2.91 billion streams, showcasing her evolution from bedroom pop to sophisticated production while maintaining her distinctive sound.
- Coldplay – “Viva la Vida” (2.91B): Another Coldplay classic, “Viva la Vida,” sits at 2.91 billion streams. The orchestral rock epic from 2008 proves timeless songwriting transcends streaming era boundaries.
- Travis Scott ft. Kendrick Lamar – “GOOSEBUMPS” (2.91B): Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar’s “GOOSEBUMPS” earned 2.91 billion streams, with its haunting production and two powerhouse rappers creating something atmospheric and addictive.
- Post Malone – “Circles” (2.91B): Post Malone’s “Circles” accumulated 2.91 billion streams, blending pop sensibilities with his signature melancholic style.
- The Weeknd – “Die For You” (2.90B): The Weeknd returns with “Die For You” at 2.90 billion streams, experiencing a massive resurgence years after its initial 2016 release.
- Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2.88B): Queen’s epic “Bohemian Rhapsody” reached 2.88 billion streams, making it the oldest song in the top 50. Released in 1975, it’s streaming proof that legendary music never ages.
- Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself” (2.86B): Justin Bieber’s acoustic kiss-off “Love Yourself” hit 2.86 billion streams, combining petty lyrics with Ed Sheeran’s songwriting for maximum relatability.
- Bruno Mars – “Just the Way You Are” (2.86B): Bruno Mars’ romantic classic “Just the Way You Are” reached 2.86 billion streams, establishing him as a modern pop icon back in 2010.
41-50: The Final Countdown
Almost there. Ten more tracks that crossed the 2.7 billion threshold.
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud” (2.86B) – Fourth Ed entry. Another wedding slow dance essential. You know this song even if you claim you don’t listen to Ed Sheeran. The production’s simple, the sentiment’s timeless, and wedding DJs everywhere thank him for it.
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” (2.85B) – A Star Is Born gave us this and the internet lost its mind. Gaga’s versatility on full display: pop star, actress, vocalist who can make you cry in 3 minutes 35 seconds. The climax where she lets loose? Cinema.
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With a Smile” (2.85B) – One of the newest tracks here and already pushing 3 billion. When two of pop’s most talented vocalists collaborate, this is what happens. It’s only going to climb higher.
Drake – “God’s Plan” (2.84B) – Remember when Drake gave away a million dollars in the music video? That helped. But the song itself is classic Drake: introspective, melodic, quotable. “She say ‘do you love me?’ I tell her ‘only partly'” became everyone’s relationship status for about six months.
The Police – “Every Breath You Take” (2.83B) – From 1983. The Police wrote what everyone thinks is a love song but is actually about obsession and surveillance. Doesn’t matter. Wedding playlists everywhere include it. Sting’s probably bought several islands with the royalties from this alone.
Avicii – “Wake Me Up” ft. Aloe Blacc (2.82B) – Country vocals over EDM production shouldn’t work. Avicii made it work. This genre-blend confused everyone initially and then took over the world. His death in 2018 was devastating. This track remains one of electronic music’s biggest crossover successes.
John Legend – “All of Me” (2.81B) – Written for Chrissy Teigen. Claimed by couples everywhere. Piano ballad perfection. Legend’s voice sells the sentiment and the lyrics feel personal even though millions of people have applied them to their own relationships. That’s the skill.
Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (2.80B) – Third Imagine Dragons entry. More electronic than their earlier stuff but still massive and anthemic. The “thunder” vocal effect is instantly recognisable and probably annoying to some people but clearly not to the 2.8 billion plays worth of listeners.
Billie Eilish – “bad guy” (2.78B) – That bass. Billie’s deadpan delivery. The unconventional structure that somehow became a global smash. 2019’s defining pop track came from a teenager recording in her brother’s bedroom and it sounded like nothing else on the radio. Still doesn’t.
Imagine Dragons – “Demons” (2.77B) – Three entries for Imagine Dragons in the top 50. Say what you want about them (and people do), they write hooks that millions of people want to hear repeatedly. “Demons” is the more vulnerable side of their stadium rock sound and it clearly resonates.
Right, So What Does This Actually Tell Us?
The Weeknd is streaming’s king with four entries. Ed Sheeran’s close behind, also with four. Billie Eilish managed three despite only really being around since 2015. Imagine Dragons somehow also got three, which will annoy certain corners of the internet but numbers don’t lie.
Rock legends prove old songs don’t just survive on streaming, they thrive. Queen, The Police, Coldplay… catalogue music works. Probably because good songwriting doesn’t have an expiry date and algorithms don’t care when something was released, just whether people click on it.
Most tracks are from 2016-2020. That’s when streaming properly took over as the dominant way people listened to music. Before that, Spotify existed but hadn’t reached critical mass. These five years represent peak streaming adoption and it shows in the numbers.
Only two songs cracked 4 billion and “Blinding Lights” has a comfortable lead. Will anything catch it? Maybe eventually. Harry Styles’ “As It Was” is climbing but it’s got a way to go.
Old Songs, New Tricks
Here’s what’s wild: you can have Queen next to Billie Eilish, The Police next to Post Malone, and it makes complete sense in the streaming era.
The music industry’s shifted to where 67% of revenue comes from streaming now. These songs aren’t just cultural touchstones. They’re proof the game changed completely.
Radio used to dictate what people heard. Now algorithms do, but algorithms are shaped by what people actually choose. These 50 songs are the result of billions of individual decisions. Nobody had to buy an album or wait for a specific time slot. They just pressed play. Repeatedly.
TikTok Ruined Everything (Or Saved It, Depends Who You Ask)
“Sweater Weather” came out in 2012 and took a decade to crack the top 10. Why? TikTok discovered it. Same with “Heat Waves,” “I Wanna Be Yours,” and others. A 15-second video goes viral and suddenly a song from ages ago is everywhere again.
Record labels are now obsessed with “viral potential.” Artists make songs wondering if they’ll work on TikTok. Some people think this is ruining music. Others think it’s democratising discovery. Both things can be true simultaneously.
Either way, it’s changed how music blows up and how long songs can stay relevant. The old model killed songs after their radio run ended. The new model? Songs can hibernate for years and wake up to a billion streams. Mental.
What Happens Next?
“Blinding Lights” will hit 5 billion streams soon. Probably within the next few months actually. Other tracks are racing to join the 4 billion club.
Here’s the current Spotify chart to watch for future record-breakers:
And right now, someone’s recording the song that’ll eventually top this list. Might be an established artist. Might be a kid with GarageBand and a good hook. That’s streaming.
These numbers grow constantly. This list will look different in a year. New songs break through, old songs get rediscovered, and the game keeps evolving.
But for now, these are the 50 most-streamed songs on Spotify, which effectively means these are the most-listened-to songs in human history (if we’re counting individual plays, which is arguable but whatever).
The Ultimate Billion-Streams Playlist
Ready to hear all these record-breakers back-to-back? We’ve compiled (almost) every track from this list into one massive Spotify playlist. Press play and experience music history
Note: Some older tracks like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” may not be available on Spotify in all regions.
They’re songs that defined moments for millions of people. First dates. Breakups. Road trips. Getting ready to go out. Coming home at 4am. Working out. Working through it. Whatever “it” is. These tracks were there.
Some you’ll love. Some you’re probably sick of. Some you forgot existed until you saw them on this list. But they’re all here because people kept pressing play. That’s it. No radio gatekeepers. No record shop buyers deciding what gets stocked. Just billions of people choosing what they actually wanted to hear.
Did your favourites make it? Are you furious about some of these choices? Either way, the numbers are what they are. In the streaming era, data tells the story and this is what it says: these 50 songs won.
Stats from November 2025. Numbers via ChartMasters and subject to daily updates because that’s how streaming works.