Introduction
Music streaming has forever changed how people listen to music, but what makes one song more loved than the others? This page analzes Spotify's 100 most streamed songs of all time to determine what makes songs popular. My goal is to help you better undestand what common traits are shared by the biggest hits so you can try to replicate them in your own music.
Dataset
| Track Name | Artist(s) | Release Year | In Spotify Playlists | In Spotify Charts | Spotify Streams | BPM | Key | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blinding Lights | The Weeknd | 2019 | 43899 | 69 | 3703895074 | 171 | C# | Major |
| Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 2017 | 32181 | 10 | 3562543890 | 96 | C# | Minor |
| Someone You Loved | Lewis Capaldi | 2018 | 17836 | 53 | 2887241814 | 110 | C# | Major |
| Dance Monkey | Tones and I | 2019 | 24529 | 0 | 2864791672 | 98 | F# | Minor |
| Sunflower - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | Post Malone, Swae Lee | 2018 | 24094 | 78 | 2808096550 | 90 | D | Major |
| One Dance | Drake, WizKid, Kyla | 2016 | 43257 | 24 | 2713922350 | 104 | C# | Major |
| STAY (with Justin Bieber) | Justin Bieber, The Kid Laroi | 2021 | 17050 | 36 | 2665343922 | 170 | C# | Major |
| Believer | Imagine Dragons | 2017 | 18986 | 23 | 2594040133 | 125 | A# | Minor |
| Closer | The Chainsmokers, Halsey | 2016 | 28032 | 0 | 2591224264 | 95 | G# | Major |
| Starboy | The Weeknd, Daft Punk | 2016 | 29536 | 79 | 2565529693 | 186 | G | Major |
| Perfect | Ed Sheeran | 2017 | 16596 | 13 | 2559529074 | 95 | G# | Major |
| Heat Waves | Glass Animals | 2020 | 22543 | 63 | 2557975762 | 81 | B | Major |
| As It Was | Harry Styles | 2022 | 23575 | 130 | 2513188493 | 174 | F# | Minor |
| Señorita | Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello | 2019 | 15010 | 2 | 2484812918 | 117 | A | Minor |
| Say You Won't Let Go | James Arthur | 2016 | 15722 | 16 | 2420461338 | 99 | A# | Major |
| lovely - Bonus Track | Billie Eilish, Khalid | 2017 | 15032 | 30 | 2355719893 | 115 | E | Minor |
| Watermelon Sugar | Harry Styles | 2019 | 21915 | 34 | 2322580122 | 95 | Major | |
| Don't Start Now | Dua Lipa | 2019 | 27119 | 0 | 2303033973 | 124 | B | Minor |
| Lucid Dreams | Juice WRLD | 2017 | 14749 | 0 | 2288695111 | 84 | B | Minor |
| Sweater Weather | The Neighbourhood | 2012 | 16413 | 61 | 2282771485 | 124 | A# | Major |
| Thinking Out Loud | Ed Sheeran | 2014 | 33032 | 0 | 2280566092 | 79 | D | Major |
| Photograph | Ed Sheeran | 2014 | 18778 | 3 | 2236667932 | 108 | E | Major |
| Something Just Like This | The Chainsmokers, Coldplay | 2017 | 23375 | 21 | 2204080728 | 103 | B | Minor |
| Bohemian Rhapsody | Queen | 1975 | 40112 | 3 | 2197010679 | 71 | Minor | |
| Shallow | Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper | 2018 | 16636 | 12 | 2159346687 | 96 | G | Major |
| Take Me To Church | Hozier | 2013 | 23804 | 31 | 2135158446 | 129 | E | Minor |
| Circles | Post Malone | 2019 | 19664 | 16 | 2132335812 | 120 | Major | |
| Love Yourself | Justin Bieber | 2015 | 22730 | 5 | 2123309722 | 100 | E | Major |
| All of Me | John Legend | 2013 | 27221 | 0 | 2086124197 | 120 | G# | Major |
| Counting Stars | OneRepublic | 2013 | 29215 | 43 | 2011464183 | 122 | C# | Minor |
| Riptide | Vance Joy | 1985 | 31123 | 55 | 2009094673 | 102 | C# | Major |
| Wake Me Up - Radio Edit | Avicii | 2013 | 50887 | 34 | 1970673297 | 124 | D | Major |
| Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton) | Ray Dalton, Ryan Lewis, Macklemore | 2011 | 6074 | 52 | 1953533826 | 146 | D | Major |
| The Hills | The Weeknd | 2015 | 25744 | 4 | 1947371785 | 136 | Minor | |
| HUMBLE. | Kendrick Lamar | 2017 | 33206 | 1 | 1929770265 | 150 | C# | Minor |
| One Kiss (with Dua Lipa) | Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa | 2017 | 27705 | 10 | 1897517891 | 124 | A | Minor |
| good 4 u | Olivia Rodrigo | 2021 | 15563 | 6 | 1887039593 | 166 | F# | Minor |
| drivers license | Olivia Rodrigo | 2021 | 12685 | 3 | 1858144199 | 144 | A# | Major |
| Demons | Imagine Dragons | 2012 | 26694 | 13 | 1840364617 | 180 | D# | Major |
| Lose Yourself - Soundtrack Version | Eminem | 2002 | 32502 | 21 | 1829992958 | 171 | D | Major |
| INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow) | Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X | 2021 | 13315 | 0 | 1814349763 | 150 | D# | Minor |
| Another Love | Tom Odell | 2012 | 18371 | 83 | 1813673666 | 123 | E | Minor |
| Mr. Brightside | The Killers | 2003 | 51979 | 15 | 1806617704 | 148 | C# | Major |
| Levitating (feat. DaBaby) | Dua Lipa, DaBaby | 2020 | 15894 | 8 | 1802514301 | 103 | F# | Minor |
| No Role Modelz | J. Cole | 2014 | 21164 | 36 | 1791000570 | 100 | A# | Minor |
| Do I Wanna Know? | Arctic Monkeys | 2013 | 33783 | 26 | 1788326445 | 85 | F | Major |
| Dakiti | Bad Bunny, Jhay Cortez | 2020 | 11215 | 21 | 1763363713 | 110 | E | Minor |
| Memories | Maroon 5 | 2019 | 9974 | 2 | 1759567999 | 91 | B | Major |
| Yellow | Chris Molitor | 1999 | 31358 | 43 | 1755214421 | 173 | B | Major |
| MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) | Lil Nas X | 2020 | 12329 | 0 | 1735441776 | 179 | G# | Minor |
| There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back | Shawn Mendes | 2016 | 12382 | 0 | 1714490998 | 122 | D | Major |
| Mood (feat. Iann Dior) | 24kgoldn, Iann Dior | 2020 | 12854 | 0 | 1699402402 | 91 | G | Minor |
| Till I Collapse | Eminem, Nate Dogg | 2002 | 22923 | 0 | 1695712020 | 171 | C# | Major |
| Dynamite | BTS | 2020 | 8528 | 5 | 1692897992 | 114 | F# | Minor |
| Smells Like Teen Spirit | Nirvana | 1991 | 49991 | 9 | 1690192927 | 117 | C# | Major |
| Without Me | Eminem | 2002 | 21081 | 43 | 1687664027 | 112 | G | Major |
| When I Was Your Man | Bruno Mars | 2012 | 2420 | 11 | 1661187319 | 145 | Major | |
| Die For You | The Weeknd | 2016 | 2483 | 59 | 1647990401 | 134 | C# | Minor |
| Just The Way You Are | Bruno Mars | 2010 | 21106 | 13 | 1641426668 | 109 | F | Major |
| In The End | Linkin Park | 2000 | 25065 | 6 | 1624165576 | 105 | D# | Minor |
| The Scientist | Coldplay | 2002 | 30992 | 6 | 1608164312 | 146 | F | Major |
| Before You Go | Lewis Capaldi | 2019 | 8327 | 24 | 1608045237 | 112 | D# | Major |
| I'm Not The Only One | Sam Smith | 2014 | 17492 | 3 | 1606986953 | 82 | F | Major |
| Cold Heart - PNAU Remix | Dua Lipa, Elton John, Pnau | 2017 | 21097 | 52 | 1605224506 | 116 | C# | Major |
| Every Breath You Take | The Police | 1983 | 22439 | 19 | 1593270737 | 117 | C# | Major |
| Viva La Vida | Coldplay | 2008 | 33898 | 62 | 1592909789 | 138 | F | Minor |
| Save Your Tears | The Weeknd | 2020 | 12688 | 13 | 1591223784 | 118 | Major | |
| Kiss Me More (feat. SZA) | SZA, Doja Cat | 2021 | 15867 | 0 | 1575467011 | 111 | G# | Major |
| Bad Habits | Ed Sheeran | 2020 | 12755 | 8 | 1555511105 | 126 | B | Minor |
| Sweet Child O' Mine | Guns N' Roses | 1987 | 41231 | 1 | 1553497987 | 125 | F# | Major |
| Locked Out Of Heaven | Bruno Mars | 2012 | 1622 | 9 | 1481349984 | 144 | F | Major |
| Payphone | Maroon 5, Wiz Khalifa | 2012 | 14143 | 4 | 1479264469 | 110 | E | Major |
| Take On Me | a-ha | 1984 | 44927 | 17 | 1479115056 | 84 | F# | Minor |
| Rolling in the Deep | Adele | 2010 | 35684 | 6 | 1472799873 | 105 | G# | Major |
| Somebody That I Used To Know | Gotye, Kimbra | 2011 | 42798 | 0 | 1457139296 | 129 | Major | |
| The Nights | Avicii | 2014 | 17354 | 8 | 1456081449 | 126 | F# | Major |
| Call Out My Name | The Weeknd | 2018 | 11087 | 6 | 1449799467 | 134 | C# | Major |
| All I Want for Christmas Is You | Mariah Carey | 1994 | 25653 | 0 | 1449779435 | 150 | G | Major |
| Peaches (feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon) | Justin Bieber, Daniel Caesar, Giveon | 2021 | 14140 | 0 | 1445941661 | 90 | Major | |
| Me Porto Bonito | Chencho Corleone, Bad Bunny | 2022 | 8870 | 43 | 1440757818 | 92 | C# | Minor |
| Adore You | Harry Styles | 2019 | 13454 | 1 | 1439191367 | 99 | G# | Major |
| La Canción | J Balvin, Bad Bunny | 2019 | 6398 | 31 | 1435127549 | 176 | G | Major |
| The Real Slim Shady | Eminem | 2000 | 20763 | 27 | 1424589568 | 104 | F | Minor |
| The Night We Met | Lord Huron | 2015 | 18515 | 35 | 1410088830 | 174 | D | Major |
| Easy On Me | Adele | 2021 | 10195 | 20 | 1406111294 | 142 | F | Major |
| Let Me Down Slowly | Alec Benjamin | 2018 | 5897 | 19 | 1374581173 | 150 | C# | Minor |
| Beggin | Måneskin | 2017 | 8559 | 0 | 1367810478 | 134 | B | Minor |
| Numb | Linkin Park | 2003 | 20111 | 5 | 1361425037 | 110 | A | Major |
| Gangsta's Paradise | Coolio, L.V. | 1995 | 10624 | 17 | 1357608774 | 80 | G# | Major |
| Quevedo: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52 | Bizarrap, Quevedo | 2022 | 8506 | 45 | 1356565093 | 128 | D | Major |
| Blank Space | Taylor Swift | 2014 | 11434 | 53 | 1355959075 | 96 | F | Major |
| Woman | Doja Cat | 2021 | 9424 | 0 | 1329090101 | 108 | F | Minor |
| Flowers | Miley Cyrus | 2023 | 12211 | 115 | 1316855716 | 118 | Major | |
| Pepas | Farruko | 2021 | 14114 | 17 | 1309887447 | 130 | G | Major |
| Callaita | Bad Bunny, Tainy | 2019 | 9539 | 15 | 1304313953 | 176 | D | Major |
| Shivers | Ed Sheeran | 2021 | 10147 | 30 | 1302184087 | 141 | D | Major |
| Heather | Conan Gray | 2020 | 6170 | 7 | 1301799902 | 92 | F | Major |
| I Wanna Be Yours | Arctic Monkeys | 2013 | 12859 | 110 | 1297026226 | 135 | Minor | |
| Iris | The Goo Goo Dolls | 1998 | 13101 | 9 | 1284942608 | 156 | B | Minor |
Glossary
- In Spotify Playlists
- Number of Spotify playlists the song is featured in.
- In Spotify Charts
- Current rank of the song on Spotify charts.
- BPM
- Beats per minute, representing the tempo of the song.
- Key
- Key of the song.
- Mode
- Indicates whether the song is in a major or minor mode.
| Track Name | In Spotify Playlists | Spotify Streams |
|---|---|---|
| Blinding Lights | 43899 | 3703895074 |
| Shape of You | 32181 | 3562543890 |
| Heather | 6170 | 1301799902 |
Discoverability via Playlists
Songs that have higher playlist counts show far higher total streams. Consider tracks like Blinding Lights and Shape of You, they both appear in tens of thousands of playlists and have billions of streams. Compare those two to Heather by Conan Gray, and you can easily make out that it has far less streams. The Spotify algorithim creates curated playlists for the user based on what is popular in playlists for users with a similar profile, so when a song isn't added to as many playlists, it will have far less discoverability.
| Track Name | In Spotify Charts | Spotify Streams |
|---|---|---|
| Blank Space | 53 | 1355959075 |
| Flowers | 115 | 1316855716 |
| Somebody That I Used To Know | 0 | 1457139296 |
Making the Charts Doesn't Mean the Song is Popular
While a lot of popular songs do end up making the charts on Spotify, it isn't a great indicator of a song's popularity. Consider the songs Flowers and Blank Space, which both are ranked in the top 120 songs currently on the Spotify charts and have billions of streams. Now consider the song Somebody That I Used To Know, which currently isn't even ranked on the Spotify charts, but has more streams than Flowers. This is representative of how songs are able to grow through long term replay and nostalgia even when they are no longer topping the charts.