LAST year’s musical landscape was unquestionably dynamic, as Spotify points out the resurgence of prominent female pop stars and a substantial presence of “sonic diversity” on the charts.
Furthermore, Spotify’s annual summaries reveal that more than 74 million individuals worldwide were engaged with music on the platform in 2023. Spotify introduced new features alongside its traditional wrapped summaries last year.
These innovations include a unique city designation system based on users’ listening habits, personalised messages from popular musicians if they rank among your top artists and an advanced AI DJ feature that guides users through their personalised wrapped experience.
Now, let us delve into the statistical insights.
Most-streamed artists globally
In line with expectations, pop star Taylor Swift rightfully claims the spotlight as the top artist of last year, accumulating an impressive 26.1 billion global streams since Jan 1, 2023.
Her achievements include re-imagined re-releases, record-breaking world tours and the popularity of vibrant friendship bracelets. In the 48 hours leading up to this achievement, Spotify unveiled 21 puzzle pieces with Swift-themed Easter eggs on billboards worldwide.
These clues led to a spotlight video offering glimpses into her universe, featuring elements from cats to her iconic red lips. As an added treat, for a limited time, playing one of her songs on Spotify will make the progress bar change and sparkle to match the song’s era colour.
Claiming the second spot was reggaeton sensation and Spotify powerhouse Bad Bunny, who experienced a remarkable year with the launch of his new album, Nadie sabe lo que va a pasar manana (No one knows what’s going to happen tomorrow). The top five were then rounded out by The Weeknd, Drake and Peso Pluma.
The top global songs of 2023
Miley Cyrus’s groundbreaking track Flowers clinched the title of the year’s top song, sustaining remarkable popularity from its debut through the summer months and amassing over 1.6 billion global streams.
In the second and third spots, SZA’s Kill Bill and Harry Styles’s As It Was hold a dominant presence across various regions worldwide. Securing the fourth and fifth positions are Jung Kook with Seven (feat Latto), Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma with Ella Baila Sola (She dance alone).
The top global albums of 2023
Listeners exhibited a nostalgic inclination, opting for albums released before the previous year, as evident in last year’s top five album choices.
Continuing its dominance for the second consecutive year, Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (A summer without you) emerged as the most-streamed album, accumulating an impressive 4.5 billion global streams.
Swift’s Midnights secured the second spot, capturing the attention of audiences with its compelling sound. SZA’s SOS claimed the third position, offering a unique musical experience for listeners.
The fourth and fifth spots were solidified by The Weeknd’s Starboy, known for its captivating tracks, and Karol G’s Manana Sera Bonito (Tomorrow will be beautiful), which rounded out the top albums, contributing to the diverse musical landscape enjoyed by audiences worldwide.
The top global podcasts of 2023
According to the latest data from Edison Research, Spotify stands out as the most widely used audio podcast platform in key global markets and holds the title of the leading podcast publisher in the US.
The Joe Rogan Experience has been named the top podcast globally for the fourth consecutive year, with Call Her Daddy securing the second spot for the second year.
Huberman Lab follows in third place, alongside Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain and On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Notably, eight out of the top 25 global podcasts and nine out of the top 25 in the US are owned or licensed by Spotify.
Throughout the year, these podcasts, along with others, highlighted significant moments in pop culture, spanning music, movies and technology.
The spring and summer particularly saw a surge in girl-and women-powered media, driven by events like Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour, Swift’s The Eras Tour and the success of the Barbie movie.
These cultural phenomena sparked discussions across various podcast genres, addressing both economic and entertainment perspectives.
Additionally, the year 2023 witnessed a heightened global interest, mixed with fascination, frustration and occasional apprehension, regarding the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
