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Many qualities separate a good artist from a great artist. There was steep competition in the music industry this year, resulting in many big hits from albums to singles.
“[Qualities of a great artist are] good live performances, putting on a good show, a good work ethic, and putting their all into their songs and their albums,” Jamison Atwood (10), SZA fan and music listener, said.
Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay were recently released, providing insight into listeners' top artists and the most popular hits of the year. Below is a full list of the most popular and influential artists of 2025.
1. Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is one of the most popular artists this year. Spotify cites Taylor Swift as the second top artist globally and the first top artist in the United States. Not only that, but she has also spent 593 weeks in Billboard Magazine’s Artist 100, currently sitting at the top of the list. This is due, in part, to her recent album, The Life of a Showgirl, released on October 3, 2025.
“I think [an artist’s] influence across people [makes them popular]. I think that’s one thing that makes Taylor Swift so great: she has such an influence on teenage girls and their style and how they act and what they wear,” Jack Casterline (10), Travis Scott fan and constant listener, said.
2. Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican singer and record producer who has topped global Spotify listening charts for years. Bad Bunny had been named Spotify’s top artist globally four times (2020, 2021, 2022, 2025) with 19.8 billion streams this year, and was Spotify’s fifth artist in the United States. He will also be performing as the main act at the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
3. Morgan Wallen
Morgan Wallen was a leading name in country artists this year, securing himself two Grammy nominations, including Best Country Song, for his song with Post Malone: “I Had Some Help”. He was nominated for three notable awards at the CMA (Country Music Association) Awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, and Album of the Year. To round it out, Morgan Wallen was listed as the top artist on Billboard’s Year-End List.
4. Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is a rapper, singer, and songwriter with many popular hits. One of his most notable hit songs is “Not Like Us”, which became both the most-streamed rap song of all time and the most-streamed rap song globally in 2025 according to Apple Music. His song “luther”, with SZA, was also Spotify's top song in the United States. Kendrick Lamar is also very popular due to his infamous feud with Drake over the summer of 2024, which led to both artists releasing new music.
“Kendrick Lamar had the best year because of the diss on Drake,” Casterline (10) said.
5. Tyler, The Creator
American rapper, singer, and songwriter Tyler, The Creator was popular this year, with his CHROMAKOPIA World Tour and hit album Don’t Tap the Glass. He was also named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year 2025.
“I heard about Tyler, The Creator the most,” Clara Bosch (9), music fan, said.
6. The Weeknd
The Weeknd is a Canadian singer and songwriter who has topped the charts for years. He has many notable singles, ranging from songs as far back as 2019, “Blinding Lights”, to recent 2025 releases, “Timeless” and “Cry For Me”. He was also Spotify’s third top artist globally.
7. Drake
Drake is a Canadian singer and rapper with popular songs like “NOKIA” and “What Did I Miss?” He was recently named the #1 R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the 21st Century by Billboard, and he was also Spotify’s second top artist in the United States.
8. SZA
SZA is a notable singer in the genre of alternative R&B. She came in at number five on Billboard’s Top Artists this year and number seven on Spotify’s top artists in the United States. She had a recent hit album, SOS Deluxe: Lana, and a popular collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on his album GNX, a chart topper this year.
“SZA is my favorite artist, and I’ve listened to her the most this year,” Atwood (10) said.
9. Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is a well-known pop and R&B artist who was very popular for his hit singles. He was most known this year for his songs “APT.” with ROSÉ (BLACKPINK), and “Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga. Both of these songs made it into the top three songs globally, according to Spotify.
10. Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter, a rising pop star, had success this year. She released her album Man’s Best Friend in August 2025 and finished her Short n’ Sweet global tour in November. She’s known for her songs “Please Please Please”, “Espresso”, “Manchild”, and “Tears”. Additionally, she was listed as fourth on Billboard’s Top Artists 2025.
“I think Sabrina Carpenter [will be a top artist next year], she’s been popping off lately,” Bosch (9) said.
Some honorable mentions this year include Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Benson Boone, and Sombr.
Overall, this year in music was versatile, with many returning popular artists like Bad Bunny and Taylor Swift, along with some rising artists as well, like Sabrina Carpenter. Make sure to check out Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay to see artist statistics!
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