We’ve witnessed some banger album releases in recent times, from Bad Bunny’s record-smashing Un Verano Sin Ti displaying modern reggaeton at its finest, to The Weeknd’s Starboy, which was the perfect blend of R&B and pop. Each album offered some cool and unique bops that spruced up your late-night car jam sessions or became your go-to club ragers. If you’re tired of your playlist and need an upgrade, let’s take you through the top 10 most-streamed albums on Spotify that’ll fire up your next jam session.
As of April 2024, Un Verano Sin Ti by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny is the most-streamed album of all time on Spotify, clocking more than 15 million streams. Moreover, it comes as no surprise that The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran and Post Malone grace some of the other top rankings while Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo are the three female artists dominating the list. And no, this list (shockingly) doesn’t feature the OG pop queen Taylor Swift!
Here are the top 10 most-streamed albums on Spotify
1. ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ by Bad Bunny (15.9 billion streams)
Release date: May 6, 2022
Released in 2022, the fourth solo studio album by Bad Bunny, Un Verano Sin Ti, became the world’s best-performing album of the year. It not only bagged the ‘Best Urban Music Album’ award at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards but also earned the ‘Album of the Year’ nomination at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
Un Verano Sin Ti combines elements of reggaeton, cumbia, as well as indie pop record, delivering that ultimate summer vibe perfect for your summer/beach playlist. With this album, Bad Bunny gave pop music a much-needed flavour and swag.
2. ‘Divide (÷)’ by Ed Sheeran (14.5 billion streams)
Release date: March 3, 2017
An album that screams nostalgia and comfort, Divide is probably the best curation by Ed Sheeran. The Grammy-winning album boasts popular songs like Perfect, Shape Of You as well asGalway Girl, showcasing Ed’s pop-savvy side to the core. It has everything from emotional tearjerkers and raps to upbeat themes – offering you something for every mood.
3. ‘Starboy’ by The Weeknd (13.5 billion streams)
Release date: November 25, 2016
While the album is heavy on auto-tune, you can’t take away from the addictive feel The Weeknd’s songs offer. Featuring music royalties Daft Punk as well as Lana Del Rey, Starboy is primarily an R&B and pop album. From its lead single Starboy and I Feel It Coming to Die For You – the album features some of the singer’s most memorable hits. Apart from topping multiple Billboard charts, Starboy bagged the ‘Best Urban Contemporary Album’ at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
4. ‘Hollywood’s Bleeding’ by Post Malone (12.3 billion streams)
Release date: September 6, 2019
Post Malone just can’t make a bad song and this 10/10 album displays his craft at its finest. Hollywood’s Bleeding boasts many popular songs from Malone’s discography including Circles, Sunflower as well as Goodbyes. A musician made for the internet age, Post Malone stylistically blends genres like country, rock, hip-hop and modern soft soul in this album. Featuring guest appearances from Future, Halsey, Swa Lee, Travis Scott as well as SZA, Hollywood’s Bleeding is a very promising release.
5. ‘Dua Lipa’ by Dua Lipa (12.04 billion streams)
Release date: June 2, 2017
The singer’s eponymous debut studio album, Dua Lipa, is the most-streamed album by a female artist on Spotify. Dua Lipa entered the music scene with a bang, dropping party bangers like Be the One, IDGAF, New Rules as well as One Kiss in her first album. It also helped Lipa win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
Fusing elements of dance-pop, electropop, as well as R&B, this 2017 curation has some of the catchiest songs your playlist deserves. It’ll take you on a fun trip, away from all the blues and gloom.
6. ‘Future Nostalgia’ by Dua Lipa (11.9 billion streams)
Release date: March 27, 2020
Dua Lipa takes you back to 80s pop music in her second studio album, a breathtakingly fun curation that blends 1980s disco as well as futuristic peppy tunes. With Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa proved that she’s here to rule the pop music scene. With hits like Levitating, Don’t Start Now as well as Break My Heart, this album has all the catchy tunes that’ll be stuck in your head. A fun, poppy and addictive release, Future Nostalgia is perfect to dance away your anxieties.
7. ‘After Hours’ by The Weeknd (11.9 billion streams)
Release date: March 20, 2020
Many music journalists have called After Hours an ‘artistic reinvention’ for The Weeknd, and we couldn’t agree more. We mean, can you even think about today’s pop music scene without songs like Blinding Lights as well as Save Your Tears?
It’s a dreamy, melancholic and nostalgic account of all the emotions, thoughts and feelings of the artist that he had late at night – after the club, after a long day, after a fight and the list goes on… After Hours is madness and beauty packed into one, a record made for each one of us.
8. ‘Sour’ by Olivia Rodrigo (11.8 billion streams)
Release date: May 21, 2021
Olivia Rodrigo is another pop prodigy who’s already creating havoc in the music scene. She captures the deepest, raw essence of our generation’s vulnerabilities in Sour. The singer said that the album explores the perils and discoveries she had as a 17-year-old. It lays bare the emotions young people experience when they go through failed romance, heartache and more.
From the breakup anthem of the decade, Driver’s License, to the angsty pop-rock track Good 4 U – Sour boasts tracks that go from being precisely personal to universally relatable. Whether you’re reeling from a heartbreak, still hung up on your ex, or just loving that feeling of finally getting over that toxic relationship – this album is your holy grail.
9. ‘Beerbongs & Bentleys’ by Post Malone (11.5 billion streams)
Release date: April 27, 2018
Post Malone’s second studio album features a few inarguable pop hits, including Rockstar as well as Better Now. Featuring appearances from musicians like Swae Lee, 21 Savage, Ty Dolla Sign, Nicki Minaj, G-Eazy and more, Beerbongs & Bentleys has some of the best-crafted pop-rap tracks we’ve witnessed in the last few decades. Post Malone lays down banger after banger, cementing his dominance in the music industry.
10. ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’ by Billie Eilish (10.7 billion streams)
Release date: March 29, 2019
Billie Eilish made a massive buzz with her debut album. It boasted many of her classic hits like Bad Guy, You Should See Me in a Crown, When The Party’s Over and Ilomilo. The album explores themes like modern youth, drug addiction, heartbreak, suicide and overall mental health. An immediate commercial success, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? bagged multiple Grammy Awards at the 62nd edition. Eilish’s eccentricity as well as the songs’ emotional sincerity are what make the album a no-brainer hit.
