A few hours ago, Spotify released its Spotify Wrapped for 2025. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die with a Smile” emerged as the most-streamed song of the year. The streaming platform also unveiled the full top 10 songs of 2025. Billie Eilish secured the second spot with “Birds of a Feather,” while ROSÉ and Bruno Mars rounded out the top three with “APT.”
“Die with a Smile” is the latest in a series of songs to top Spotify’s year-end charts. Do you remember who achieved this milestone before Lady Gaga and Mars? In this article, we’ve rounded up the most-streamed songs of each year since 2012.
Related
2012: “Somebody That I Used to Know”
In 2012, Gotye and Kimbra took the music scene by storm with the smash hit “Somebody That I Used to Know.” The song, which won two Grammy Awards, became the first most-streamed song in a calendar year.
2013: “Can’t Hold Us”
In 2013, the music world discovered Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. The duo had released “Can’t Hold Us” two years earlier, but it gained significant traction between 2012 and 2013. The sleeper hit reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, won two MTV VMAs, and topped Spotify Wrapped.
2014: “Happy” (260 million)
Ten years ago, Pharrell Williams struck a chord with music lovers’ hearts through the infectious “Happy.” The song, from the soundtrack of Despicable Me 2, went viral on social media for its positive vibes and uplifting lyrics.
2015: “Lean On” (540 million)
Between 2014 and 2015, EDM took center stage in the music scene. “Lean On” by Major Lazer, MØ, and DJ Snake was the most-streamed song of 2015. Notably, it became the first to amass over 500 million streams in a calendar year.
2016: “One Dance” (960 million)
Drake’s 2016 album Views is a shining gem in his discography. The LP was carried by the smash hit “One Dance,” a collaboration with Nigerian superstar Wizkid and British singer-songwriter Kyla. It stands as one of the most successful collaborations in history, earning a Diamond certification in the U.S.
2017: “Shape of You” (1.5 billion)
Ed Sheeran was the true king of 2017. The pop star unleashed his history-making album Divide, which featured numerous hits, including “Castle on the Hill,” “Galway Girl,” and the chart-topping “Shape of You.” The latter became a global phenomenon and was the first song in history to gather more than 1 billion streams in less than a year.
2018: “God’s Plan” (1.1 billion)
By the end of the 2010s, Spotify had established itself as the leading platform for music streaming. In 2018, Drake’s God’s Plan became the most-streamed song for the second consecutive year, reaching over 1 billion streams.
2019: “Señorita” (1 billion)
In 2019, fans fell in love with the so-called “Shawmila.” Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, romantically linked at the time, brought their unique synergy to music. The result was the global hit “Señorita,” which was the most-streamed song of the year.
2020: “Blinding Lights” (1.6 billion)
The beginning of the new decade was a bittersweet moment. The COVID-19 pandemic forced people into their homes. While the music industry paused live performances and tours, it was the perfect opportunity for music discovery. The Weeknd was the undisputed leader of 2020 with his album After Hours. The LP was preceded by the smash hit “Blinding Lights.” Four years later, the song holds the crown as the most-streamed song in history, with over 4 billion Spotify streams.
2021: “Drivers License” (1.2 billion)
In 2021, a new name entered the global music scene. Olivia Rodrigo kicked off her career with what became an instant success: “Drivers License.” Released as the first single from her debut album Sour, the song’s impact was undeniable.
2022: “As It Was” (1.6 billion)
Following the success of his second solo album Fine Line, Harry Styles returned with Harry’s House. Its lead single, “As It Was,” became one of the biggest hits of the 2020s so far. It broke various records and earned four Grammy nominations.
2023: “Flowers” (1.7 billion)
Last year, Miley Cyrus made history with her biggest hit ever, “Flowers.” The song dominated 2023, earning Miley her first long-awaited Grammy Award. Furthermore, “Flowers” amassed 1.7 billion streams, the highest in a single year for any song.
2024: “Espresso” (1.6 billion)
Sabrina Carpenter experienced her breakthrough year in 2024. The 25-year-old pop star delivered hit after hit, culminating in the critically acclaimed album Short n’ Sweet. The first milestone in this successful journey was “Espresso.” With its catchy vibes and pop sound, the song became a staple on radios and playlists, turning into a summer anthem.
2025: “Die with a Smile” (1.7 billion)
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars take the crown for the most-streamed song of 2025. Despite being released in 2024, the song has continued its success throughout the following year. Overall, 2025 was dominated by 2024 hits. In fact, following behind are Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” and ROSÉ’s “APT.”
Leave a Reply