No Rock or Metal Made Spotify’s Most-Streamed Songs of the Decade List

Spotify has just published its list of the most-streamed songs, artists, playlists and podcasts of the decade (and of 2019) and not a single rock or metal song placed in the top five of any category they published.

Surely this is a sign of the times, with rock having taken a back seat to other genres in recent years. But you know what? I’m totally OK with that. Metal, in particular, was never meant for mass consumption, and I’d argue that the metal ecosystem is bigger and healthier than it’s ever been even if it’s still eclipsed by pop and rap. Do you enjoy listening to metal? Then who cares what anyone else thinks?

That’s a rhetorical question, of course — lots of folks care — and either way it’s still fun to look at these lists to get some insight into what the rest of the world is listening to.

Rock got at least one nod: Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, the soundtrack to their biopic, was the most-streamed album in 2019 not released this decade.

You can view Spotify’s entire list with some additional stats here.

Most-Streamed Artists of the Decade (Global)

1. Drake
2. Ed Sheeran
3. Post Malone
4. Ariana Grande
5. Eminem

Most-Streamed Female Artists of the Decade (Global)

1. Ariana Grande
2. Rihanna
3. Taylor Swift
4. Sia
5. Beyoncé

Most-Streamed Male Artists of the Decade (Global)

1. Drake
2. Ed Sheeran
3. Post Malone
4. Eminem
5. The Weeknd

Most-Streamed Tracks of the Decade (Global)

1. “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran
2. “One Dance”  – Drake, Kyla, WizKid
3. “rockstar (feat. 21 Savage)” – 21 Savage, Post Malone
4. “Closer” – Halsey, The Chainsmokers
5. “Thinking out Loud” – Ed Sheeran

Most-Streamed Artists of 2019

1. Post Malone
2. Billie Eilish
3. Ariana Grande
4. Ed Sheeran
5. Bad Bunny

 Most-Streamed Female Artists of 2019

1. Billie Eilish
2. Ariana Grande
3. Taylor Swift
4. Camila Cabello
5. Halsey

Most-Streamed Male Artists of 2019

1. Post Malone
2. Ed Sheeran
3. Bad Bunny
4. Khalid
5. J Balvin

Most-Streamed Tracks of 2019

1. “Señorita” – Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes
2. “bad guy” – Billie Eilish
3. “Sunflower” – Post Malone, Swae Lee
4. “7 Rings” – Ariana Grande
5. “Old Town Road – Remix” – Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus

Most-Streamed Albums of 2019

1. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? – Billie Eilish
2. Hollywood’s Bleeding – Post Malone
3. thank u, next – Ariana Grande
4. No.6 Collaborations Project – Ed Sheeran
5. Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes

Most-Streamed Podcasts of 2019

1. The Joe Budden Podcast with Rory & Mal
2. My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
3. Gemischtes Hack
4. Fest & Flauschig
5. The Misfits Podcast

Most-Streamed Spotify Original Podcasts of 2019

1. The Joe Budden Podcast with Rory & Mal
2. Gemischtes Hack
3. Fest & Flauschig
4. Serial Killers
5. Herrengedeck – Der Podcast