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Metal Bands Ranked by Their Spotify Monthly Listener Counts

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Welcome back to our monthly column in which we take a look at Spotify’s publicly available “monthly listeners” counts and compare several hundred metal bands side by side. For more on why we’re doing this column and the methodology behind it, read this.

Expanding upon the feature we added a couple of months back that utilizes arrows to indicate whether a band’s total number of listeners went up or down since the previous month, this time we’ve begun including all data for the previous month and all data for the month before that. The idea is that, over time, we’ll be able to paint a picture of a band’s rise or fall in popularity amongst streamers. If no symbol is shown, this is the first time we’ve included the band on this chart. Numbers from February and January were rounded for convenience, but all figures going forward will be precise.

The vast majority of bands saw an uptick in monthly listeners over the past month, continuing January’s trend that saw Spotify users return to their normal streaming habits following the holiday season, which saw an overall decline in metal.

These rankings, it must be stated, are not comprehensive: these are bands we chose manually, and it is absolutely the case that many bands aren’t included (please email [email protected] if you’d like to see them added next month). For that reason, we haven’t numbered these rankings: to do so would disingenuously give the appearance this is a comprehensive list, which it is not.

Thank you to Danielle Chelosky for helping compile these charts!

MarchFebruaryJanuary
Linkin Park17,717,12017,650,00017,470,000
AC/DC17,482,86817,310,00017,390,000
Guns N’ Roses17,302,83617,000,00016,960,000
Metallica14,819,70814,620,00014,370,000
Foo Fighters10,873,86311,020,00010,600,000
Nickelback8,878,5738,650,000
Ozzy Osbourne8,792,3647,570,0006,030,000
Muse8,710,7768,700,000
System of a Down8,583,6598,580,0008,290,000
Van Halen 8,467,0758,200,0007,880,000
Scorpions7,874,543
Kiss7,834,7917,670,0007,520,000
Disturbed7,719,6467,390,0007,390,000
Black Sabbath7,326,7267,140,0006,870,000
Slipknot7,086,2447,090,0006,810,000
Rage Against the Machine6,759,9266,430,0006,050,000
Limp Bizkit6,205,6636,130,0005,770,000
Rammstein6,051,9726,130,0005,990,000
Evanescence5,971,726
Deep Purple5,935,171
Avenged Sevenfold5,933,5425,660,0005,040,000
Five Finger Death Punch5,490,9555,260,0004,980,000
Iron Maiden5,482,0435,370,0005,190,000
Motley Crue5,326,0895,190,0005,020,000
Korn5,181,2445,100,0004,870,000
Whitesnake5,045,0814,920,0004,640,000
Skillet5,016,351
Def Leppard4,988,3884,790,0004,610,000
Rise Against4,882,495
Audioslave4,882,074
Bring Me the Horizon4,678,1224,900,0005,050,000
Breaking Benjamin4,673,8004,720,0004,220,000
Shinedown4,591,7894,530,0004,290,000
Marilyn Manson4,571,1744,630,0004,410,000
Soundgarden4,491,0954,450,0004,350,000
Alice in Chains4,238,1974,190,0004,050,000
A Day to Remember3,990,2573,990,0003,840,000
Volbeat3,705,5573,710,0003,550,000
Stone Sour3,689,5783,670,0003,470,000
Motorhead3,595,5103,580,0003,390,000
Godsmac,0003,437,2083,380,0003,120,000
Pantera3,391,5633,290,0003,040,000
Poison3,145,8793,010,0002,800,000
Bullet For My Valentine3,063,1883,060,0002,820,000
Judas Priest2,979,7672,940,0002,750,000
Megadeth2,913,4962,850,0002,610,000
Bad Wolves2,902,6082,970,0002,730,000
Tool2,770,3272,830,0003,000,000
Faith No More2,766,0112,650,0002,420,000
Asking Alexandria2,560,7512,390,0002,220,000
Skid Row2,537,3972,460,0002,390,000
Nine Inch Nails2,529,6002,540,0002,510,000
Deftones2,224,9852,190,0002,030,000
Rob Zombie2,118,5032,070,0001,920,000
Killswitch Engage2,075,7682,080,0001,950,000
Dio1,960,0481,980,0001,870,000
Sabaton1,910,9691,950,0001,690,000
Nightwish1,901,4351,560,0001,520,000
Slayer1,888,9651,860,0001,750,000
Alter Bridge1,834,7791,820,0001,650,000
Ghost1,738,2421,890,0001,870,000
Lamb of God1,715,5941,310,0001,200,000
Halestorm1,707,2621,710,0001,670,000
Warrant1,662,8491,610,000
Trivium1,641,4461,570,0001,480,000
Atreyu1,622,6681,660,0001,400,000
In This Moment1,593,1871,460,0001,190,000
Escape the Fate1,535,4541,460,0001,360,000
Parkway Drive1,480,9931,440,0001,220,000
Mudvayne1,475,6361,450,0001,330,000
Dragonforce1,423,4961,400,0001,310,000
In Flames1,410,4261,400,0001,370,000
Machine Head1,385,9851,220,0001,110,000
All That Remains1,377,8121,360,0001,240,000
Within Temptation1,347,4641,360,0001,290,000
Motionless in White1,340,5141,310,0001,170,000
Dream Theater1,250,7421,250,0001,160,000
Static-X1,226,1391,080,000999,000
Sepultura1,177,8531,000,000937,000
Amaranthe1,141,9541,070,000856,000
Amon Amarth1,140,7031,130,0001,050,000
Anthrax1,135,2211,100,000995,000
Danzig1,084,8991,040,000969,000
Gojira1,079,8821,040,000954,000
Helloween1,003,0751,030,000
Airbourne992,511982,000896,000
White Zombie990,367957,000855,000
Ratt988,597961,000870,000
Coheed and Cambria983,460951,000886,000
Mastodon980,503969,000946,000
Misfits971,255955,000949,000
Sevendust920,478933,000822,000
Hellyeah833,794839,000766,000
Architects774,092787,000771,000
August Burns Red765,811579,000834,000
Hammerfall758,098770,000693,000
Testament740,269610,000504,000
Hatebreed727,460531,000563,000
Children of Bodom709,415703,000654,000
Living Colour702,830682,000615,000
Manowar701,553687,000622,000
Opeth695,251697,000654,000
Alestorm692,464684,000652,000
Arch Enemy688,000673,000621,000
Poppy672,158663,000545,000
Lacuna Coil647,160654,000639,000
Fear Factory624,573615,000548,000
Clutch620,489557,000574,000
Suicide Silence608,817573,000488,000
Dokken600,484581,000
Suicidal Tendencies597,019587,000514,000
Issues562,094558,000577,000
Babymetal546,348540,000547,000
Type O Negative533,581528,000494,000
Eluveitie528,854527,000509,000
S,000indred524,006523,000480,000
Korpiklaani517,469513,000475,000
Meshuggah515,509495,000440,000
Sonata Arctica506,387513,000524,000
Insane Clown Posse502,553516,000522,000
Steel Panther499,366491,000491,000
Winger497,944485,000
Porcupine Tree495,883
Epica488,289490,000457,000
Death480,858473,000432,000
Polyphia479,711473,000445,000
Blind Guardian469,686486,000451,000
Northlane468,922462,000421,000
Whitechapel449,118443,000415,000
Dethklok443,601433,000417,000
Soulfly442,919420,000362,000
Code Orange439,028198,000198,000
After The Burial433,841425,000395,000
Thy Art is Murder433,322435,000404,000
Jinjer417,754420,000405,000
DevilDriver415,324407,000367,000
Refused412,107428,000394,000
Attila409,506403,000384,000
Demon Hunter406,830418,000388,000
Periphery400,314414,000387,000
Exodus389,466384,000335,000
Body Count388,257272,000
Turisas387,022381,000352,000
Cradle of Filth370,222365,000336,000
Kvelertak359,986301,000158,000
Chon358,094352,000333,000
Cannibal Corpse356,767343,000319,000
Avatar354,140354,000339,000
Delain349,591301,000
Soilwork338,099341,000313,000
Amorphis334,305
The Black Dahlia Murder333,362203,000188,000
Light the Torch330,440333,000323,000
Chelsea Grin310,280302,000288,000
Kreator309,177303,000272,000
Corrosion of Conformity308,105298,000242,000
Dimmu Borgir301,693303,000283,000
Animals as Leaders294,773295,000271,000
Emmure281,000278,000255,000
Down277,244267,000235,000
Overkill275,744275,000245,000
The Ghost Inside275,499273,000252,000
Veil of Maya272,591265,000245,000
New Years Day270,015274,000260,000
Born of Osiris268,176260,000241,000
Knocked Loose260,800253,000247,000
Katatonia253,530227,000
Paradise Lost250,727244,000
Venom244,894229,000225,000
Mercyful Fate244,776235,000218,000
Ensiferum239,872235,000221,000
Devin Townsend226,860230,000212,000
Devin Townsend Project226,756224,000210,000
Baroness226,138223,000214,000
Obituary223,690221,000
King Diamond219,959223,000279,000
Dar,000 Tranquility218,909217,000202,000
Red Fang217,487198,000198,000
Plini211,335207,000203,000
Myr,000ur211,228197,000116,000
Between the Buried and Me205,344207,000181,000
3Teeth201,626195,000176,000
Tesseract198,507199,000185,000
Insomnium193,595197,000197,000
Norma Jean192,677195,000197,000
Sleep190,470188,000179,000
Lorna Shore187,731224,000163,000
Fit for an Autopsy183,400197,000200,000
Rhapsody of Fire179,608178,000162,000
Death Angel178,708181,000160,000
The Contortionist178,107174,000157,000
Strapping Young Lad174,157
The Browning173,235171,000152,000
Cattle Decapitation169,692193,000216,000
Mayhem167,082172,000165,000
At the Gates163,831164,000150,000
Rotting Christ158,837158,000150,000
Candlemass157,591157,000
Rings of Saturn156,698158,000
Chimaira156,515152,000132,000
Alien Weaponry154,847156,000143,000
The Acacia Strain151,793155,000143,000
Deicide149,386147,000136,000
Carnifex148,042151,000134,000
Satyricon142,254140,000130,000
Karnivool137,599
Dying Fetus135,684135,000126,000
Ihsahn131,12076,000101,000
Converge130,993134,000109,000
Shadows Fall130,513131,000110,000
Unearth130,100130,000114,000
Covet128,823126,000
Protest the Hero128,369
Zeal & Ardor127,326127,000
High on Fire125,304122,000110,000
Carcass125,133143,000165,000
Entombed124,875123,000106,000
Municipal Waste124,038123,000115,000
Immortal123,881124,000114,000
Deafheaven119,709119,000115,000
Celtic Frost115,741113,000109,000
Darkthrone113,732115,000100,000
Bloodbath108,321109,000103,000
Darkest Hour107,404107,00091,000
Gwar107,277107,000108,000
Havok103,34990,00085,000
Scar Symmetry99,838
Fleshgod Apocalypse95,92097,00089,000
Nevermore95,36296,000
Intronaut94,50458,000
Wintersun91,872
Cult of Luna91,81996,00095,000
Emperor90,61688,00081,000
Within the Ruins89,02786,00079,000
The Agonist82,12884,00077,000
Brand of Sacrifice81,432
Enslaved81,39978,00075,000
The Ocean75,99778,00070,000
Septicflesh75,82673,00071,000
Rivers of Nihil74,35467,00058,000
Oceano72,15572,00067,000
The Faceless70,56669,00064,000
Armored Saint67,449
Pelican67,20169,000
Isis69,64870,00062,000
Omnium Gatherum67,466
Revocation66,91563,00063,000
Toxic Holocaust66,90466,000
King’s X62,35764,00038,000
Crowbar62,02259,00053,000
Torche61,81664,00059,000
Myrone61,74265,000
Allegaeon60,33761,00058,000
Neurosis59,37958,00051,000
Brutus59,21361,00061,000
Warbringer55,98556,00053,000
Sunn O)))55,70062,000
Pig Destroyer54,14757,00046,000
Vein51,75553,00044,000
Gatecreeper51,61950,00050,000
Cynic51,22158,00038,000
Eyehategod47,18943,00038,000
Dyscarnate46,92448,00040,000
Abbath46,59752,00045,000
Mutoid Man46,08443,000
Yob41,22740,00037,000
Aborted39,92739,000
Author & Punisher35,59737,000
Beneath the Massacre34,37924,000
Moon Tooth34,12136,000
Cave In31,99734,00030,000
Black Crown Initiate28,78828,00025,000
Inter Arma20,28822,00023,000
Exhumed20,27820,00020,000
Triptykon18,29617,00016,000
Venom Prison15,21915,00016,000
The Red Chord14,70014,000
Primitive Man13,38413,00012,000
Spirit Adrift12,94814,00016,000

By contrast, here are the numbers some modern pop and hip hop artists are sporting:

Ed Sheeran: 60,189,238
Billie Eilish: 60,617,122
Drake: 51,130,254
Maroon 5: 47,024,288
The Weeknd: 55,599,016
Eminem: 44,534,876
Taylor Swift: 37,615,988
Kanye West: 30,912,198
Beyonce: 29,655,879
Katy Perry: 29,155,644
Lizzo: 21,527,683

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