Spotify’s Hot Country Playlist Turns Five and Hits Over 5 Billion Streams
If you’re in the mood for the latest and greatest country hits, you don’t have to look further than Spotify’s Hot Country playlist. Since its 2015 launch, it has amassed 6 million followers and seen more than 5 billion streams, making it one of the most influential playlists for the country music genre today. This month, Hot Country is doing a little dance to celebrate its five-year anniversary—so we’re taking a moment to tip our hats to some of the groundbreaking artists who have risen to the top of the playlist over the last half decade.
Top Female Artist
First up, Maren Morris—the Texas native has been the most-streamed female country artist on Hot Country and consistently ranked in the top 10 for most-streamed country artists in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Singers with Staying Power
Florida Georgia Line has been a fan favorite and remained in the top five for most-streamed country artists since 2015, ranking at number one in 2017 and 2018.
Top Song
Dan + Shay are the duo behind the top-streamed country track of both 2019 (“Tequila”) and 2020 (“10,000 Hours (with Justin Bieber)”).
Legends Holding Strong
While we saw many newcomers blossom on the playlist, fans still love listening to legends—Brooks & Dunn saw their streams grow by 40% after being added to Hot Country.
Exclusive and Enhanced Content
What has made Hot Country such a success over these five years? Aside from a weekly rotation of the genre’s freshest hits, the playlist features enhanced album video content and cover stories that fans can’t get anywhere else. These exclusive experiences allow listeners to go deeper into new releases, artist-curated playlist takeovers, and exciting live events such as the Hot Country Live concert series and Fans First events.
Plus, Spotify’s love of country is as expansive as the great outdoors—and we mean that literally. In 2018, Hot Country worked with renowned crop circles artist Stan Herd to produce four custom-designed crop circles featuring top artists and the Spotify Hot Country logo.
Community Experiences
Each year, we’re finding new creative and impactful ways to celebrate country artists. Hot Country works closely with the Nashville community to host events and create partnerships. One favorite is the Spotify House at the Country Music Association’s annual CMA Fest. In addition to being a great experience for fans, the event allows us to showcase both rising artists and established stars with our signature Hot Country flair.
With 2020 came unexpected and challenging times, and Hot Country made efforts to ensure that the country community was a top priority. From virtual gatherings to a new social series called The Drop In (that featured country stars Tim McGraw and Morgan Wallen), we found a way to bring together fans and artists. We also partnered with the Nashville-based charity Music Health Alliance as part of the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project.
Hot Country has grown a lot in the past five years, and it will continue to do so thanks to its dedicated fan base. If you’ve yet to listen, it’s time to dust off your boots and hit play on Hot Country.
