Tag: barbenheimer

The Top Songs, Artists, Podcasts, and Listening Trends of 2023 Revealed

Musically, 2023 was defined by the return of major female pop stars, sonic diversity that topped the charts, and a global music atmosphere that gave rise to powerful genres. On the podcast front, creators are responding to trends in real time, and audiences are turning to podcasts to join larger cultural conversations. As always, our 2023 Spotify Wrapped campaign reflects these trends, and our toplists showcase how over 574 million people around the world listened this year.  

Read on to learn more about the top artists, songs, albums, and podcasts of 2023, then take a look at the personalized Wrapped user experience that celebrates your own year in listening. 

The top global artists of 2023

Reimagined rereleases, record-breaking world tours, and colorful friendship bracelets—fans everywhere will be thrilled to see Taylor Swift as this year’s top artist, with more than 26.1 billion global streams since January 1. In the 48 hours leading up to this crowning moment, Spotify revealed 21 puzzle pieces with Taylor Swift-themed easter eggs in billboards from Sao Paulo to Jakarta. These clues culminated in a spotlight video that included nods to her universe—featuring everything from cats to her infamous red lips. For a limited time, when you play one of her songs on Spotify, watch as the progress bar changes and sparkles to match the song’s era color. 

Taking second place was reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, who also had a standout year with a new album, nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana. Rounding up the top five were The Weeknd, Drake, and Peso Pluma.

The top global songs of 2023

The top song of the year, Miley Cyrus’s record-breaking Flowers,” had incredible momentum from the day of its debut through the summer months and now counts more than 1.6 billion streams globally. In the second and third spots are Kill Bill” by SZA andAs It Was” by Harry Styles. The fourth and fifth spots come from Jung Kook with Seven (feat. Latto),” and Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma with Ella Baila Sola.”

The top global albums of 2023 

Listeners looked to the past in choosing which albums to play, as several of this year’s top-five albums were released prior to 2023. The most-streamed album of the year for the second year in a row was Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny, with more than 4.5 billion streams globally, followed by Taylor Swift’s album Midnights. SZA takes the third spot with SOS. And in the fourth and fifth spots are Starboy by The Weeknd and MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO by KAROL G

The top global podcasts of 2023

Spotify is the most-used audio podcast platform in many key markets around the world and is also the number-one podcast publisher in the U.S., according to the most recent Edison Research data. And for the fourth time in a row, The Joe Rogan Experience takes the honor of top podcast of the year globally. In second place for the second year is Call Her Daddy, and in third, Huberman Lab, followed by anything goes with emma chamberlain and On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Eight of the top 25 podcasts on the global top lists are Spotify Owned & Licensed podcasts, and nine of the top 25 podcasts in the U.S. are as well. 

Throughout the year, these podcasts, as well as many others, spotlighted top moments in pop culture, from music to movies to technology. 

  • The spring and summer were full of girl- and women-powered media. The combinations of Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, and the success of the Barbie movie led to cultural conversations across many genres of podcasts about both economics and entertainment. 
  • Throughout the year, the world was fascinated, frustrated, and sometimes frightened by the rise in AI. Podcasts offered a critical and nuanced take on the rising tech trend. 

Catch the full year in podcast trends here.

The global trends that shaped our year

These most-streamed artists, songs, albums, and podcasts weren’t the only guideposts to 2023. Pop culture trends also fueled listening, from themed playlists to song spikes. 

  • This year, Eurovision made a huge impact, as “Tattoo” by winner Loreen and “Cha Cha Cha” by runner-up Käärijä both reached the top 10 global daily chart the day after the final. 
  • Gen Z continues to embrace the genreless/genre-hybrid trend, refusing to be defined by only one genre, and instead moving seamlessly between sounds. They also embrace moods, looking for playlists and songs that best describe the mood or moment they’re in.
  • This year also marked a significant surge in Colombian enthusiasm for Mexican music. Colombia emerged as the fifth-largest consumer of Mexican music in 2023, showcasing an 85% increase in its consumption over the year. 
  • The consumption of Indian classical instrumental music continues to grow on Spotify in India and around the world. In the last 24 months, India’s classical music consumption grew by close to 500% on Spotify. Over 45% of Indian classical music listeners on Spotify are under the age of 25. 
  • Afrobeats is one of the fastest-growing genres on Spotify, growing by 550% since 2017 with new audiences emerging in Mexico and India. In 2023, Rema’s “Calm Down” became the first Afrobeats artist-led track to hit a billion streams on Spotify. 
  • Mandopop, with top artists like Jay Chou, JJ Lin, and Eason Chan, has received more than 500 million monthly streams globally, seeing an almost 45% increase in the past year.  

Read on for a few notable trends that spiked throughout the year.

February

The Big Game and Valentine’s Day prompted huge increases in listening around moments that fans couldn’t help but love. 

March

Television finales and springtime vibes made way for character playlists and dreamy, twangy tracks. 

May

A new sports craze and the return of a beloved children’s movie resulted in two large spikes. 

July

Cherry-red tomatoes and hot-pink playlists colored a summer full of girl power.

October

Memes powered by social media played a pivotal role throughout the year in creating buzz and  playlists, and this October was no different. 


All year long:

 

Spotify 2023 Wrapped Global Top Lists 

Most-Streamed Artists Globally 

  1. Taylor Swift
  2. Bad Bunny
  3. The Weeknd
  4. Drake
  5. Peso Pluma
  6. Feid
  7. Travis Scott
  8. SZA
  9. Karol G 
  10. Lana Del Rey

Most-Streamed Songs Globally

  1. Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  2. Kill Bill” by SZA
  3.  “As It Was” by Harry Styles
  4. Seven (feat. Latto)” by Jung Kook
  5. Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma
  6. Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  7. Creepin’ (with The Weeknd & 21 Savage)” by Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, 21 Savage
  8. Calm Down (with Selena Gomez)” by Rema, Selena Gomez
  9. Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” by Bizarrap, Shakira
  10. Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift

Most-Streamed Albums Globally 

  1. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
  2. Midnights by Taylor Swift
  3. SOS by SZA
  4. Starboy by The Weeknd
  5. MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO by KAROL G
  6. One Thing At A Time by Morgan Wallen
  7. Lover by Taylor Swift
  8. HEROES & VILLAINS by Metro Boomin
  9. GÉNESIS by Peso Pluma
  10. Harry’s House by Harry Styles

Top Podcasts Globally 

  1. The Joe Rogan Experience
  2. Call Her Daddy
  3. Huberman Lab
  4. anything goes with emma chamberlain
  5. On Purpose with Jay Shetty
  6. Crime Junkie
  7. This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
  8. Serial Killers
  9. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
  10. TED Talks Daily
  11. Relatos de la Noche
  12. Caso 63
  13. Psicologia Al Desnudo | @psi.mammoliti
  14. The Daily
  15. Lex Fridman Podcast
  16. Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
  17. El Podcast de Marian Rojas Estapé
  18. Gemischtes Hack
  19. The Psychology of your 20s
  20. Stuff You Should Know
  21. SmartLess
  22. La Cotorrisa
  23. Se Regalan Dudas
  24. The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
  25. Conspiracy Theories

Spotify 2023 Wrapped U.S. Top Lists

U.S. Most-Streamed Artists

  1. Taylor Swift
  2. Drake
  3. Morgan Wallen
  4. The Weeknd
  5. Bad Bunny
  6. 21 Savage
  7. SZA
  8. Zach Bryan
  9. Kanye West
  10. Peso Pluma

U.S. Most-Streamed Songs

  1. Last Night” by Morgan Wallen
  2. Kill Bill” by SZA
  3. Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
  4. Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma
  5. Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” by PinkPantheress, Ice Spice
  6. Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
  7. Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan
  8. You Proof” by Morgan Wallen 
  9. Creepin’ (with The Weeknd & 21 Savage)” by Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, 21 Savage
  10. Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift

U.S. Most-Streamed Albums

  1. One Thing At A Time by Morgan Wallen
  2. SOS by SZA
  3. Midnights by Taylor Swift
  4. HEROES & VILLAINS by Metro Boomin
  5. Dangerous: The Double Album by Morgan Wallen
  6. Lover by Taylor Swift
  7. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
  8. folklore by Taylor Swift
  9. GÉNESIS by Peso Pluma
  10. Starboy by The Weeknd

Top Podcasts in the U.S.

  1. The Joe Rogan Experience
  2. Call Her Daddy
  3. Crime Junkie
  4. This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
  5. The Daily
  6. Huberman Lab
  7. Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard 
  8. SmartLess
  9. Up First
  10. anything goes with emma chamberlain
  11. 2 Bears, 1 Cave with Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer
  12. Morbid
  13. The Journal.
  14. Stuff You Should Know
  15. On Purpose with Jay Shetty
  16. Lex Fridman Podcast
  17. NPR News Now
  18. Serial Killers 
  19. New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce
  20. Dateline NBC
  21. Conspiracy Theories 
  22. Distractible
  23. The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
  24. The Psychology of your 20s
  25. Science Vs 

 

The Trends of 2023 as Told by Podcasts

This past year, there was no single trend or topic that commanded the cultural conversation for too long—something new was always emerging. But throughout these massive moments, listeners consistently took the time to slow down, learn about these trends, and connect with other fans through the immersive world of podcasts. 

Spotify is the most-used audio podcast platform in many key markets around the world and is also the number-one podcast publisher in the U.S., according to the most recent Edison Research data. Because of this, podcasters have bigger audiences than ever. 

“Podcasts are the perfect format for audiences and fans to engage in cultural moments due to a few key factors,” says Lizzy Hale, Head of Podcast Editorial at Spotify. “Many of the best podcast hosts are journalists or experts themselves. They are the ones reporting on these stories, and in the podcast format, they can bring their stories to life.” 

According to Lizzy, podcasts are also uniquely positioned to bring people together.

“Podcasts are a place for community,” Lizzy adds. “When there is a viral moment in culture, fans come to podcasts to feel connected to that bigger moment. A podcast feels like you are talking to your best friend about the story you are obsessing about. They also become artifacts of what our culture’s reactions and opinions were in the moment.” 

So as you reflect on your year in listening, check out the podcasts that exemplify what was driving pop culture in 2023 as selected by our podcast editorial team.

Keep the ‘Barbenheimer’ Excitement Going With These 8 Podcast Deep Dives

The simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer was so widely anticipated that the internet gave the historic opening weekend a name: Barbenheimer. 

Barbie, written and directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, brings the world’s favorite doll to life in a fantasy-filled, comedic adventure with an epic soundtrack. In an entirely different direction, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a three-hour biopic about the father of the atomic bomb. The combined debut was a success, bringing in more than $311 million for the fourth-highest-grossing opening weekend in U.S. history. And both movies generated existential questions that have left fans wanting more. 

Spotify’s Podcast Editorial team curated an evolving list of the best Barbie vs. Oppenheimer podcasts, which can be found under podcast browse. Take a listen to learn more about the business behind Barbie or the conspiracy theories that surround the Manhattan Project, or just sit back and hear people gush about Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ken.

Mattel Bets Big on Barbie” 

The Journal.

Spotify Studios 

After watching Barbie, many were left curious about Mattel’s unique role in the film. The Journal. is here to answer all your questions and then some. Robbie Brenner, Executive Producer at Mattel Films, discusses the challenges they faced while bringing the beloved Barbie doll to life in cinematic form. Plus, she shares some exciting news about what’s to come from Mattel Films (did somebody say Polly Pocket movie?). 

The Manhattan Project” 

Conspiracy Theories 

Spotify Studios

This episode of Conspiracy Theories covers the true story of the top-secret military program that inspired Oppenheimer. Not only does the episode cover the official story in detail, but also all the captivating conspiracy theories it inspiredfrom aliens to a fluoride cover-up to a pagan cult. 

The Enduring Appeal of Barbie” 

Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders

Vulture 

Barbie and fashion have always gone hand in hand. In this episode of Into It, host Sam Sanders sits down to talk all things Barbiecore with two fashion experts: Danya Issawi, fashion writer for New York Magazine and The Cut, and DarnellJamal Lisby, a fashion historian. Expect to hear some personal stories of what it was like for them to grow up with the doll that defines American girlhood.

Christopher Nolan on ‘Oppenheimer,’ Mr.Cartoon on ‘Just My Imagination,’ Brooklyn Sudano on The Treat” 

The Treatment 

KCRW

Who better to hear from than the Oppenheimer filmmaker himself? On this episode of The Treatment, host Elvis Mitchell speaks to director and writer Christopher Nolan about his work. The pair discuss themes that run through Nolan’s work and are especially apparent in Oppenheimer, including “the danger of knowledge.”

‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’s’ Epic Weekend Face-Off” 

The Town with Matthew Belloni 

The Ringer  

On this episode of The Town, a podcast that covers all things Hollywood, host Matthew Belloni is joined by David Herrin. Herrin is the founder of Quorum, the industry leader in film data research and insights. Conversations include the marketing strategy behind Barbie, the birth of “Barbenheimer,” and the role COVID-19 played in creating an opening weekend unlike anything they have ever seen.

The Barbie Tapes: A Toy is Born” 

LA Made: The Barbie Tapes 

LAist Studios

From the time Barbie first entered the toy scene in 1959 until the release of Barbie in 2023, the brand and the doll have been at the center of controversy and culture. “The Barbie Tapes: A Toy is Born” is the first episode in season two of LA Made that tells the true story of Barbie in the words of her creators. The series covers Barbie’s colorful history from start to finish, illuminating details that we all may have missed. 

A Barbie v. Oppenheimer Game

Pop Culture Happy Hour 

NPR 

First, play along as the NPR hosts discuss “pop culture’s most contentious matchups.” Then, if your friends still haven’t seen Oppenheimer and you don’t want to spoil it for them, listen to this episode to hear the hosts gab about the plot, the cast, and the complicated history behind the movie. And when you finish listening to “Oppenheimer,” you can check out one of Pop Culture Happy Hour’s two episodes on Barbie, one with spoilers and one without.

The ‘Barbie’ Deep Dive w/Greta Gerwig!

The Big Picture

The Ringer

Greta Gerwig is the mastermind behind Barbie. On this episode of The Big Picture, she discusses her approach to recreating the iconic doll for the big screen, the unique challenges she encountered, themes that run through Barbie and her previous work (Lady Bird and Little Women), and the movie’s overall cultural impact. 

Whether you want to revisit history or take a trip to Barbie Land, Spotify’s Podcast Editorial team has you covered on podcast browse. Check out these podcasts and more on our Barbie vs. Oppenheimer shelf.