Tag: Pickleball

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

November 29, 2023

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 and “As 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 

 

Pickleball Champions Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters Team Up for a Mix to Get Your Head in the Game

June 13, 2023

Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters posing with their trophy and medals.

Pickleball has seen a massive rise in popularity over the last several years. What was once a game held in backyards and parks is now a thriving international sport with leagues, tournaments, and television coverage. 

The pickleball frenzy has even reached Spotify, where we’ve seen a more than 930% increase in “pickleball” playlist streams in May 2023 compared to May 2020. Among some of the category’s most popular game day tracks are “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire, and “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. 

As many professional players will tell you, pickleball is an easy game to learn, but a hard one to master. It requires staying in the right frame of mind to prepare for anything that happens, including long waiting periods. That’s why we’re excited for the launch of the ultimate pickleball mindset playlist curated by two of the sport’s biggest stars, Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters. Since the first Professional Pickleball Association event of the 2023 season, Ben and Anna have each won numerous triple crown titles, including last week, at the Selkirk Texas Opening Rockwell, where Anna Leigh won her third triple crown in a row. In his career, Ben has won more triple crowns than any male professional pickleball player in history.

From the high-tempo and high-confidence Macklemore track “Can’t Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)” and “Pump It” by Black Eyed Peas to that renowned Survivor sports banger, “Eye of the Tiger,” the Gameday – Ben J & AL Waters playlist is all you need to get pumped up for your time on the pickleball court.

For the Record caught up with Anna Leigh and Ben to talk about the rise of pickleball and what music gets them ready for a game.

How did you two first get interested in pickleball?

Anna Leigh: My mom actually went pro herself when I started playing sometime in 2017, and I just wanted to be like her. So I decided that I wanted to play pro with her and we began to compete together when I went pro in 2019. Now we play women’s doubles together.

Ben: I first started playing in 2016, when a pickleball court was near where I was playing tennis, and I figured it would be fun to try. At that point I thought of it as more of a game than an actual sport, and when I entered the pro division in my first-ever U.S. Open, I couldn’t believe there were so many good athletes playing this funny game. But as I got better, I grew and I began to get more serious about it in 2017.

What does a day in the life of a pickleball athlete look like?

Anna Leigh: We travel to so many tournaments. It’s crazy. But if I’m not traveling away on a tournament, I’m usually home, training on the pickleball court, training at the gym, or doing some schoolwork.

Photo Credit: PPA Tour

Pickleball has grown to be quite the international phenomenon! What’s it been like watching from the inside?

Ben: It’s been kind of crazy to compare the scene from when I first started to where it is now. There was some point where I was so used to the explosive growth in pickleball’s popularity that you’d see more news and massive changes week to week or month to month. It’s so great to see how that hasn’t really stopped, but looking from the start of it to now, it’s worlds apart.

Anna Leigh: I kind of like to say that I kind of grew as pickleball grew, because the older I get, the bigger pickleball gets and the more people know about it. So it’s been kind of cool to see its growth as an international sensation, and I feel so grateful to be able to be part of that.

What attributes make a champion pickleball player?

Anna Leigh: One thing I don’t think people really understand about professional pickleball is how mentally tough you have to be to win matches.

Ben: Yeah. There’s some tough breaks in the game and pressure can get to you very easily, and that can lead to a real struggle to play your best. So the more you can rise above that, the more mentally strong you are as a player. And I think Anna Leigh particularly does an amazing job with winning week after week and not letting the pressure get to her. She manages that really well and is amazing with positivity. All things I consider to make a very mentally strong athlete.

Anna Leigh: Also, pickleball tournaments are really long. You could be waiting 30 minutes or  five hours before you start the match, so you have to keep that active mindset up all day long.

What can we expect to find on the Gameday playlist?

Ben: I listen to predominantly late seventies and early eighties classic rock, and I’d say that “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey is my all-time favorite song. It absolutely had to be included. Also my favorite rap song of all time is “Forever,” so that’s why that one’s on there. I mean, you have Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem. That’s just a collaboration of some of the greatest artists of all time.

Anna Leigh: A couple of ones for me have some meaning to them. One of them is “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor. In 2019, my mom and I won our first major pickleball tournament together and it was played right before the finals of our match, so it’s something that I had to include. Another one I added is Justin Timberlake’s “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!,” and that one was played during that same match. We lost the first game, won the second game, and then it played just as we were about to go into the third.

What piece of advice would you give folks who are starting to pick up the pickleball paddle?

Anna Leigh: I would say just try it. Go to a park, you don’t even need a paddle or even a knowledge of the rules. Pickleball players are very welcoming, especially to newcomers, and we really want to grow the sport. So just go to a park and a lot of people will teach you the game and I’m sure you’ll be hooked from the beginning!

Pick up the paddle and get ready to play by listening to Ben and Anna Leigh’s playlist now.

 

Turn It Up: Our Songs of Summer Predictions Plus the Hottest Summer Trends

June 7, 2023

a graphic pink and yellow visual depicting clouds, the sun, hills, and an umbrella

From the dance floor to sandy beaches, people are celebrating the start of summer with sultry songs and temperature-raising tracks—and Spotify is getting right into the mix with our annual Songs of Summer predictions and trends. But first, let’s check out what listeners are streaming around the world.

Tracking the hottest global streams

To help visualize what’s hot worldwide, we’ve created a map that highlights the most popular tunes in more than 100 countries across the Northern Hemisphere. The map will update weekly, starting May 27, to show the latest sizzling tracks from different countries.

Click the white dots on the map below to see what’s trending in far-off destinations.