This is the fourth time Bad Bunny (left) has claimed the title after doing so in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Taylor Swift was the winner in 2023 and 2024. Photos: AP
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny has dethroned American pop star Taylor Swift to once again become Spotify’s Global Top Artiste.
The 31-year-old, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, topped the list with 19.8 billion streams in 2025, according to Spotify Wrapped, the music streamer’s annual campaign released on Dec 3.
This is the fourth time he has claimed the title after doing so in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Swift, 35, was the winner in 2023 and 2024, with more than 26.1 billion and 26.6 billion global streams respectively.
Rounding out the list of top five artistes in 2025 are Canadian singer The Weeknd, Canadian rapper Drake and American singer Billie Eilish.
Swift was Spotify’s Top Artiste in the United States, with Drake in second, American country singer Morgan Wallen in third, American rapper Kendrick Lamar in fourth and Bad Bunny in fifth position.
Bad Bunny also clinched the Global Top Album of 2025 for the Spanish-language Debi Tirar Mas Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos).
KPop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack From The Netflix Film) showed the influence of the hit Netflix animated film by capturing the No. 2 spot, with Eilish’s Hit Me Hard And Soft in third place.
American singer SZA’s SOS Deluxe: Lana, the reissue of SOS (2022), is fourth, while American singer Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet is in fifth spot.
American singers Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ smash hit Die With A Smile, which was also included as the closing track of Gaga’s studio album Mayhem, took the title of Top Song Globally with more than 1.7 billion streams.
Eilish’s Birds Of A Feather rose from third in 2024 to second position in 2025, while Rose of K-pop girl group Blackpink and Mars are at No. 3 with Apt.
The duet was also Apple Music’s biggest song in 2025, according to Apple Music Replay, the streaming service’s year-end wrap unveiled on Dec 2.
The earwarm topped its Top Songs of 2025: Global, Top 100: Shazam, Top 100: Global Radio and Top 100: Lyrics lists. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
