Ed Sheeran takes Drake's crown to become Spotify's most streamed artist of 2017

This guy.

Image: Steve Jennings/WireImage

By Shannon Connellan2017-12-05 05:29:34 UTC

My god, Ed Sheeran is highly inoffensive and very, very popular.

Spotify released its annual Year in Music list, and Britain's all-around nice guy is the most streamed artist on Spotify with 45 million monthly listeners around the world.

With 6.3 billion streams this year alone, Sheeran snatched the streaming crown from Drake, who was the most streamed artist in 2015 and 2016, but came in second place in 2017. It's been a popular year for The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar and The Chainsmokers too, who rounded out the top five. 

Sheeran also took the top spot for most streamed album with his March release ÷ (Divide), which clocked up 3.1 billion streams globally. The album trumped Drake's More Life, Kendrick's DAMN., The Weeknd's Starboy and Post Malone's Stoney.

Plus, Sheeran took most streamed track of the year, "Shape of You," with over 1.4 billion streams globally. The single beat Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's inescapable "Despacito," (and the Justin Bieber remix), "Something Just Like This," from The Chainsmokers and Coldplay, and DJ Khaled's "I'm the One." Sheeran was also the most streamed male artist of the year.

Sooo, women?

Speaking of, this year's list is very much dominated by dudes, with female artists severely unrepresented outside of the most streamed female artist category — topped by Rihanna (third year in a row, standard), and followed by Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Sia. 

Even the most streamed groups were lacking in ladies, with Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5, Linkin Park, and Migos making up a rather bro-town lineup.

Genre-wise, Latin music was hard to beat this year, as listening increased 110 percent, according to Spotify data. This can be attributed to two Latin tracks hitting #1 on Spotify for the first time: "Despacito" and J Balvin and Willy William's "Mi Gente," as well the inclusion of 10 Latin songs on Spotify's Global Top 50. Hip hop was up too, as listening increased 74 percent globally.

Here's the whole list, which ends with my personal favourite section, the emerging genres list. Get some cinematic dubstep, chaotic black metal and trap Latino into your life.

SPOTIFY'S GLOBAL YEAR IN MUSIC 2017

Most Streamed Artists 

1. Ed Sheeran

2. Drake

3. The Weeknd

4. Kendrick Lamar

5. The Chainsmokers

Most Streamed Female Artists

1. Rihanna

2. Taylor Swift

3. Selena Gomez

4. Ariana Grande

5. Sia

Most Streamed Male Artists 

1. Ed Sheeran

2. Drake

3. The Weeknd

4. Kendrick Lamar

5. Daddy Yankee

Top Five Breakout Artists

1. Camila Cabello

2. Harry Styles

3. Liam Payne

4. Lil Pump

5. Trippie Redd

Most Streamed Groups 

1. Coldplay 

2. Imagine Dragons

3. Maroon 5

4. Linkin Park

5. Migos 

Most Streamed Tracks 

1. "Shape of You" - Ed Sheeran

2. "Despacito" - Remix - Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber 

3. "Despacito" - Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

4. "Something Just Like This" - The Chainsmokers & Coldplay 

5. "I'm the One" - DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne 

Most Streamed Albums 

1. Divide - Ed Sheeran 

2. More Life - Drake

3. DAMN. - Kendrick Lamar

4. Starboy - The Weeknd

5. Stoney - Post Malone 

Emerging 2017 Genres

1. Melodic Power Metal

2. Chaotic Black Metal

3. Chillhop

4. Trap Latino

5. Future Funk

6. Jumpstyle

7. Serialism 

8. Cinematic Dubstep 

9. Vintage Swoon

10. Gamecore

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