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Home Lifestyle Drake tops Spotify’s most streamed artists of 2016
Lifestyle
December 2, 2016

Drake tops Spotify’s most streamed artists of 2016

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TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 23: Rapper, Drake attends game four of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors on May 23, 2016 during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Drake beats Bieber and Rihanna for the second year straight

DRAKE  has dominated Spotify for the second straight year, ending 2016 as the most streamed artist for both album and song.

The Canadian rapper’s songs were streamed 4.7 billion times.

That is more than double his 1.8 billion tally in 2015, when he also topped Spotify’s annual list.

“Drake has been unstoppable this year, he’s a true global superstar,” Spotify said in a statement.

“With the top album and the top song this year, as well as his successful Summer Sixteen tour, Drake continues to engage his fans in a way that only Drake can,” they added.

“It’s no surprise he is dominating the music industry.”

LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 23: Recording artist Drake performs onstage at the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 23, 2016 in La
Drake’s Views was most streamed album and One Dance most popular song

Drizzy Drake is now the most streamed artist of all time – despite his 2016 album Views being withheld from Spotify for two weeks as part of an exclusive deal with Apple.

The contract, rumoured to have cost Apple Music $19m (£15m), paid off for Drake.

The Hotline Bling singer beat Beyonce’s record-breaking Lemonade on the first day of its release.

Zayn cancelled a concert in Dubai due to "extreme anxiety"
Zayn Malik was Spotify’s leading new artist of 2016

Queen Bey’s visual album became the biggest-selling of the year in the US on the last day of April.

Less than 24 hours later, Drake’s Views had already surpassed it with a record 600,000 sales.

As for the most streamed song of the year, his 2016 hit One Dance was streamed 960 million times and made Drake an estimated $4.8m (£3.9m) in royalties.

Drizzy’s former love interest Rihanna, Kanye West and Justin Bieber all appear behind him on the lists.

Drake and Rihanna in a public show of affection during the MTV Video Music Awards
Drake and Rihanna in a public show of affection during the MTV Video Music Awards

Former One Direction star Zayn Malick was designated the year’s top Breakout Artist.

Riri was named Spotify’s most streamed female artist of 2016 – but still behind Bieber in the most streamed artist category both in the UK and Worldwide.

:: Spotify’s most streamed of 2016

Most streamed artists worldwide

1. Drake

2. Justin Bieber

3. Rihanna

4. Twenty One Pilots

5. Kanye West

Most streamed tracks worldwide

1. One Dance (feat WizKid and Kyla) – Drake

2. I Took A Pill in Ibiza (Seeb remix) – Mike Posner

3. Don’t Let Me Down (feat Daya) – The Chainsmokers

4. Work (feat Drake) – Rihanna

5. Cheap Thrills – Sia

Most streamed albums

1. Views – Drake

2. Purpose – Justin Bieber

3. Anti – Rihanna

4. Blurryface – Twenty One Pilots

5. Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd

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