The 20 Most Played Songs on Spotify 2022

Spotify is one of the fastest-growing apps for streaming songs, with over 422 million monthly active users globally. Since its launch in 2006, the Swedish streaming service has outperformed its competitors, including Apple Music and Tidal, with more than 180 million ardent subscribers worldwide. Its extensive collection of songs and easy-to-use interface is why users prefer it to other services. As of 2022, millions of its active subscribers streamed over 80 million songs. Check out this list if you’re wondering which songs this article is talking about.

20. “Starboy” by The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk (1.932 billion)

“Starboy” was released in 2016 courtesy of Republic Records and XO for the album with a similar title. Besides Daft Punk, The Weeknd collaborated with Future, Kendrick Lamar, and Lana Del Rey to make it one of the most live-streamed songs on Spotify. The song received supportive reviews, helping it top the US Billboard 200. It became the singer’s second number one album, selling over 350,000 units. Also, it won Best Urban Contemporary Album.

19. “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran (1.942 billion)

Ed Sheeran is an unapologetic romantic; that we can’t doubt. When he released “Photograph” in 2014, he had his then-girlfriend in mind while on tour. Music critics praised Sheeran for the excellent job of penning phenomenal lyrics for his loved ones. The song was Sheeran’s third piece to reach the top ten in more than five countries. The US Billboard Hot 100 ranked tenth while the UK, at fifteen. According to Music Business Worldwide, Sheeran and Justin Bieber garner the most monthly listeners of all musicians on Spotify. This song is the proof supporting this fact.

18. “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa (1.995 billion)

“Don’t Start Now” is one of the songs that made reviewers notice the transformation of Dua Lipa’s vocals and sound. The song exhibits 1980s disco sounds, and its video premiered in 2019. The singer’s transformation finally bore fruits when her song received three nominations at the 63rd Grammy Awards. They include Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance. Her song peaked at two on the US and UK charts, making it her highest topper.

17. “God’s Plan” by Drake (2.002 billion)

“God’s Plan” is a 2018 song by Drake describing the singer’s journey to fame. While it sounds like a typical Drake song, it performed exceptionally well globally. The song debuted at number one in the US Billboard Hot 100, making it his fourth number one. The video shows Drake donating millions of dollars to people and institutions in Florida. After its release, it attracted millions of views on the first day on Apple and Spotify, making it the most streamed song of 2018.

16. “Lucid Dreams” by Juice WRLD (2.027 billion)

“Lucid Dreams” is a 2018 song with more than two billion streams on Spotify. The song charted at one on the US Hot Rap Songs and four on the Rolling Stone Top 100. During an interview with Lyrical Lemonade, WRLD admitted that this song came in handy when his relationship hit rock bottom. In 2017, he released it on SoundCloud with the EP JuiceWrld 999. To his luck, it got more than two million plays. Surprisingly, a pop punk band, Yellowcard, sued the rapper for $15 million, alleging that it sounded like their “Holly Wood Died.” Song.

15. “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran (2.055 billion)

Once more, Ed Sheeran’s musical talent makes him popular with us at Spotify, thanks to this song. The track won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and Best Solo Performance. Released in 2014, the song topped the UK charts, making it his second number one during that year. The US Billboard ranked it second but maintained the first position in seven other countries. The singer collaborated with a Wales-based singer, Amy Wadge, to sing and write the song.

14. “STAY” by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber (2.058 billion)

“STAY” is a fantastic track many Spotify aficionados love playing. It’s all thanks to its listenable lyrics and combination of beautiful voices by Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber. According to Spotify, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100, making Laroi more famous. Twenty-two other countries also ranked it first, making it the fastest song to hit the two-billionth milestone on Spotify. The song won an ARIA Music Award for Best Pop Release in 2021 and the APRA Music Award for Song of the Year in 2022.

13. “Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur (2.09 billion)

I don’t know about you, but if you haven’t played “Say You Won’t Let Go” on Spotify, you don’t know what you’re missing. James Arthur released it in 2016 in the UK as a lead single from his second album, Back from the Edge. It topped the UK charts for three consecutive weeks and gained double platinum in the US. Some claim it sounds like “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” by The Script. However, the two agreed to avoid pursuing legal action, giving credit to the songwriters.

12. “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish (2.11 billion)

“Bad Guy” is one of the songs that attracted positive reviews and became internationally successful. It became number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Several other countries also rewarded Eilish by ranking it first. Its video shows the singer dancing ecstatically while sitting on the back of a man exercising. The singer considers “Bad Guy” her signature song and has always performed it on her tours, such as “When We All Fall Asleep” and “Where Do We Go.”

11. “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran (2.14 billion)

“Perfect” is a romantic ballad that can make any girl cry. Ed Sheeran sang it in 2017, becoming commercially successful, making it one of the most streamed songs released for pop radio. After its release, it peaked at four on the UK charts. Gradually, it became number one even on the US Billboard Hot 100 by the end of the year. Sixteen other countries like Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada also ranked it the best song of the year. The song has also attracted other versions by Beyonce and Andrea Bocelli. Unsurprisingly, it got three nominations at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, thanks to more than two billion views.

10. “Believer” by Imagine Dragons (2.15 billion)

According to Wikipedia, “Believer” garnered more than two billion streams on Spotify after its release in 2017. Apple and Nintendo Switch Super Bowl LI used it for their marketing campaign commercial. After its release, it took the world by storm, reaching the top ten in nine countries. It also featured in the season finale of the television show Riverdale. This is the kind of song that will take you a year to escape your grip.

9. “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes feat. Camila Cabello (2.18 billion)

“Señorita” is one of those anthemic Latin-infused summer songs fans like listening to via whichever mainstream media. It was released in 2019 and was a deluxe version of Mendes’ self-titled third studio album. It became number one in forty countries globally. Remember that it bagged many awards, such as a People’s Choice, AMA, and two MTV music video awards. It also received a Grammy nomination. It is the second song uniting Mendes and Cabello after “I Know What You Did Last Summer” in 2015.

8. “Closer” by Chainsmokers feat. Halsey (2.35 billion)

It’s been six years since Chainsmokers released “Closer,” but fans can’t seem to escape how interesting it sounded on the radio, tv, and almost every media outlet. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, a perfect outlet to grow its popularity with Spotify diehards. Though you may have heard millions of songs over the years, “Closer” is one of those that can never escape your memory. So, you may want to go back in memory lane by streaming it right now.

7. “Sunflower” by Post Malone feat. Swae Lee (2.38 billion)

Post Malone’s music style seems to grow on Spotify fans, which is why he takes two places on this list. His song “Sunflower” is a mixture of contemporary pop and hip-hop, making it a listenable song you’d not want to imagine not streaming. After releasing it in 2018, it remained in the Billboard Top Ten for a staggering 33 weeks. It featured as one of the soundtracks for the 2018 animated film “Spider Man: Into Spider Verse.” The film also became an instant box office success.

6. “One Dance” by Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla (2.39 billion)

Every artist has their style of delivering music to their fans, making Drake unexceptional. His song “One Dance” is so simple that you can hear him repeat the same line 19 times. He uses a Casio keyboard drum track and simple piano chords. The song topped the charts in fifteen countries after he released it in 2016. Inviting Nigerian singers, Wizkid and Kyla also melted fans’ hearts globally, so it’s a no-brainer that it would attract more than two billion views on Spotify.

5. “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi (2.45 billion)

Billboard Capaldi has always dubbed Capaldi as the “Scottish Beyonce.” Surprisingly, he always avoids drawing attention from social media or outside his music, a marketing gimmick that worked to his advantage. The singer released “Someone You Loved” in November 2018 as part of an EP but repurposed it for Capaldi’s debut album a year later. It’s the fifth most popular song on Spotify, thanks to the Grammy nomination it received for best song. It also topped the chart by week 24 after its release.

4. “Rockstar” by Post Malone feat. 21 Savage (2.48 billion)

Attracting 2.48 billion views is quite a remarkable achievement for a person resembling a high school notebook, but isn’t that what artistry is all about? According to Ledge Note, Malone and 21 Savage released “Rockstar” in 2017 for the album “beerbongs & Bentleys .” The video shows Malone with a mean-looking face, ready to “blow money fast” on everything. The song became US’ instant hit, peaking at one on Billboard Hot 100.

3. “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I (2.61 billion)

Another song that topped charts in over thirty countries is “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I. It also won Best Pop Release at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, Song of the Year at the APRA Music Awards of 2020, and Independent Song of the Year at the AIR Awards in 2020. One of the reasons it’s the third most streamed song on Spotify is due to its video. It features an elderly man leaving his house to join a dance party with other older adults. By October 2021, it had over one billion views on Spotify, and the number rose as fans couldn’t get enough of the adorable video.

2. “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd (3 billion)

“Blinding Lights” by Weeknd is coming in at number two, attracting more than three billion views. Released in 2019, this song topped Billboard’s Hot 100 Hit of All Time for four consecutive weeks. It didn’t end there. Fans kept streaming the song, helping it bag three more awards from the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Something unusual about The Weeknd was how he was treated while still a music newbie in 2009. He lamented how the music industry was unfair to entrants. In other news, his fans have noticed his face looking slightly weird after allegedly undergoing plastic surgery. Either way, you will find most of his songs phenomenal.

1. “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran (3.222 billion)

Ed Sheeran may have joined the music industry in 2011, but he has quickly surpassed other artists who rose to fame years prior. He has one song to thank for; “Shape of You,” which he released in January 2017 from his third studio album, Divide. Sheeran’s likable character, passionate voice, and excellent choice of lyrics could’ve been one reason the world can’t get enough of this song. According to Musician Wave, this song’s performance on the charts was exemplary, and it sold more than 40 million copies globally. The song also helped Sheeran bag a Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance. With over three billion streams since its first release, we’re not surprised that Spotify crowned him the second most streamed artist of the decade after Justin Bieber.