Spotify reveals its annual Year in Music top lists, showing the most-streamed artists, albums, tracks, and moments that made 2018 an amazing year for music; a year that has cemented rap and hip-hop’s dominance, represented heavily in top lists across the globe.

Drake has taken out the global treble for most-streamed artist, most-streamed album, an most-streamed track. With 8.2 billion streams in 2018 alone, the Canadian rapper is now Spotify’s most-streamed artist of all time. His album ‘Scorpion’ and song “God’s Plan” took the top slots in their categories—with “God’s Plan” bringing in more than 1 billion streams.

Locally though, Aussies preferred Post Malone’s “beerbongs & bentleys” (the second most-streamed album worldwide) over ‘Scorpion’, to take out the most-streamed album of the year in Australia.

After a truly momentous year, Ariana Grande takes out the top spot as Spotify’s most-streamed female artist, both in Australia and globally. Grande released her hotly anticipated fourth album, ‘Sweetener’, had numerous charting singles, and her latest single “thank u, next” is a certified smash. Grande’s music streamed more than 3 billion times in 2018.

Relative newcomers Dua Lipa and Halsey join Grande in the ranks of the most-streamed female artists, alongside longtime top list regulars, Taylor Swift and Rihanna. Hot on their heels is Cardi B, and homegrown powerhouse Sia, who is the 7th most streamed female, globally. Sia also takes out the crown as Australia’s most-streamed local female artist, in good company with Julia Stone (Angus & Julia Stone), Amy Shark, Tash Sultana, and Vera Blue.

Sia has proven herself as one of Australia’s biggest musical exports with more than 32m monthly listeners.

NSW band 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) have dominated pop this year, releasing their album “Youngblood” featuring the title track of the same name, which takes out the crown for Australia’s most streamed Aussie track, as well as being the second most-streamed track in Australia and the 24th most-streamed track, globally.

Tasmanians have bucked the Drake trend to crown ‘Youngblood’ their number one streamed track ahead of Drake’s ‘God’s Plan’, which reigned supreme in every other state and territory.

Globally, our top five Aussies are an eclectic mix of pop, rock, and showtunes; Sia, 5SOS, AC/DC, Troye Sivan, and Hugh Jackman, proving popular with Spotify’s global audience.

“Unsurprisingly, rap and hip-hop have dominated the top lists in 2018. Excitingly, this global trend is paving the way for an exciting emerging scene to explode and resonate with a much wider audience for artists like Manu Crooks, Triple One, Kwame and The Kid Laroi,” says Alicia Sbrugnera, Head of Shows & Editorial AUNZ.

Alicia adds, “We are also so excited that Aussie artists like 5SOS, Vance Joy, and Dean Lewis are being supported heavily by a homegrown audience, as well as finding audiences across the globe via Spotify.”

SPOTIFY’S GLOBAL TOP LISTS 2018:

Most-Streamed Artists

1. Drake

2. Post Malone

3. XXXTENTACION

4. J Balvin

5. Ed Sheeran*

*Ed Sheeran was the top-streamed artist in 2017

Most-Streamed Female Artists

1. Ariana Grande

2. Dua Lipa

3. Cardi B

4. Taylor Swift

5. Camila Cabello

Most-Streamed Tracks

1. God's Plan - Drake

2. SAD! - XXXTENTACION

3. rockstar (feat. 21 Savage) - Post Malone

4. Psycho (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) - Post Malone

5. In My Feelings - Drake

Most-Streamed Albums

1. Scorpion - Drake

2. beerbongs & bentleys - Post Malone

3. XXXTENTACION

4. Dua Lipa - Dua Lipa

5. Ed Sheeran*

*Ed Sheeran’s ÷ was the top album in 2017

Most-Streamed Australian Artists

1. Sia

2. 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS)

3. AC/DC

4. Troye Sivan

5. Hugh Jackman

Most-Streamed Australian Tracks

1. 5SOS, Youngblood

2. Dean Lewis, Be Alright

3. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Show

4. Vance Joy, Riptide

5. Sia, Thunderclouds (with Sia, Diplo & Labrinth)

Most-Streamed Groups*

1. Imagine Dragons

2. BTS

3. Maroon 5

4. Migos

5. Coldplay

*Must have three or more members

Most-Streamed Australian Artists

1. 5SOS

2. Vance Joy

3. Sia

4. Sticky Fingers

5. Dean Lewis

6. Angus & Julia Stone

7. Troye Sivan

8. Peking Duk

9. Hilltop Hoods

10. Amy Shark

Most-Streamed Tracks

1. Drake, God’s Plan

2. 5SOS, Youngblood

3. Post Malone, Psycho (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)

4. Post Malone, Better Now

5. Post Malone, I Fall Apart

Most-Streamed Australian Tracks

1. 5SOS, Youngblood

2. Dean Lewis, Be Alright

3. PNAU, Go Bang

4. Angus & Julia Stone, Chateau

5. Peking Duk, Fire

Most-Streamed Female Artists

1. Ariana Grande

2. Taylor Swift

3. Dua Lipa

4. Halsey

5. Rihanna

Most-Streamed Australian Female Artists

1. Sia

2. Julia Stone (of Angus & Julia Stone)

3. Amy Shark

4. Tash Sultana

5. Vera Blue

Most-Streamed Albums

1. Post Malone, beerbongs & bentleys

2. Drake, Scorpion

3. Ed Sheeran, ÷

4. XXXTENTACION, ?

5. Dua Lipa, Dua Lipa