Kendrick Lamar beats Drake as rapper with most monthly listeners on Spotify
Yet again, Kendrick seemingly effortlessly trumps Drake, this time with monthly Spotify listeners.
Kendrick Lamar is now the most listened-to rapper on Spotify, surpassing 88.8 million monthly listeners. This milestone puts him ahead of Drake, who previously held the record. Kendrick’s recent rise in streams follows the success of his diss track “Not Like Us” and his Super Bowl halftime performance, which significantly boosted his streaming numbers.
After Kendrick’s appearance at the Super Bowl, streams of “Not Like Us” surged by 430%, while his entire catalogue saw a 175% increase in streaming numbers. Not Like Us saw a massive spike in streams, demonstrating the power of live performances in driving listener engagement.
The track has also crossed 1 billion streams on Spotify, cementing its place as one of Kendrick’s biggest hits. “Not Like Us” joins the billion-stream club, despite being at the centre of a legal dispute with Drake. Drake has filed a defamation lawsuit against Kendrick, but the controversy has not slowed the song’s momentum.
Kendrick’s ongoing rivalry with Drake has fueled interest in both artists’ music. “Not Like Us” broke Spotify’s record for the most single-day streams in the US, a record previously held by Drake. This battle has played out in real-time on streaming platforms, with Kendrick emerging as the victor in terms of numbers.
The competition between Kendrick and Drake has been at the centre of hip-hop discussions for months. Kendrick’s recent surge in popularity has led many to see him as taking the crown from Drake. Kendrick has firmly taken the lead in their rivalry, reinforcing his position as one of the most dominant rappers today.