Apple Music has celebrated its first decade as a streaming platform. And to celebrate, it has decided to give its usual privacy policy a twist by sharing a historic list: the 500 most played songs throughout its history. The launch of this special playlist not only pays tribute to the musical habits of millions of users, but also offers a snapshot of the most significant global hits of the last ten years. The revelation of this data, unusual for Apple's platform compared to its competitors, has generated significant resonance in the music industry.
It is worth noting that, unlike other services, Apple Music doesn't typically make individual song stream numbers public.However, on this occasion, and as part of the celebration, the company has shared this ranking in an exceptional way, showing which songs have defined an era and which artists have managed to conquer listeners worldwide.
Who tops the list of the 500 most listened to songs?
La first position in the ranking occupies it, without too many surprises, Ed Sheeran with his hit "Shape of You". This song, released in 2017, not only triumphed on international charts, but also managed to set unprecedented records on Apple Music, remaining more than 1.800 days at number one in some country and registering the highest number of streams on its first day of release on the platform. For more information about the innovative playback features in Apple Music, you can visit This guide to Hi-Fi sound on Apple Music.
Completing the podium "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd, which is also the most listened to song in the direct competition, and Drake's "God's Plan"Artists like Post Malone, Travis Scott, and Billie Eilish also appear in the top spots, cementing their position among the most influential figures in pop, hip-hop, and R&B of the last decade.
El top 10 reflects the hegemony of several male artists, although only one woman appears as a main artist in those prominent places: Billie Eilish with "Bad Guy". Kyla, as Drake's guest on "One Dance," completes the scarce female representation in that select group, although the diversity grows when looking at the full list.
Female representation and presence on the list
When analyzing the representation of female artists outside of top 10The presence of women on the list increases significantlyNames like Taylor Swift, with 14 songs, Rihanna with 13, and Billie Eilish and SZA with 10 each, demonstrate the female influence in recent years. To find out how to listen to these hits on different devices, check out How to use Apple Music on Smart TV. Cardi B and also maintain a solid presence on the list, with 8 and 7 tracks respectively. This reflects the growing weight of female artists in the music scene of the last decade on Apple Music.
In terms of gender diversity and international origin, highlights the emergence of K-pop hits like BTS's "Dynamite" and collaborations like Rosé (BLACKPINK)'s with Bruno Mars. Although the platform is most popular in the United States, it has managed to consolidate a global and diverse listening in its user community. If you'd like to learn more about how to achieve high-quality sound, visit .
An interesting fact is the presence of songs like "No Guidance" by Chris Brown and Drake. This song, at number nine, doesn't appear at all on Spotify's chart, demonstrating differences in listener preferences across platforms.
Artists with the most songs on the charts and interesting facts
El artist with the highest number of songs in the top 500 Drake, who manages to place up to 39 songs, although some sources indicate 27 due to differences in international charts. He is followed by Lil Baby, Post Malone, Justin Bieber, Morgan Wallen, and Eminem, artists who have had a constant presence on the platform.
It's also worth noting that, in addition to her usual presence, Taylor Swift's most successful song on Apple Music is "Cruel Summer," at number 57, and Mariah Carey takes credit for being the only artist with a Christmas song on the list, "All I Want for Christmas Is You," at number 100.
The list reveals a low presence of Spanish artists in the top positions, a fact that has drawn attention in Spain, where it has been highlighted that No national issue appears in the top 50.
The songs that defined the decade on Apple Music
The full list, available as a playlist for all subscribers, reflects the evolution of musical preferences since 2015, when Apple acquired Beats and launched its streaming platform. With more than 100 million songs in its catalog, Apple Music has adapted to changes in music consumption habits over the years.
The 20 most listened to songs in the history of the platform are:
- Shape of You - Ed Sheeran
- Blinding Lights - The Weeknd
- God's Plan - Drake
- Sunflower – Post Malone (feat. Swae Lee)
- rockstar – Post Malone (feat. 21 Savage)
- One dance – Drake (feat. Wizkid, Kyla)
- SICKO MODE –Travis Scott
- Perfect - Ed Sheeran
- No Guidance – Chris Brown (feat. Drake)
- bad guy –Billie Eilish
- Closer – The Chainsmokers (feat. Halsey)
- Starboy – The Weeknd (feat. Daft Punk)
- Goosebumps – Travis Scott
- STAY – The Kid LAROI (feat. Justin Bieber)
- HUMBLE. – Kendrick Lamar
- Dance Monkey - Tones And I
- Freestyle – Lil Baby
- The Box – Roddy Ricch
- 7 Rings – Ariana Grande
- Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi
The dominance of pop and urban music is evident, as is the ability of some artists to remain at the top for years. The list demonstrates that Apple Music remains a key resource for discovering and sharing music worldwide, adapting to trends and expanding its musical offerings.
