Drake Takes the Streaming Crown Back in 2025 After Kendrick Lamar Feud

Drake may have taken a bruising in last year’s highly publicized lyrical showdown with Kendrick Lamar, but if there’s one thing the numbers prove, it’s that his grip on the mainstream remains firm. Despite questions around his reputation following the rap battle, the Toronto superstar has bounced back in a major way, reclaiming his spot at the top as Apple Music’s most-streamed artist of 2025.

Apple Music has yet to reveal exact streaming figures through its annual Apple Music Replay, but Drake’s relentless output throughout the year speaks volumes. The 6 God stayed active and strategic, consistently feeding fans new music that kept his name—and sound—dominant across playlists worldwide.

A major boost came in February with the release of $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, his collaborative album with longtime partner PARTYNEXTDOOR. The project debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, pulling in nearly 250,000 units in its first week. It also set a new Apple Music record for the most first-day streams ever for an R&B/Soul album, underlining Drake’s continued ability to command massive attention at release.

.@Drake is our most-streamed artist this year. Who’s your top artist? #AppleMusicReplay pic.twitter.com/YZgWbHDVXT

— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) December 2, 2025

The album didn’t just perform well as a body of work; its singles made serious noise too. Tracks like “Nokia” and “Gimme a Hug” both landed in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10, with “Nokia” emerging as Drake’s most-streamed song on Apple Music this year and ranking 13th overall on the platform.

Drake kept the momentum going with additional releases such as “What Did I Miss?” and the Central Cee-assisted “Which One,” teasing what fans can expect from his upcoming album, Iceman. Each drop added to his already impressive streaming totals and reinforced his staying power.

Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar also enjoyed a dominant year on Apple Music. His chart-topping collaboration with SZA, “Luther,” became the most-streamed hip-hop and R&B song of 2025, second only to Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “Apt.” Several other Kendrick tracks, including the Grammy-winning “Not Like Us,” continued to thrive, alongside both new and older fan favorites.

Ultimately, 2025 has proven that while rap beefs may shape narratives, streaming numbers tell their own story—and Drake’s story is still very much one of global dominance.

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