Spotify Reflects on 2025's Music Trends in Japan and Worldwide

Spotify, the world's leading audio streaming service, has unveiled its annual rankings for 2025, reflecting popular music and podcast trends from the year. A staggering 713 million users across the globe turned to Spotify to discover and enjoy music, leading to exciting insights about listener preferences.

Highlights from Spotify's 2025 Rankings

In Japan, the standout track of the year was Mrs. GREEN APPLE's "ライラック" (Lilac), which climbed to the top after consistently high play counts since its release in April of the previous year. This marked a significant achievement for the band as they reached the number one spot for the first time. Following closely were other big hits including “ケセラセラ” and “青と夏”, showcasing Mrs. GREEN APPLE's dominance as they secured seven tracks in the top 10.

On the international stage, the most played song was "Die With A Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, a collaboration that took 2024 by storm and continued to find a robust audience in 2025. Bad Bunny reclaimed his title as the most streamed artist globally, witnessing incredible growth in listenership thanks to the rise of Latin music around the world.

In Japan, listeners also embraced the new artist HANA, who achieved the highest discovery rate among new talents. HANA’s unique message and charismatic group dynamics contributed greatly to their success in resonating with audiences.

Noteworthy Tracks and Artists of 2025

Global View

The top global tracks included "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" by Billie Eilish, "APT." by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars, and others like Alex Warren's "Ordinary" and HUNTR/X's "Golden". Particularly, "Golden" gained popularity as it connected with the anime series KPop Demon Hunters, spotlighting the crossover of music and pop culture.

A Deep Dive Into Japan

With regards to domestic artists, Mrs. GREEN APPLE maintained their position as the top artist for the third consecutive year, having reigned supreme in the daily charts for over 1503 days. Following them was back number, known for hits like "ブルーアンバー", and the versatile 米津玄師 (Yonezu Kenshi), who achieved notable success with tracks tied to anime, most prominently "IRIS OUT", which broke multiple streaming records in Japan this year.

Dominating the dance and vocal group category, Number_i emerged as the top group for 2025, showcasing the growing trend of supporting artists through streaming and community engagements.

Global vs Domestic Listening Trends

Internationally, Creepy Nuts brought home another title with "オトノケ - Otonoke", ranking as the most streamed domestic song abroad, indicating their expanding footprint in markets like Indonesia and Brazil. Ado's momentum continued as she topped the list of Japanese artists played worldwide.

Interestingly, the Spotify playlists that captivated listeners include “令和ポップス”, and internationally, anime playlists such as “鬼滅の刃” reflected a strong interest in Japanese music.

Amidst this landscape, social media engagement surged, with Number_i’s hits feature prominently across platforms — showing their significant cultural imprint in 2025.

Beyond music, Spotify embodied a full circle of connection with its user base, launching the annual summary event, "Spotifyまとめ2025”, and providing interactive experiences for their community, including T-shirts and pop-up events in Tokyo and Fukuoka.

As they concluded yet another year, the insights offered by Spotify paint a vivid picture not only of the music industry but of the evolving tastes of the global audience living through the beats of 2025. The impact of technology and cultural exchange is drawing the lines closer between international and local artists, marking a notable era of growth and exploration in the realm of music.