Brutal result for Aussie artists in 2025 Spotify Wrapped rankings
Spotify has released its annual data dump of our most-streamed songs of the year – and it includes some truly sobering stats.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has publicly released the results of his Spotify Wrapped for 2025 - and it seems at least someone’s championing new Aussie music.
According to his social media post, Albanese’s most-played artist for 2025 was Aussie rock band King Stingray, who released their second album in November last year.
The inescapable Taylor Swift ranks in second place for Albanese, followed by another rising Aussie rock band, Middle Kids.
Aussie art-rock legend Nick Cave and former Portishead frontwoman Beth Gibbons round out the top five of a list that has so far been met with a positive reception online - a far cry from last year, when Albanese was roasted for sharing his top five songs online.
NSW Premier Chris Minns was another pollie sharing his Spotify results today, although his chat on Nova suggested he might not be the biggest fan of at least one of the artists mentioned.
Minns said songs by “The 1975, Drake, Sombr and Olivia Rodriguez” had placed high on his list.
“Rodrigo,” host Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald corrected.
Spotify Wrapped has launched for 2025, allowing users of the streaming platform to look back at the songs and artists they played most this year.
To launch the annual look-back, Spotify releases a data dump of the most-played content on its platform for the year – and the results for Australia include some sobering stats.
It seems that, while Aussies love getting into brand new music by international artists, when it comes to homegrown talent, we’re very reluctant to try anything new.
The contrast is clear when looking at Australian Spotify users’ top songs overall, and their top songs by Australian artists.
First, Australia’s top songs:
Ordinary by Alex Warren
That’s So True by Gracie Abrams
BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish
back to friends by sombr
APT. by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
The most-streamed song, Alex Warren’s Ordinary, was released at the end of 2024 and spent much of this year at or near the top of the charts. Massive hits by Grace Abrams, sombr and ROSE were all also released at the tail end of 2024, with Billie’s Birds of a Feather the oldest song on the list, originally released in July of last year.
Compare that with the top five most-streamed Aussie songs on Spotify this year:
Riptide – Vance Joy
Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House
Somedays – Sonny Fodera
NIGHTS LIKE THIS – The Kid LAROI
Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap
Yep, Vance Joy’s inescapable 2013 hit Riptide tops the chart yet again, followed by Crowded House’s near-40-year-old classic Don’t Dream It’s Over. Sonny Fodera and The Kid LAROI are the only recent-ish entries in the top five, released in 2024 and 2023 respectively, before The Temper Trap drags the list back to 2008 wth Sweet Disposition.
It’s a similar tale on the albums list – here are Australia’s most-streamed albums for the year on Spotify:
KPop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) – KPop Demon Hunters Cast
You’ll Be Alright, Kid – Alex Warren
Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
So Close To What??? – Tate McRae
SOS Deluxe: LANA – SZA
Sabrina has the oldest entry in the top five, with her album released in August of last year.
And now, the top Aussie albums:
THE FIRST TIME – The Kid LAROI
Dream Your Life Away – Vance Joy
Currents – Tame Impala
Back In Black – AC/DC
Kick – INXS
The Kid LAROI’s album, released in 2023, is the only album in the top five to have been released in the past decade, with Vancy Joy and Tame Impala’s efforts both over 10 years old and AC/DC and INXS’ classics released in the 80s.
Australia’s Top Artists:
Taylor Swift
Drake
Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd
Billie Eilish
Australia’s Top Local Artists:
The Wiggles
The Kid LAROI
AC/DC
Hilltop Hoods
Tame Impala
RÜFÜS DU SOL
Royel Otis
Sia
Dom Dolla
Spacey Jane
In October, Aussie music artists led by Keli Holiday and Thelma Plum united to push back against the torrent of international music flooding streaming platforms by launching a new campaign.
The #AUSIFY Your Algo push attempted to arrest the crisis facing homegrown talent, with less than 10 per cent of songs streamed in Australia created by local artists.
“Many people don’t know this, but Australian music, as it currently stands, is at an all-time low as far as listening numbers are concerned, which is quite mind blowing when you think of the talent that we have to offer in this country,” Holiday, aka Peking Duk’s Adam Hyde, told news.com.au.
Originally published as Brutal result for Aussie artists in 2025 Spotify Wrapped rankings
Star, 56, performs in nothing but tiny thong
