You know how it goes. When it comes to music, you like what you like and you end up listening to the same albums over and over again. Well, it’s time to broaden your horizons. These are the top-performing albums on popular music streaming apps.
Taylor Swift – Midnights
The world clearly needed some Tay Tay in their lives, because on 21 October, Taylor Swift’s tenth studio album Midnights became the most streamed album on Spotify in a single day. The album launch comprised a string of enticing events, beginning with Swift announcing its imminent arrival during her acceptance speech for Video of the Year at the VMAs. Then there was the tweet revealing the album’s name and theme (13 sleepless nights during her life) and the TikTok series revealing the individual song titles. By the time the album was released, her frenzied fans were ready!
Beyoncé – Renaissance
One good thing to emerge from the pandemic: Queen Bey’s seventh studio album – and her first solo full-length release since Lemonade back in 2016. But there’s more to come. In a letter to her fans, Bey confirmed that it’s the first in a three-album series, writing, “This three act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative.” Naturally, the Beyhive were delighted to get the 16-track album – which features numerous guest appearances – onto their devices, but when it leaked three days prior to the official launch date, many of them respectfully waited, prompting a thank you note from Beyoncé, posted to Instagram.
Kendrick Lamar – Mr Morale & The Big Steppers
Apple Music doesn’t share streaming numbers, but that didn’t stop them giving Kendrick Lamar a shout-out on Twitter in May when his album recorded the most first-day streams for an album. Lamar first teased his fifth studio album back in August 2021, when he announced it would be his last album with record label Top Dawg Entertainment. Various other teasers followed, but he didn’t release the track list until the release date, so you can imagine the desperation of fans to get listening.
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
Topping Tidal’s preliminary top streaming list for 2022, Big Thief’s fifth album features 20 tracks inspired by a bizarre mishmash of muses, including internet signals, vape pens, the planet and, uh, potatoes. But in a weird, folk-country kind of way, it works.
The Weeknd – Dawn FM
“You are now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM. You’ve been in the dark for way too long. It’s time to walk into the light and accept your fate with open arms…” says the voice of Jim Carrey at the start of the opening track. Another pandemic-inspired creation, it’s a response to the morbs The Weeknd was feeling heading into the pandemic when his previous album released. With this album, he brings an upbeat, fantastical sound and a touch of whimsy in the form of the radio show presenter who “hosts” the album.
Konke And Musa Keys – Kancane
Not technically an album, but Musa Keys is having a moment and this track looks sets to be one of the biggest local singles of the year. Also, can we take a minute for the fact that Formula 1 GOAT Lewis Hamilton used another Musa Keys hit, Selema, in a reel on Instagram?
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