GnR Spotify Stats

[The Matinator]

Dear diary,

Day 4532 with no record, we’re talking about Spotify again…

[Tom2112]

On 5/20/2023 at 1:38 AM, downzy said:

Just to expand the topic a bit in regards to GNR and Spotify, what interests me is how GNR stacks up against all other artists on Spotify for monthly listeners.

You can check out the list here:

https://kworb.net/spotify/listeners.html

Right now GNR is ranked 150 out of 500, with nearly 26.9 million monthly listeners.  To put that in comparison, The Beatles have 30.7 million monthly listeners, Metallica has 26.1 million monthly listeners, Nirvana in at 27 million, Rolling Stones at 24 million, Led Zeppelin at 18.9 million, Elvis Presley with 17.7 million, Pearl Jam with 13.2 million, Prince with 10.9 million, and the Foo Fighters with 20.9 million.  GNR at 150 is one of the top rock acts in the monthly listener charts.  There are only a few other "rock" acts that are above them (Imagine Dragons (18), Elton John (43), Queen (47), and Arctic Monkeys (53), and Lincoln Park (84)).  The rest are pop, hip-hop, or EDM.   

The truth is that rock just isn't a big factor when it comes to overall listening habits.  The number 1 streamed artist on Spotify is The Weeknd, with over 121 million monthly listeners.  Lana Del Rey, who most people over 35-40 likely couldn't name one of her songs or pick her out of a crowd, has 43 million monthly listeners.  

Here's an interesting summary on what's going on with Spotify's monthly listeners:

 

Yeah, I guess a lot of rock fans are listening to their music with cd/vinyl because the numbers don't really match up with the touring numbers. 

All those top acts are all young and being pushed to the moon by labels. Astounding numbers but 20/40 years later will they have 26million listeners? I find it it incredibly difficult to see that happening. 

120million + plays a month... I think I've heard 3 Weeknd songs?? ha! I'm so!!! happily out of the loop. 

[downzy]

21 hours ago, Tom2112 said:

Yeah, I guess a lot of rock fans are listening to their music with cd/vinyl because the numbers don't really match up with the touring numbers. 

Possibly.  Another difference is that older folks just don't listen to music as much as they use to.  I know I don't.  And I'm honestly tired of hearing the same artists over and over again.  But if I were to attend a concert (particularly at the prices many artists are charging these days), it's for an established act like GNR, Metallica, Pearl Jam or Radiohead.  Otherwise the tickets have to be dirt cheap or the new artist has to be someone I want to see before they (potentially) blow up.

21 hours ago, Tom2112 said:

All those top acts are all young and being pushed to the moon by labels.

I'm not really sure what that means anymore.  It use to mean getting airplay on terrestrial radio and album promotion via magazine and radio campaigns.  But that doesn't really exist anymore in any real way that would affect Spotify streams.  

My guess would be that many of these artists get a lot of spins because they're current and because they release a lot of material (particularly dance, latin, and hip hop).  Many have teams of songwriters that can churn out new songs regularly.  A friend of a friend is on Drake's writing team (of which there are 15-20 people).   This will come as a surprise to no one, but according to him Drake is not involved in any of the music composition.  He's handed 20-30 tracks and just raps overtop.  

21 hours ago, Tom2112 said:

Astounding numbers but 20/40 years later will they have 26million listeners? I find it it incredibly difficult to see that happening. 

I do agree with this.  I don't see The Weeknd running laps around artists like Prince or MJ thirty to forty years from now.  

21 hours ago, Tom2112 said:

120million + plays a month... I think I've heard 3 Weeknd songs?? ha! I'm so!!! happily out of the loop. 

I'll give him this: he's one of the few artists these days that bothers incorporating actual hooks and melodies in his music.  I'm not a big fan of that kind of music, but I respect the fact that some of his songs are popular because they're catchy.  Same with Rhianna.  Taylor Swift is a decent songwriters, but a hell of a storyteller and lyricist (even if it sounds like every song is about an ex-boyfriend).  We might dig these artists or their music, but I think for most of them there are reasons to justify their popularity.   

 

[Tom2112]

1 hour ago, downzy said:

Possibly.  Another difference is that older folks just don't listen to music as much as they use to.  I know I don't.  And I'm honestly tired of hearing the same artists over and over again.  But if I were to attend a concert (particularly at the prices many artists are charging these days), it's for an established act like GNR, Metallica, Pearl Jam or Radiohead.  Otherwise the tickets have to be dirt cheap or the new artist has to be someone I want to see before they (potentially) blow up.

I'm not really sure what that means anymore.  It use to mean getting airplay on terrestrial radio and album promotion via magazine and radio campaigns.  But that doesn't really exist anymore in any real way that would affect Spotify streams.  

My guess would be that many of these artists get a lot of spins because they're current and because they release a lot of material (particularly dance, latin, and hip hop).  Many have teams of songwriters that can churn out new songs regularly.  A friend of a friend is on Drake's writing team (of which there are 15-20 people).   This will come as a surprise to no one, but according to him Drake is not involved in any of the music composition.  He's handed 20-30 tracks and just raps overtop.  

I do agree with this.  I don't see The Weeknd running laps around artists like Prince or MJ thirty to forty years from now.  

I'll give him this: he's one of the few artists these days that bothers incorporating actual hooks and melodies in his music.  I'm not a big fan of that kind of music, but I respect the fact that some of his songs are popular because they're catchy.  Same with Rhianna.  Taylor Swift is a decent songwriters, but a hell of a storyteller and lyricist (even if it sounds like every song is about an ex-boyfriend).  We might dig these artists or their music, but I think for most of them there are reasons to justify their popularity.   

 

I agree with most all of this😄

As for artists being pushed by labels. It's less about radio and more about securing artists slots on to the key playlist which then generates more plays etc. On top of this they are literally everywhere you look if you use social media... Even if you aren't a fan you are somehow aware of these people. They've just switched mediums. Of course they still pay (in one way or another) radio stations too to play this music.

No surprise about Drake. How could he manage doing all that womanising AND write songs at the same time😄

[D4NNY]

7 hours ago, Tom2112 said:

I agree with most all of this😄

As for artists being pushed by labels. It's less about radio and more about securing artists slots on to the key playlist which then generates more plays etc. On top of this they are literally everywhere you look if you use social media... Even if you aren't a fan you are somehow aware of these people. They've just switched mediums. Of course they still pay (in one way or another) radio stations too to play this music.

No surprise about Drake. How could he manage doing all that womanising AND write songs at the same time😄

In all fairness Drake can turn a couple of sentences in to a full 4-5 minute song. Christ, the amount of lyrics in Locomotive, Drake could create enough songs for a double album with just those lyrics alone 😂

[downzy]

11 hours ago, Tom2112 said:

As for artists being pushed by labels. It's less about radio and more about securing artists slots on to the key playlist which then generates more plays etc. On top of this they are literally everywhere you look if you use social media... Even if you aren't a fan you are somehow aware of these people. They've just switched mediums. Of course they still pay (in one way or another) radio stations too to play this music.

Yeah, I get how that factors in.  But it feels like labels only really matter to established acts (for the most part).  There's less risk taking with labels these days, with little or no support for up and coming artists.  If we look at the top 20 artists on Spotify (according to monthly listeners), only three (Bad Bunny, Post Malone, Dua Lipa) released their debut album within the last ten years (I'm not counting Harry Styles, since he was a known commodity when he went solo).  Part of that is having a larger discography, but it's kind of striking that most of the top 20 artists getting regular plays have been around for a decade plus.  Also interesting is the fact that there isn't one artist who reached the top ten who has fallen below the top 25 (Sam Smith peaked at 7 and is now at 21).  It's a nice reminder (for the few who still need it) that were GNR to release a new album, it likely wouldn't propel them to the top 10 (or even the top 100).  Things feel very static when it comes to overall listenership.  It will likely take another 5 to 10 years before we see any real movement.  

4 hours ago, D4NNY said:

In all fairness Drake can turn a couple of sentences in to a full 4-5 minute song. Christ, the amount of lyrics in Locomotive, Drake could create enough songs for a double album with just those lyrics alone 😂

Further evidence of why he's terrible  

[Tom2112]

3 hours ago, downzy said:

Yeah, I get how that factors in.  But it feels like labels only really matter to established acts (for the most part).  There's less risk taking with labels these days, with little or no support for up and coming artists.  If we look at the top 20 artists on Spotify (according to monthly listeners), only three (Bad Bunny, Post Malone, Dua Lipa) released their debut album within the last ten years (I'm not counting Harry Styles, since he was a known commodity when he went solo).  Part of that is having a larger discography, but it's kind of striking that most of the top 20 artists getting regular plays have been around for a decade plus.  Also interesting is the fact that there isn't one artist who reached the top ten who has fallen below the top 25 (Sam Smith peaked at 7 and is now at 21).  It's a nice reminder (for the few who still need it) that were GNR to release a new album, it likely wouldn't propel them to the top 10 (or even the top 100).  Things feel very static when it comes to overall listenership.  It will likely take another 5 to 10 years before we see any real movement.  

Further evidence of why he's terrible  

Oh if gnr release an album, it's game over for all the other pretenders to the throne. Mark my words when the general gets released Drake, Dua Lipa etc are done. 

[D4NNY]

44 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

Oh if gnr release an album, it's game over for all the other pretenders to the throne. Mark my words when the general gets released Drake, Dua Lipa etc are done. 

Umm… Dua can stay lol 

[Tom2112]

5 hours ago, D4NNY said:

Umm… Dua can stay lol 

Yes, yes she can😄

[AxlRoseCDII]

The phrases "Guns n' Roses" and "Spotify" in the same sentence gives me PTSD