DUBAI: Spotify has released its annual Wrapped report, a roundup of the most popular artists, songs, albums and podcasts streamed in each country over the past year, as well as a personalized experience for each user based on their own activity on the platform during that time.
Taylor Swift has topped the chart as the most-streamed artist in Saudi Arabia for the second year in a row.
Saudi listening habits are consistent with global trends with Swift ranking first, followed by Canadian artist The Weeknd in the Kingdom and globally.
Billie Eilish comes in third, followed by Travis Scott and Drake who rank fourth and fifth as the most-streamed artists of 2024 in the Kingdom.
Globally, Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny comes in third, followed by Eilish and Drake.
This year, podcasts have grown in popularity in the Kingdom with “Finjan Ma’ Abdel El Rahman Abo Maleh” topping the charts for the second consecutive year.
“Each year, the podcast landscape in Saudi Arabia increasingly reflects the country’s cultural shifts,” said Rhea Chedid, Spotify’s editorial lead and senior podcast manager for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
The report revealed “a resounding preference for Arabic podcasts, particularly those that weave long stories, highlighting Saudis’ love for rich, narrative-driven content,” she told Arab News.
There has been a surge in the popularity of music-related podcasts reflecting the burgeoning music scene in the Kingdom and ongoing efforts to nurture it, Chedid added.
Ayed Yousef tops the list of most-streamed Arab artists in Saudi Arabia, with his songs “Lammah” and “Rdy” ranking among Spotify’s most-streamed Arabic songs in the Kingdom.
He is followed by Abdul Majeed Abdullah and Rashed Al-Majed in second and third place, and Assala and Majid Al-Mohandis in fourth and fifth place respectively.
Most-streamed Arab artists in Saudi Arabia:
1. Ayed
2. Abdul Majeed Abdullah
3. Rashed Al-Majed
4. Assala
5. Majid Al-Mohandis
Most-streamed artists in Saudi Arabia:
1. Taylor Swift
2. The Weeknd
3. Billie Eilish
4. Travis Scott
5. Drake
Most-streamed songs in Saudi Arabia:
1. “Who” by Jimin
2. “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish
3. “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
4. “Love Me Again” by V
5. “End of Beginning” by Djo
Most popular podcasts in Saudi Arabia:
1. “Finjan Ma’ Abdel El Rahman Abo Maleh”
2. “Jinaayah”
3.. “Areeka”
4. “Sahib”
5. “Yasir Khair”
Spotify users can access their personalized Wrapped experience on its mobile app and website.
