NEW YORK (JN) – Apple Music’s 2025 year-end rankings have placed Rosé and Bruno Mars’ global hit “APT.” at the top of its worldwide songs chart, capping a year in which the track maintained sustained momentum across streaming and radio platforms. The announcement came as the company released its annual data roundup, including personalized listening summaries for subscribers.
The achievement marks a first for both artists on Apple Music’s year-end global songs chart. For an industry increasingly shaped by viral cycles and short attention spans, the song’s longevity stands out, reflecting the enduring pull of cross-genre collaborations in a highly competitive market.
Apple Music’s annual lists are closely watched within the music business, offering a snapshot of global listening trends and the artists who defined the year across regions.
‘APT.’ Leads Apple Music’s 2025 Global Songs Chart
“APT.”, which first gained traction in 2024, never lost its footing in 2025. The song also earned a Grammy nomination, further cementing its cultural reach. Its sustained popularity propelled it to the No. 1 position on Apple Music’s global songs chart for the year.
Trailing closely behind is Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther,” which secured second place. Bruno Mars appears again in third through his collaboration with Lady Gaga, “Die With a Smile.” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which claimed the top year-end spot in 2024, returned in fourth place, while Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” rounded out the top five.
The continued chart presence of Lamar reflects a particularly strong year for the rapper. His album “GNX” helped keep multiple tracks in circulation, with five songs landing in the global Top 25. The pattern suggests listeners engaged not only with individual singles but with full-length projects, a notable trend in an era dominated by playlists.
Women accounted for 36 of the 100 songs on the global list, slightly down from 39 in 2024. However, seven of the Top 10 songs were by — or featured — women, more than double the figure recorded the previous year. The data points to concentrated impact at the highest levels of the chart, even as overall representation dipped marginally.
Beyond the main global songs ranking, “APT.” led several other Apple Music year-end categories. It topped the Shazam Global Radio Spins chart and the Top 100: Global Radio chart, which tracks the most-played songs on radio stations worldwide. The track also dominated Apple’s most-read lyrics charts, underscoring the audience’s engagement beyond passive listening.
Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s co-head, said in a statement that the song’s global success demonstrated how music can transcend geographic boundaries. In an increasingly fragmented streaming landscape, cross-border appeal remains one of the clearest markers of mainstream resonance.
Apple Music Replay 2025 Launches Alongside Year-End Charts
Alongside the charts, Apple Music rolled out its annual “Replay” feature for subscribers. The tool, often compared to Spotify’s year-end listening summary, offers users a breakdown of their listening habits over the past year.
Replay includes a Discovery feature that highlights new artists users encountered during the year, as well as a Loyalty category that tracks the performers they returned to most consistently. A Comebacks feature identifies artists who re-entered a listener’s rotation after a period of absence.
Subscribers can also view total minutes streamed, total artists listened to, longest artist streak, and favorite genres. For many users, such data has become a ritualized part of the year-end music experience, blending personal reflection with social media sharing.
Artists, too, receive performance insights. Apple Music said musicians will be able to access listenership growth metrics and year-over-year summaries, providing a data-driven overview of their reach on the platform. Such analytics have become increasingly central to artist strategy in a streaming-first industry.
Tyler, the Creator Named Apple Music Artist of the Year
Last month, Apple Music named Tyler, the Creator its artist of the year, citing his sustained creative output and audience engagement. According to the company, the rapper accumulated 4.5 billion minutes of listening time between November 2024 and October 2025.
The recognition followed the release of his album “Chromakopia,” which drew critical attention and solidified his presence across streaming platforms. Apple Music’s global creative director Zane Lowe said in a statement that Tyler’s creativity and willingness to take risks defined his year.
Year-end rankings, while shaped by streaming data, also function as cultural markers. They capture which songs and artists resonated across different markets and demographics, often revealing patterns that extend beyond charts — from radio airplay to social media engagement.
For 2025, the dominance of “APT.” and the continued prominence of artists like Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish illustrate the enduring influence of established global acts. At the same time, Apple Music’s Replay feature underscores how personalized listening habits increasingly sit alongside global metrics, reflecting a music ecosystem that is both collective and highly individualized.
As streaming platforms refine their analytics and presentation tools, year-end summaries have evolved from simple rankings into broader reflections of how audiences connect with music. Apple Music’s latest release signals that, even amid shifting tastes and rapid digital cycles, certain songs can still define an entire year.
Source: AP News – Apple Replay is here. What’s the No. 1 song on Apple Music’s 2025 songs chart?
