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?

The post Apple Music names Rosé and Bruno Mars “APT”, Top Global Song of 2025 appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Kendrick Lamar has once again topped the Grammy nominations, leading the 2026 list with nine nods. The Recording Academy announced the contenders on Friday, marking another milestone in Lamar’s acclaimed career.

The rapper earned nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. It is his third time competing in all three major categories at once. Lamar also received nominations for Pop Duo/Group Performance, Melodic Rap Performance, Rap Song, Rap Album, and twice in Rap Performance.

Lamar’s latest studio album, GNX, built on the success of his past releases. He now has 22 Grammy wins and 66 total nominations. The album is also his fifth in a row to receive a nomination for Album of the Year — a record unmatched by any other artist. If GNX wins, it would be his first victory in that category and only the third rap album ever to take the top prize. Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won in 2004, and Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill did in 1999.

Lady Gaga, Antonoff, and Cirkut Earn Seven Nods Each

Lady Gaga, producer Jack Antonoff, and Canadian hitmaker Cirkut follow Lamar with seven nominations apiece.

Gaga’s album Mayhem brought her nominations in Record, Song, and Album of the Year for the first time together. She also appears in Pop Solo Performance, Pop Vocal Album, Dance Pop Recording, and Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Antonoff scored double nominations in several top categories through his work with Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter. He also earned his first Rap Song nomination for tv off, featuring Lamar and Lefty Gunplay.

Both Antonoff and Cirkut are up for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). A win for Antonoff would tie Babyface’s record of four career victories in the category. Cirkut also gained nominations for Record and Song of the Year twice — for Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra and Rosé and Bruno Mars’ APT — along with Album of the Year and Best Dance Pop Recording.

Album of the Year Features a Global Mix

The 2026 Album of the Year nominees represent a wide range of music styles and artists. Along with Lamar’s GNX and Gaga’s Mayhem, the list includes Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Justin Bieber’s Swag, Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out, Leon Thomas’ Mutt, and Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia.

This is the first time three albums — GNX, Let God Sort Em Out, and Chromakopia — have been recognized in both the Rap Album and Album of the Year categories. The trend highlights rap’s growing influence across mainstream music.

Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos also made history. It is only the second all-Spanish album to earn a nomination for Album of the Year, following his 2023 hit Un Verano Sin Ti. That year, Harry Styles’ Harry’s House took the top prize.

Rising Artists and Global Representation

Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Leon Thomas, and Serban Ghenea each collected six nominations. Andrew Watt, Clipse, Doechii, Sounwave, SZA, Turnstile, and Tyler, the Creator followed with five.

This year’s Best New Artist category includes Katseye, Olivia Dean, The Marias, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, and Lola Young — a mix of global and online-era performers.

The Record of the Year nominees are Bad Bunny’s DtMF, Carpenter’s Manchild, Doechii’s Anxiety, Billie Eilish’s Wildflower, Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra, Lamar and SZA’s luther, Chappell Roan’s The Subway, and Rosé and Bruno Mars’ APT.

Rosé, known as a member of BLACKPINK, became the first K-pop artist ever nominated in this category. Her inclusion marks a milestone for Korean representation in major Western awards.

Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower” Qualifies Under Academy Rules

Billie Eilish’s Wildflower drew attention for being released before the eligibility window. The song appeared on her 2024 album Hit Me Hard and Soft. However, the Recording Academy allows entries from the previous year if they were not submitted before and did not win a Grammy. Because Wildflower was never entered, it qualified this year.

Song of the Year Mirrors Record Category

The Song of the Year list mirrors the Record of the Year field, with one exception: Chappell Roan’s The Subway is replaced by Golden from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack. This award honors songwriters, which can include but does not always mean the performer.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the nominations highlight the music community’s creativity. “The Grammy Awards honor the people who make this community vibrant,” he said. “From emerging talent to influential icons, these nominees reflect today’s diverse musical landscape.”

First-Time Nominees and Next Steps

Several artists received their first Grammy nominations this year, including Tate McRae, Zara Larsson, PinkPantheress, rapper JID, and actor Timothée Chalamet — a surprise name in the lineup that underscores the Academy’s broader artistic recognition.

To qualify, music had to be released commercially in the United States between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025. Final voting begins December 12 and ends January 5.

The 2026 Grammy Awards will air live on February 1 on CBS and Paramount+, broadcasting from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena.

Source: AP News – Kendrick Lamar leads 2026 Grammy nominations, followed by Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut

The post Kendrick Lamar Dominates 2026 Grammy Nominations, Followed by Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Cirkut appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.