NEW YORK — Kendrick Lamar’s hit single, “Not Like Us,” achieved a significant milestone by becoming the top song on Apple Music’s global chart for 2024. The popular music platform recently unveiled its year-end lists, offering listeners insights into their most-played tracks over the past year.
This marks Lamar’s first appearance at the No. 1 spot on the global songs chart, a substantial achievement in his illustrious career. Following him on the leaderboard are Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” in the second position, with Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” securing third place. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” round out the top five. “Cruel Summer,” a track from Swift’s seventh studio album “Lover,” originally released in 2019, saw renewed interest and popularity during the summer of 2023.
Out of the 100 featured songs on Apple Music’s list, a record 39 are performed by female-identifying artists, marking a significant milestone in the history of the global chart, which has been running for seven years. Additionally, Japanese hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts made headlines with their track “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” which ranked as the most-read lyrics on Apple Music for 2024. This song was followed closely by “Not Like Us,” “Espresso,” and Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather.”
“Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” also claimed the top spot on the Apple Music Sing chart, indicating the songs that have garnered the most sing-along participation. This surge in interest suggests a growing global appreciation for Japanese music. In 2023, the group YOASOBI topped the Sing chart with their track “???? (Idol),” and this year it continues to perform exceptionally well at No. 2.
Apple Music also introduced a new Shazam Global Radio Spins chart, which identifies which tracks are garnering the most airtime on radio stations worldwide. Dua Lipa’s “Houdini” leads this new chart, followed by Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” and Tate McRae’s “Greedy.”
Moreover, Apple Music offered its version of Spotify’s Wrapped playlist, called Replay, to allow subscribers to explore the year’s most popular music on the platform. Artists are also given the opportunity to share their year-end statistics using Apple Music for Artists.
Earlier in November, Billie Eilish was honored as Apple Music’s artist of the year, thanks to a stellar performance throughout 2024. Eilish made history as the youngest person to win two Academy Awards, released her critically acclaimed third album “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” and received seven nominations for the 2025 Grammy Awards. At this year’s ceremonies, she won two new trophies for her song “What Was I Made For?” from the hit movie “Barbie,” despite not releasing a new album this year.
Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of Content and Editorial, expressed her admiration for Eilish, stating, “It’s always special when a young artist can connect with so many people so quickly. But what’s been truly remarkable about watching her evolve over the course of this last year isn’t just that her voice and artistry have continued to resonate so widely. It’s that she’s blossomed as bravely and honestly as she has — on her own terms, in her own way.”
