Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” was the most-played song and Ariana Grande the most-played artist on iHeartRadio’s stations in 2021, according to lists released Monday morning. iHeart, which is the world’s largest radio network, calculated that “Levitating” reached an audience of nearly 1.2 billion in the U.S. alone, while Grande reaced one of more than 2.6 billion.
iHeartRadiotallied up the total audience spins (TAS) and streams across iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app, capturing a snapshot of the top 10 most played songs and artists. Of course, the data is not for the entire year, which still has a month and change to go, but it’s a telling snapshot.
The announcement notes: The Total Audience Spins calculation is based on certified Mediabase airplay and is multiplied by the number of persons listening to the radio at the time of those plays, delivering total audience impressions which is the broadcast equivalent of the number of streams from a streaming music service.
Top Overall Songs 2021
1. “Levitating” Dua Lipa (1.19+ Billion)
2. “Save Your Tears” The Weeknd (969+ Million)
3. “34+35” Ariana Grande (898+ Million)
4. “Kiss Me More” Doja Cat ft. Sza (888+ Million)
5. “MonTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” Lil Nas X (822+ Million)
6. “What You Know Bout Love” Pop Smoke (810+ Million)
7. “good 4 u” Olivia Rodrigo (733+ Million)
8. “Peaches” Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar/Giveon (696+ Million)
9. “Leave The Door Open” Bruno Mars/Anderson .Paak/Silk Sonic (692+ Million)
10. “drivers license” Olivia Rodrigo (660+ Million)
Top Overall Artists 2021
1. Ariana Grande (2.6+ Billion)
2. Dua Lipa (2.5+ Billion)
3. The Weeknd (2.39+ Billion)
4. Olivia Rodrigo (2.2+ Billion)
5. Pop Smoke (1.99+ Billion)
6. Doja Cat (1.66+ Billion)
7. Justin Bieber (1.57+ Billion)
8. Luke Combs (1.27+ Billion)
9. Ed Sheeran (1.27+ Billion)
10. Luke Bryan (1.18+ Billion)
Top Country Songs 2021
1. “Just The Way” Parmalee ft. Blanco Brown
2. “Lady” Brett Young
3. “What’s Your Country Song” Thomas Rhett
4. “Single Saturday Night” Cole Swindell
5. “Famous Friends” Chris Young & Kane Brown
6. “Forever After All” Luke Combs
7. “Better Together” Luke Combs
8. “Gone” Dierks Bentley
9. “Made For You” Jake Owen
10. “One Of Them Girls” Lee Brice
Top Country Artists 2021
1. Luke Combs
2. Luke Bryan
3. Jason Aldean
4. Thomas Rhett
5. Blake Shelton
6. Sam Hunt
7. Kenny Chesney
8. Dierks Bently
9. Lee Brice
10. Dustin Lynch
Top Hip-Hop Songs 2021
1. “For The Night” Pop Smoke ft. Lil Baby/DaBaby
2. “What You Know Bout Love” Pop Smoke
3. “You’re Mines Still” Yung Bleu ft. Drake
4. “On Me” Lil Baby
5. “Time Today” Moneybagg Yo
6. “Back in Blood” Pooh Shiesty ft. Lil Durk
7. “Calling My Phone” Lil Tjay Ft. 6LACK
8. “Beat Box” SpotemGottem
9. “Late At Night” Roddy Ricch
10. “Heartbreak Anniversary” Giveon
Top Hip-Hop Artists 2021
1. Pop Smoke
2. Drake
3. Lil Baby
4. Moneybagg Yo
5. Roddy Ricch
6. Yung Bleu
7. Rod Wave
8. Megan Thee Stallion
9. Pooh Shiesty
10. Lil Tjay
Top Alternative Songs 2021
1. “Monsters” All Time Low ft. blackbear
2. “Follow You” Imagine Dragons
3. “Sofia” Clairo
4. “my ex’s best friend” Machine Gun Kelly & blackbear
5. “All My Favorite Songs” Weezer ft. AJR
6. “Shy Away” Twenty One Pilots
7. “Therefore I Am” Billie Eilish
8. “Waiting on a War” Foo Fighters
9. “Heat Waves” Glass Animals
10. “Nowhere Generation” Rise Against
Top Alternative Artists 2021
1. Green Day
2. Twenty One Pilots
3. Imagine Dragons
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers
5. linkin Park
6. Foo Fighters
7. Weezer
8. All Time Low
9. Machine Gun Kelly
10. Blink-182
Top R&B Songs 2021
1. “Leave The Door Open” Bruno Mars/Anderson .Paak/Silk Sonic
2. “Pick Up Your Feelings” Jazmine Sullivan
3. “Damage” H.E.R.
4. “Can’t Let It Show” Tank
5. “He Don’t Know Nothin’ Bout It” Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Ft. Babyface
6. “You Made A Fool Of Me” Anthony Hamilton
7. “Not Another Love Song” Ella Mai
8. “Look Easy” Robin Thicke
9. “Complicated” Leela James
10. “Essence” Wizkid ft. Tems
Top R&B Artists 2021
1. H.E.R.
2. Bruno Mars/Anderson .Paak/Silk Sonic
3. Ella Mai
4. Chris Brown
5. Jazmine Sullivan
6. Mary J. Blige
7. Wale
8. Khalid
9. Tank
10. Usher