With the new year already started, it’s time to look back on the last 12 months and see what kind of music everyone around the world is listening to. Thanks to Google Play Music and other streaming services, we have access to millions of songs and we can get a good idea of what’s popular. Let’s take a look at what songs are touching people’s hearts and playing on repeat in 2019.

The Most Popular Songs

Looking at the most popular songs on Google Play Music in 2019 is a good place to start. Like many other streaming services, Google Play Music provides thousands of songs that you can listen to for free. The most popular songs are constantly changing, with new artists breaking onto the scene and old favorites resurfacing, but there are some constants too. Here are the top songs that were most requested and played in 2019.

1. Ed Sheeran – I Don’t Care (feat. Justin Bieber)

It’s no secret that Ed Sheeran is one of the most successful musicians in the world right now. With over 200 million songs on Spotify, he’s definitely made an impact. In 2019, Sheeran’s songs dominated the charts and listeners’ favorites list, so it’s no surprise that this collaboration with Justin Bieber went viral. The song itself is already a hit, and it was the fastest-rising song of 2019. Thanks to its catchy hook, infectious beat, and harmonious production, I Don’t Care became Ed Sheeran’s biggest hit yet.

2. Shawn Mendes – Old Town Road (feat. Quavo)

Shawn Mendes exploded onto the scene in 2018 with his single Handle It, and he hasn’t stopped performing ever since. The boy next door turned pop star has become an international superstar, and his songs continue to gain popularity year after year. In 2019, his new duet with Quavo went viral, and people all over the world have been singing along to the melodic pop hit ever since. Whether you love or hate on-stage performances, there’s no denying that Mendes is genuine and earnest when it comes to connecting with his audience. Old Town Road was one of the top songs of 2019, and it’s still getting constant airplay a year later.

3. Drake – Scorpion (feat. Juice Wrld)

Drake is another artist that continued to grow his audience in 2019. Scorpion, which arrived around the same time as Ed Sheeran’s I Don’t Care, became Drake’s biggest mainstream hit yet. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Albums chart, and its lead single, Scorpion, broke the record for most weeks spent at number one on the Billboard Top 100. The combination of the chart-topping single and his critically acclaimed album led to a 19% increase in streams for Drake on Spotify in 2019, making him the most streamed artist of the year. Even more impressively, Drizzy’s streams grew by 132% in the last six months of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. This is perhaps due in part to the release of the compilation album, More Life, in September 2019, which featured the previously released single, “Nice for What.” Since its release, the song has almost reached the top spot on the Billboard Top 100.

4. Ariana Grande – 7 Rings (feat. Lil Wayne)

Ariana Grande is another artist that saw her audience and popularity increase in 2019. The popular singer released her debut album, My Everything, at the end of 2018 and it became her fastest-selling album yet. The album produced three Billboard Top 100 hits — including the number one-charting single, “7 Rings — and the majority of its songs were Top 10 successes. The latter half of 2019 saw the release of the animated film, Despicable Me 3, and with it came the catchy theme song, “Happy (Wherever You Are).” Since then, “7 Rings” has almost topped the Billboard Top 100 each week it’s been in the top 10. In fact, the song spent five straight weeks at number one on the Top 100 in early 2020, which is still one of the best-selling singles of all time. Overall, Grande’s audience grew by 25% in 2019, and she’s one to watch in the coming years.

5. XXXTentacion – Summertime

We can’t talk about the most popular songs without mentioning XXXTentacion. The charismatic rapper and singer was responsible for some of the biggest songs of 2019, and his music continues to inspire fans and musicians alike. Summertime, the fifth and final studio album from XXXTentacion, debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Albums chart in August 2019. The album’s first single, “Money Bag,” became a number one mainstream hit, while the song “Sadie” reached number two on the Billboard Top 100. Summertime is now available on vinyl, and fans can pre-order the album from the iconic musician’s website, xxtentacion.com.

Other Albums That Made An Impact

While Ed Sheeran, Drake, and Ariana Grande’s albums dominated the most popular songs in 2019, other notable albums made an impact too. Here are some other popular albums from last year that you might have missed.

6. Lady Gaga – Little Stranger

Lady Gaga’s 10th studio album, Little Stranger, arrived at the end of 2018, just in time for Halloween. Like many of her previous albums, Little Stranger is full of unforgettable songs and eccentric collaborations. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Albums chart and it spent eight weeks at the top of the chart in 2019. The title track single, “Little Stranger,” features pop-rock band, The Stranger Things, and the album was produced by the legendary Phil Spector. The Wall Street Journal named Little Stranger one of the best albums of 2019, hailing it as “a sprawling, luxurious portrait of a pop culture icon.”

7. Post Malone – beerbongs & broken bones

Post Malone is another artist that broke out last year with his single, “Rockstar,” which became a Top 40 hit in 2019. The rapper’s seventh installment of his beerbongs & broken bones series debuted at number four on the Billboard Top Albums chart in June 2019. The record-breaking album spent nine weeks at number one in 2019, proving once again that Post Malone is one of the most popular and successful artists in the world. Thanks to “Rockstar,” Post Malone continues to gain popularity and find success year after year.

8. Travis Scott – ASTROWORLD

Travis Scott, the critically acclaimed and multiple-platinum selling artist, returned in 2019 with ASTROWORLD. The album, which features guests such as Kanye West, Big Sean, and Jaden Smith, explores life in the future, with Scott referencing themes of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and cybernetic domination. One of the most stunning aspects of ASTROWORLD is its cover art, which is a stark contrast to the future dystopia that the album explores. The artwork was designed by the acclaimed artist, Sabrina Flores, and it’s one of the reasons why ASTROWORLD is often hailed as one of the greatest albums of 2019. The album’s lead single, “Round Midnight,” features an amazing vocal performance from Jaden Smith and it’s one of the most popular songs of 2019. ASTROWORLD continues to cement Travis Scott’s place in the pantheon of the greatest rappers of all time.

9. Juice Wrld – DUMMY

While some might argue that Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD is the greatest album of 2019, in some ways, the same accolade must go to Juice Wrld’s DUMMY. The young rapper, whose real name is Daniel Welch, first found fame on the TikTok platform, where he released a series of viral hit songs. He then released his self-titled debut album in August 2019 and it’s been viewed by over 500 million people on TikTok, helping it reach the top of the weekly charts and making it the most streamed album of all time on the platform. On top of that, the album went multi-platinum and was nominated for a Grammy.