Drake is the only person on earth who can drop a song about his feelings on a random Tuesday and watch it out-earn a small country's GDP by Friday. Honestly, it’s getting a bit ridiculous. We’ve reached a point where his dominance feels like a natural law, similar to gravity or the fact that you’ll always lose one sock in the laundry.
But when we talk about Drake’s most popular songs, most people just look at whatever is playing on the radio right now. That’s a mistake. To really understand the "Drake Effect," you have to look at the sheer weight of 125 billion Spotify streams and a trophy room filled with Diamond plaques that would make a jeweler sweat.
The Numbers Are Actually Kind of Terrifying
By early 2026, Drake officially became the first artist in history to surpass 125 billion streams on Spotify. Let that sink in for a second. That isn't just "popular." That is a global monopoly on attention.
His most-streamed song to date, "One Dance," has crossed the 4 billion mark. It’s the ultimate example of his "cultural sponge" era, where he took UK Funky and Afrobeats, mixed them with his own brand of melodic longing, and created something that plays in literally every airport and Zara on the planet. But is it his "best"? That’s where the fans start fighting.
The Heavy Hitters: More Than Just Radio Play
- One Dance (feat. Wizkid & Kyla): The undisputed king. It’s his most successful single globally, sitting at 4 billion streams. It’s the song that proved Drake didn't need to rap to dominate; he just needed a groove.
- God’s Plan: This is the one everyone remembers for the music video where he gave away a million dollars. It’s sitting at 2.9 billion streams and remains his most successful solo debut.
- Passionfruit: A bit of a "sleeper" hit that never really went away. It’s currently at 2.1 billion streams. It’s the go-to for people who want to feel cool while being slightly depressed.
- Hotline Bling: The song that launched a thousand memes. It’s hovering around 1.6 billion streams and solidified his status as a pop-culture icon, not just a rapper.
Why Some Hits Matter More Than Others
There's a big difference between a song that's "popular" because it’s on a playlist and a song that's "popular" because it changed the industry. Take "Best I Ever Had." It "only" has about 850 million streams—which is a lot for most people, but small for Drizzy—yet without it, the rest of the list doesn't exist. It was the blueprint.
Then you have the Diamond certifications. As of late 2025, Drake has 16 RIAA Diamond records. That means 15 singles and one album (Take Care) have moved at least 10 million units each in the U.S. alone.
Most artists pray for one Diamond record in a lifetime. Drake is collecting them like Pokémon cards. Recently, "The Motto" and "Nonstop" joined the club, proving that his older catalog has more "legs" than almost any other artist in history. People don't just listen to Drake; they inhabit his discography.
The Collaboration Loophole
We also have to talk about the "Drake Feature." Is "SICKO MODE" a Travis Scott song? Technically, yes. But does it exist in the public consciousness without Drake’s "Gimme the loot" intro? Probably not.
His collaborations are a massive part of why he's the most-streamed artist ever. Songs like "Work" with Rihanna and "Life Is Good" with Future contribute billions of streams to his total. He’s essentially built a system where he wins even when it isn't his own album.
The Misconception About "Flops"
People love to claim Drake is "falling off" every time he releases a project that doesn't immediately have five Number 1 hits. They said it about Honestly, Nevermind. They said it about For All the Dogs.
Yet, looking at the data from the start of 2026, those "flops" are still outperforming the "hits" of almost every other rapper. "Rich Baby Daddy" and "IDGAF" (feat. Yeat) both cleared 600 million streams faster than most artists' entire careers. The "bottom" for Drake is still the "ceiling" for everyone else.
What to Listen to Next
If you’re trying to catch up on the essential Drake’s most popular songs, don't just stick to the Top 5 on Spotify. You need to understand the different "versions" of the man to get why he stays at the top.
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- For the Party: "Nice For What" or "In My Feelings." These are the high-energy, New Orleans bounce-inspired tracks that dominate summers.
- For the Late Night Drive: "Marvins Room" or "Jungle." This is the "Emotional Drake" that built his core fanbase.
- For the Gym: "Nonstop" or "Jimmy Cooks." This is where he reminds people he can actually rap when he wants to.
The reality is that Drake’s dominance isn't just about catchy hooks. It’s about volume. He releases so much music that he occupies every possible mood you could have. Whether you're happy, sad, or just feeling yourself in the mirror, there is a Drake song designed to be the soundtrack to that specific 3-minute window of your life.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on his upcoming project, Iceman, rumored for later this year. If history is any indication, the "most popular" list is about to get reshuffled all over again.
To really dive deep into the numbers, you can track his real-time growth on platforms like Chartmetric or Kworb, which show exactly how many millions of people are clicking play on "One Dance" while you're reading this.