Drake has been named Apple Music’s most popular artist of the year, while Kendrick Lamar’s explosive Grammy-winning diss track remains the platform’s biggest rap song, a twist that underscores how deeply intertwined the two rivals continue to be on the global charts.
Apple Music on Tuesday, December 2, released its “’25 Replay,” revealing Drake as the top artist of the year. His dominance on the platform was fueled by a surge in streaming that began in February with the release of “Some Sexy Songs 4 U,” his collaborative project with PartyNextDoor, and carried through to the music used during his “Iceman” album rollout.
The rivalry that defined much of the musical landscape over the past year didn’t appear to dampen Drake’s streaming power, nor did it diminish listeners’ obsession with Kendrick Lamar’s pointed takedowns. Even as Drake dominated overall listening, Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” continued to pull extraordinary numbers on Apple Music.
The track, which won Kendrick a Grammy and became the defining record of their highly publicized feud, finished 2025 as Apple Music’s biggest rap song, for the second consecutive year. Last year, it secured the No. 1 position across the entire platform. While 2025’s overall top song went to Rosé and Bruno Mars for their global hit “APT.,” Kendrick’s diss claimed the year’s top rap spot, marking the first time a diss track has ever repeated as the category’s biggest song.
Though Apple Music users continue to boost both sides of the rivalry, interest appears to be cooling in other corners of the industry. Elliott Wilson and Uproxx launched “The Bigger Picture,” a podcast dedicated to chronicling the Drake–Kendrick saga, but the show was recently cancelled as the frenzy surrounding the beef began to subside.
