The ever-changing dynamics of the music industry have been witness to several highs and lows of artists. However, unlike Taylor Swift, not many have maintained their legacy as unapologetically. After bagging the charts Global Top List with 26.1 billion streams, Spotify assumed the responsibility of showcasing her unrivaled skills by retaining an exclusive feature for her song’s track bar progress. As the 33-year-old is breaking records like stepping stones, she is also allegedly set to make over $100M on Spotify. 

While her rise to the realm of multi-millionaire earnings on Spotify deserves applause, the first spot might witness a tug-of-war between her rising bid and the already existing one. Consequently, here are five artists who have preserved their legacy in many playlists and remain among the highest-paid till 2022.

5. The Weeknd

Spanning from the stifling journey of anonymity to the resounding chords of ‘Starboy’, a career that showered prophecies of success’s trademark, is that of The Weeknd. From the working class trails to the millionaire club throne, he has made music under several alias names. However, the Canadian singer ensured that the name to take over the world would be The Weeknd.

His boost into mainstream popularity was tagged with his breakthrough song, ‘Earned It’ from 50 Shades of Grey. The ‘Creepin’’ singer is currently commanding the fifth highest-paid spot of Spotify artists with over $77 million in earnings with over 30 billion streams. On the streamer, he is leading with his 2016 sensational single, ‘Starboy’ from the studio album of the same name. Next on the list is ‘Die for You’, also from the same album.

4. Ed Sheeran 

The English singer, Ed Sheeran, reckoned his prowess in music quite early on in his life. Having begun his recording journey independently in 2004, his debut single ‘The A Team’ rose to high acclaim of success. A sensation in the pop-cultural phenomenon, Sheeran has sold more than 150 million records worldwide. As one of the best-selling artists of all time, his single ‘Perfect’ bagged 16 titles to its name after its release in 2016.

The icon has also broken several records with his award-winning streak and sold-out tours. Spotify also has acknowledged his ever-lasting sensation with over 35 billion streams. Giving an uphill battle to The Weeknd, Sheeran is currently the fourth most-paid artist with over $87 billion in earnings. Leading the chart is ‘Perfect’ followed by ‘Shape of You’.

3. Bad Bunny

A household name in the rapper’s catalog, Bad Bunny is now a global fan favorite. The three-time Grammy Winner is a Puerto Rican artist who has transcended the language barriers with his Spanish music. Although his love story with music commenced early on, his official emergence in the industry has been a decade long. In 2018, his collaboration with Cardi B. and J Balvin for ‘I Like It’ conquered every playlist.

Following that, his feature song, ‘Mia’ with Drake, became a viral hit. He also made a spot for himself in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time with his debut album, ‘X 100pre’. Breaking Spotify’s record for the most-streamed album in a single day, he is presently the third-most-paid artist. The music mogul has over 35 billion streams and over $87 billion in earnings. His most streamed singles include ‘PERRO NEGRO’ and ‘MONACO’.

While the other spots may or may not maintain security, the top spot looks like it is up for grabs. The question that invades the most right now is whose musical milestones surpasses whom.

2 & 1. Taylor Swift and Drake

The pop icon labels, Taylor Swift and Drake, who previously made the fans excited through each other’s references, are presently battling the Spotify paycheck slate for the top spot. Although Drake reached the summit in 2022 with over $114M in earnings and an estimated 45 billion streams, Swift’s entry into Spotify’s $100M club could make a new history.

Drake’s sensation in the hip-hop genre is unbeatable. Having commanded a tier with pop-king Michael Jackson’s record for Billboard Hot 100, he also has his name etched for the most-streamed record of all time for ‘For All the Dogs’. The Canadian artist has had his audience caught in his upbeat tunes for a long time, along with the most intriguing feature collaborations. The artist has kept the peak chart still with his single ‘IDGAF’ featuring Yeats from ‘For All the Dogs’. The song was followed by ‘First Person Shooter’ from the same album.

Recently, after grabbing the position of the most streamed artists on Spotify, Swift’s poster was featured at Times Square. The one name that recurred through every award show, record-breaking assessment, and fan cheer is one of Taylor Swift’s. Her showtime was not restricted to musical milestones but also to the cinematic landscape due to her concert movie. However, giving a challenging tiff to the Canadian singer, Drake, Taylor Swift presently has her single ‘Blank Space’ with over 1 billion streams followed by ‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever’.

When it comes to musical rivalry, fans only attest to the best. Hence, with Drake and Swift grappling with a stronghold on their track records, the 2023 list will determine if Drake retains his top spot or if Swift ascends the throne. 

Who do you think will become Spotify’s highest-paid artist of 2023? Let us know in the comments below.