I made a list of the Top 100 “artists” on Spotify as of February 15, 2025. The list changes day to day so the following is just a snapshot from that day.
A quick look through this list makes it obvious that success in the music business is almost entirely about promotion and has little or nothing to do with musical talent and ability.
The oldest living members on the list are Elton John (born 1947) and Madonna (born 1958); the youngest members were all born in 2003 (Olivia Rodrigo, Tate McRae, The Kid LAROI).
Bruno Mars, born 1985, “Peter Gene Hernandez”
The Weeknd, born 1990, “Abel Makkonen Tesfaye”
Lady Gaga, born 1986, “Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta”
Billie Eilish, born 2001, “Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell”
Kendrick Lamar, born 1987, “Kendrick Lamar Duckworth”
Bad Bunny, born 1994, “Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio”
Coldplay, group led by “Christopher Anthony John Martin,” born 1977
SZA, born 1989, “Solána Imani Rowe”
Rihanna, born 1988, “Robyn Rihanna Fenty”
Taylor Swift, born 1989, “Taylor Alison Swift”
Ariana Grande, born 1993, “Ariana Grande-Butera”
Justin Bieber, born 1994, “Justin Drew Bieber”
Drake, born 1986, “Aubrey Drake Graham”
Travis Scott, born 1991, “Jacques Bermon Webster II”
Eminem, born 1972, “Marshall Bruce Mathers III”
David Guetta, born 1967, “Pierre David Guetta”
Ed Sheeran, born 1991, “Edward Christopher Sheeran”
Sabrina Carpenter, born 1999, “Sabrina Annlynn Carpenter”
Post Malone, born 1995, “Austin Richard Post”
Kanye West, born 1977, “Kanye Omari West”
Rosé, born 1997, “Roseanne Park”
Maroon 5, group led by “Adam Noah Levine,” born 1979
J Balvin, born 1985, “José Álvaro Osorio Balvín”
Dua Lipa, born 1995, “Dua Lipa”
Calvin Harris, born 1984, “Adam Richard Wiles”
Lana Del Rey, born 1985, “Elizabeth Woolridge Grant”
Shakira, born 1977, “Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll”
Katy Perry, born 1984, “Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson”
Adele, born 1988, “Adele Laurie Blue Adkins”
Beyoncé, born 1981, “Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter”
Imagine Dragons, group led by “Daniel Coulter Reynolds,” born 1987
Future, born 1983, “Nayvadius DeMun Cash”
Sam Smith, born 1992, “Samuel Frederick Smith”
Sia, born 1975, “Sia Kate Isobelle Furler”
Pitbull, born 1981, “Armando Christian Pérez”
Miley Cyrus, born 1992, “Destiny Hope Cyrus”
KAROL G, born 1991, “Carolina Giraldo Navarro”
Rauw Alejandro, born 1993, “Raúl Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz”
Arctic Monkeys, group led by “Alexander David Turner,” born 1986
Doja Cat, born 1995, “Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini”
Playboi Carti, born 1995, “Jordan Terrell Carter”
Marshmello, born 1992, “Christopher Comstock”
OneRepublic, group led by “Ryan Benjamin Tedder,” born 1979
Daddy Yankee, born 1976, “Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez”
Chris Brown, born 1989, “Christopher Maurice Brown”
Lil Wayne, born 1982, “Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.”
Teddy Swims, born 1992, “Jaten Collin Dimsdale”
21 Savage, born 1992, “Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph”
Tyler, The Creator, born 1991, “Tyler Gregory Okonma”
Khalid, born 1998, “Khalid Donnel Robinson”
Gracie Abrams, born 1999, “Gracie Madigan Abrams”
Hozier, born 1990, “Andrew John Hozier-Byrne”
Metro Boomin, born 1993, “Leland Tyler Wayne”
Elton John, born 1947, “Reginald Kenneth Dwight”
Queen, group led by “Farrokh Bulsara,” born 1946 (died 1991, AIDS)
The Chainsmokers, duo
Halsey, born 1994, “Ashley Nicolette Frangipane”
Olivia Rodrigo, born 2003, “Olivia Isabel Rodrigo”
Linkin Park, group led by “Michael Kenji Shinoda,” born 1977
Nicki Minaj, born 1982, “Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty”
Michael Jackson, born 1958 (died 2009, propofol), “Michael Joseph Jackson”
Shawn Mendes, born 1998, “Shawn Peter Raul Mendes”
Maluma, born 1994, “Juan Luis Londoño Arias”
Benson Boone, born 2002, “Benson James Boone”
Lola Young, born 2001, “Lola Emily Mary Young”
Peso Pluma, born 1999, “Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija”
Camila Cabello, born 1997, “Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao”
Chappell Roan, born 1998, “Kayleigh Rose Amstutz”
Harry Styles, born 1994, “Harry Edward Styles”
Arijit Singh, born 1987, “Arijit Singh”
One Direction, group led by “Niall James Horan,” born 1993
Anitta, born 1993, “Larissa de Macedo Machado”
Myke Towers, born 1994, “Michael Anthony Torres Monge”
Black Eyed Peas, group led by “William Adams,” born 1975
Tate McRae, born 2003, “Tate Rosner McRae”
The Neighbourhood, group led by “Jesse James Rutherford,” born 1991
Shreya Ghoshal, born 1984, “Shreya Ghoshal”
Feid, born 1992, “Salomón Villada Hoyos”
Pritam, born 1971, “Pritam Chakraborty”
Selena Gomez, born 1992, “Selena Marie Gomez”
Ellie Goulding, born 1986, “Elena Jane Goulding”
Avicii, born 1989 (died 2018, suicide), “Tim Bergling”
JENNIE, born 1996, “Jennie Kim”
Usher, born 1978, “Usher Raymond IV”
Ozuna, born 1992, “Juan Carlos Ozuna Rosado”
The Kid LAROI, born 2003, “Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard”
Justin Timberlake, born 1981, “Justin Randall Timberlake”
Charlie Puth, born 1991, “Charles Otto Puth Jr.”
Tiësto, born 1969, “Tijs Michiel Verwest”
A.R. Rahman, born 1967, “Allah Rakha Rahman”
Britney Spears, born 1981, “Britney Jean Spears”
50 Cent, born 1975, “Curtis James Jackson III”
Don Omar, born 1978, “William Omar Landrón Rivera”
Don Toliver, born 1994, “Caleb Zackery ‘Don’ Toliver”
XXXTENTACION, born 1998 (died 2018, homicide), “Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy”
J. Cole, born 1985, “Jermaine Lamarr Cole”
DJ Snake, born 1986, “William Sami Étienne Grigahcine”
Romeo Santos, born 1981, “Anthony ‘Romeo’ Santos”
Frank Ocean, born 1987, “Christopher Edwin Breaux”
Madonna, born 1958, “Madonna Louise Ciccone”