Drake has been named Apple Musics most popular artist of the year, while Kendrick Lamars explosive Grammy-winning diss track remains the platforms 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 didnt appear to dampen Drakes streaming power, nor did it diminish listeners obsession with Kendrick Lamars pointed takedowns. Even as Drake dominated overall listening, Kendricks 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 Musics biggest rap song, for the second consecutive year. Last year, it secured the No. 1 position across the entire platform. While 2025s overall top song went to Ros and Bruno Mars for their global hit APT., Kendricks diss claimed the years top rap spot, marking the first time a diss track has ever repeated as the categorys biggest song.
The historic feud, which erupted a year ago and produced billions of streams across both artists' catalogues, even propelled Kendrick Lamar to a Super Bowl halftime performance, cementing the cultural weight of the conflict. 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 DrakeKendrick saga, but the show was recently cancelled as the frenzy surrounding the beef began to subside.
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