Listening data released today indicates Kiwis march to the beat of their own drum, audibly at least.
At the end of each year music audio streaming platform Spotify releases Spotify Wrapped, a marketing campaign providing users with a compilation of data about their activity on the platform.
In addition to individualised data, Spotify Wrapped gathers information about activity on the platform as a whole, giving us a sense of the audio moments that defined the year in Aotearoa.
Regional results highlight some interesting ways in which Kiwi listening patterns diverge from global trends. Puerto Rican mega-star Bad Bunny, who topped the global artist and album chart, doesn鈥檛 feature in any NZ-specific top-five lists.
Fourth Wing, the adult fantasy romance novel by Rebecca Yarros, topped the worldwide audiobook chart, but in Aotearoa it was kicked into second spot by Jacinda Ardern鈥檚 memoir A Different Kind of Power.
Kiwis also appear especially fond of Alex Warren, the American singer and influencer who brought a fan鈥檚 mum鈥檚 ashes on stage at his Auckland concert in August.
Kiwis are especially fond of Alex Warren. Photo / Getty Images
The 25-year-old singer鈥檚 song Ordinary topped the NZ top-song chart, but was fourth worldwide. The love song was the track played the most in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Queenstown, Wellington and the Waikato region. Gisborne, however, hit play on Back In My Arms by Hori Shaw and Nelson favoured Day Job by Holly鈥檚 Hat Trick.
Another artist New Zealanders have a surprising affinity for is Chris Brown 鈥 the R&B singer took fifth spot in New Zealand鈥檚 top artists despite not featuring in any of the global top lists.
New Zealand Top Artists:
- Taylor Swift
- Drake
- Kendrick Lamar
- SZA
- Chris Brown
New Zealand Top Songs:
- Ordinary by Alex Warren
- Die With A Smile by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
- The Days 鈥 NOTION Remix by Chrystal
- luther (with sza) by Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- Golden by HUNTR/X
New Zealand Top Albums:
- KPop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack from the Netflix film) by KPop Demon Hunters Cast
- SOS Deluxe: LANA by SZA
- You鈥檒l Be Alright, Kid by Alex Warren
- I鈥檝e Tried Everything But Therapy by Teddy Swims
- Short n鈥 Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
New Zealand Top Local Artists:
- Six60
- L.A.B.
- Lorde
- Te Wehi
- Katchafire
New Zealand Top Local Songs:
- APT. by Ros茅 & Bruno Mars
- Back In My Arms by Hori Shaw
- In The Air by L.A.B.
- Unaware by Te Wehi
- Blue Eyed M膩ori by Corrella
New Zealand Top Podcasts:
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
- The Mel Robbins Podcast
- Between Two Beers Podcast
- Call Her Daddy
- New Zealand Top Local Podcasts:
- Between Two Beers Podcast
- The Dom Harvey Podcast
- The Morning Shift
- Not For Radio
- Sex.Life
New Zealand Top Audiobooks in Premium:
- A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Top Throwback Song (released pre-2000)
- Sway by Bic Runga
- Swing by Savage
- How Bizarre by OMC
- Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn, Herbs
- They Don鈥檛 Know by Aaradhna, Savage
- Miss Na Miss Kita by Father & Sons
- Dreaming by Scribe
- Not Many by Scribe
- I Got You by Split Enz
- It鈥檚 Too Late by Evermore
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