Drake Tops Streaming Charts as Audio Overtakes Video for First Time

Mid-year report reveals music streams are up a whopping 108 percent

Streaming from audio platforms like Apple Music and Spotify surpassed those from video services like YouTube and Vevo for the first time ever through the first half of this year, with Drake taking the top spot in both song and album of the year to date.

The Canadian hip-hop and R&B singer’s “One Dance” is 2016’s most streamed song so far, while his “Views” brought in 2.5 million album units, according to streaming measurement company BuzzAngle Music’s mid-year report. Beyoncé’s famed “Lemonade” album came in second, streaming 1.67 million units.

Joining Queen Bey among the top 10 most consumed hip-hop albums were Rihanna and Kevin Gates.

The report shows that even though sales of music CDs and downloads declined, U.S. consumption of music rose by 6.5 percent through the first six months of 2016, with overall music streams increasing a whopping 108 percent.

To date, there have been 209.4 billion total media streams, more than half of which were audio, marking the first time audio streams exceeded those of video.

Physical album copies decreased by 9 percent over 2015, explaining the modest overall increase in music consumption despite monster gains in digital. Adele’s most recent album, “25,” moved 1.25 million units, 65 percent of which was CD sales.

Adele’s “25,” “Lemonade” and “Views” are the only albums to surpass 1 million album sales this year.

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