K-pop stars delivered the world’s most popular songs of 2025, according to newly released figures from IFPI, marking a historic shift in the global music landscape.
At the top of the annual global singles chart is Rosé, whose collaboration with Bruno Mars, APT, became the biggest song worldwide. The track surpassed two billion streams, making it the most-consumed single of the year across platforms.
It is a landmark moment for the industry. APT is the first song featuring non-English lyrics to ever top IFPI’s year-end global chart since the organization began publishing the rankings in 2007. It also marks the first time an artist from outside North America or Europe has claimed the number-one spot.
Although largely sung in English, APT opens with spoken Korean — “Chaeyoung’s favourite random game. Random game. Game start.” The chorus then repeatedly features the word “아파트” (apateu), meaning “apartment,” grounding the song unmistakably in Korean pop culture while resonating with a worldwide audience.
Victoria Oakley, CEO of IFPI, described the achievement as a “landmark moment,” reflecting the growing global influence of K-pop and the changing shape of international music consumption.
K-Pop’s Expanding Presence Across the Top 20
K-pop’s dominance did not stop at the top. The second biggest song of 2025 was Golden, performed by Huntr/X, the animated girl group from Netflix’s breakout series KPop Demon Hunters. The group is voiced by Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna, and Ejae, and represents a new crossover between animation, streaming platforms, and pop music.
Another track from the same universe also entered the top 20: Soda Pop by rival boyband Saja Boys, highlighting how K-pop storytelling now extends beyond traditional idol groups into multimedia franchises.
A Familiar Global Mix — But a New Center of Gravity
Elsewhere on the chart, American artists continued to perform strongly. Alex Warren’s Ordinary ranked third, while Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars placed fourth with Die With A Smile. Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things, the biggest song of 2024, rounded out the top five.
Despite the global spread, the list leaned heavily on catalogue longevity: eight of the top ten songs were released before 2025, underlining the long streaming life of modern hits.
Notably, for the second consecutive year, no British artist appeared in the global top 10. The highest-placed UK act was Lola Young, whose breakout single Messy reached 11th place with over one billion streams.
Earlier this week, IFPI also named Taylor Swift as the biggest artist overall of 2025. She appears once in the singles chart with The Fate of Ophelia at number 19.
The Top 20 Global Singles of 2025 (IFPI)
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Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT
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Huntr/X – Golden
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Alex Warren – Ordinary
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Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile
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Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
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Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
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Teddy Swims – Lose Control
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Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther
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Gracie Abrams – That’s So True
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Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
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Lola Young – Messy
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Bad Bunny – DtMF
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Saja Boys – Soda Pop
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Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
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Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club
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Sombr – Back to Friends
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The Weeknd – Timeless
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Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
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Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
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Ravyn Lenae – Love Me Not