In the first half of 2025 in the United States, Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping album, I’m the Problem, and Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s hit song, “Luther,” led Luminate’s midyear rankings. I’m the Problem earned 2.562 million equivalent album units, while “Luther” was the most-streamed song with 530.4 million on-demand audio streams. 2025’s Top 5 most popular albums are rounded out by (in order) SZA’s SOS, Lamar’s GNX, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet. Total U.S. album sales declined by 6% over last year, while U.S. physical album sales dipped by 3.2%, and U.S. digital album purchases fell 17.7%.
However, if you excluded Taylor Swift albums from the year-over-year comparisons, then both total U.S. album sales and U.S. physical album sales would have increased over last year, since sales were boosted in 2024 by Swift’s smash hit album, The Tortured Poets Department, while streaming numbers increased surrounding her blockbuster Eras Tour. The rest of the Top 5 most streamed songs in the U.S. included (in order) Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” Lamar’s “TV Off” featuring Lefty Gunplay and “Not Like Us,” and Drake’s “NOKIA.” (Billboard)
