Kendrick’s catalog continues to dominate streaming.

Kendrick Lamar has become the third rapper to earn over one billion streams on Spotify in 2026. He joins Drake and Kanye West as the only other rappers to achieve this milestone. That is a clash of titans by any standard.

What makes this accomplishment even more remarkable is that Kendrick did not release a single track in 2025. His album GNX arrived in late 2024, and several songs carried momentum into the following year, with “luther,” “tv off,” and “peek a boo” generating massive numbers. He is also continuing to pull significant streams from his hit collaboration “All Of The Stars” with SZA. Still, reaching one billion streams without a new release in 2025 or 2026 is incredibly impressive.

Here is my theory. Kendrick drops music sparingly and allows his albums to do the heavy lifting for his catalog. If he released music more consistently, he might very well become the highest-streamed rapper of all time and overtake Drake at the top. That said, there is something admirable about the way he moves. He treats his catalog carefully, ensures each release carries weight, and allows the numbers to grow organically. That kind of patience deserves respect.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.