Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” has been crowned Spotify’s greatest pop song of the streaming era, a period the platform defines as beginning January 1, 2015, and continuing to the present. The ranking, released Thursday, February 26, places the 2021 hit from Rodrigo’s debut album, “Sour,” at the top of a list of 100 songs curated by Spotify’s editorial team.
Following “Drivers License” in the top five are Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now,” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Run Away with Me.” The list, available as a playlist on Spotify, aims to recognize pop music’s evolution within the streaming landscape.
According to a Spotify news release, the platform’s editors – Cecilia Winter, Talia Kraines, JJ Italiano, and Carl Chery – selected the tracks based on “qualitative criteria including cultural impact, musicality, artist storytelling and more.” Even as high stream counts were not a requirement for inclusion, many of the songs achieved widespread popularity.
Taylor Swift emerged as the artist with the most songs featured on the list, with six singles making the cut: “Cruel Summer” at No. 3, “Delicate” at No. 15, “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” at No. 49, “Lover” at No. 57, “august” at No. 68 and “Midnight Rain” at No. 75.
Spotify previously released a list of Classic Pop Albums of the Streaming Era in early February, including albums by Adele, Beyoncé, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift. Unlike the pop songs playlist, this earlier list was not ranked.
The announcement of Spotify’s 100 Greatest Pop Songs of the Streaming Era coincides with the unveiling of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees. Olivia Rodrigo is also slated to present at the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, alongside Elton John, Doja Cat, Questlove, Twenty One Pilots, and Raye, according to the Associated Press.
Spotify’s assessment of the “streaming era” highlights a shift in how pop music is evaluated. The platform stated that streaming has allowed pop to “flourish as a space for artistic expression rather than solely commercial success,” moving beyond a single metric of popularity to embrace diverse influences and styles.