Kendrick Lamar is closing out 2025 with notable momentum, earning the top four positions on Billboard’s annual list of the most popular rap songs. The rankings, released on Tuesday, place his collaboration with SZA, “Luther,” at No. 1. His tracks “TV Off,” “Not Like Us,” and “Squabble Up” follow, while “Peekaboo” lands at No. 9.
Drake appears next among the top performers, securing No. 5 with “Nokia.” The remainder of the top 10 includes BigXthaPlug’s “All The Way,” Tyler, the Creator’s “Sticky,” and GloRilla & Sexyy Red’s “Whatchu Kno About Me.” Doechii’s “Denial Is a River” rounds out the ranking.
Reactions to the list circulated quickly on X (formerly Twitter) after Kurrco shared the lineup. Some users emphasized Lamar’s impact on the year’s rap releases, while others referenced his ongoing competition with Drake. Additional commentary centered on the placement of newer acts within the top 10.
Billboard’s release arrived alongside Apple Music’s unveiling of its Top Songs of 2025 through the platform’s annual Replay feature. As part of that rollout, Apple named Drake the most-streamed artist of the year. His 2025 catalog includes $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, his collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, which features tracks such as “Nokia,” “Gimme a Hug,” and “Somebody Loves Me.”
Drake has also continued promoting his upcoming solo album Iceman, releasing singles including “What Did I Miss?”, “Which One” with Central Cee, and “Dog House” featuring Yeat and Julia Wolf.Although Drake led Apple Music’s overall artist rankings, Kendrick Lamar maintained a strong presence on the platform as well. “Luther,” which topped Billboard’s list, also ranked among Apple’s most-played songs of the year.
