Kanye West’s *Graduation* hit 8 billion Spotify streams, setting a new record for the most-played Hip-Hop album in the platform’s history.
Kanye West broke new ground in digital music history as his third studio album, Graduation, surpassed 8 billion streams on Spotify, becoming the most-played Hip-Hop project ever on the platform.
Initially released in 2007, the Graduation album continues to pull in 4.4 million daily plays, according to Spotify’s internal data.
That sustained performance makes it the most-streamed rap album on the platform, outpacing newer releases and reaffirming Kanye West’s lasting imprint on the genre as the record nears its 20th anniversary.
Tracks like “Stronger,” “Good Life,” and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” remain the album’s top-performing songs, driving the bulk of its daily traffic.
The project’s blend of electronic textures and traditional Hip-Hop rhythms marked a turning point in the genre’s evolution. Analysts credit Kanye West and Graduation with helping shift the sonic direction of mainstream rap, influencing a generation of artists who followed.
Streaming data shows that the album added over 1 billion plays in 2025 alone, making it the first release from the 2000s to reach that milestone in a single year. The surge is fueled by both longtime listeners revisiting the album and younger audiences discovering it for the first time.
Despite being nearly two decades old, the album continues to outperform many current releases. Its ongoing success has redefined how legacy albums are measured in the digital age.
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