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When Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026, reactions were predictably mixed. Some fans questioned the choice. Others pointed to his criticism of President Donald Trump. But if you want to understand why Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Roc Nation made this pick, just look at the streaming numbers.
Bad Bunny isn't just popular—he's a streaming phenomenon who just reclaimed his throne on Spotify Technology's (SPOT) annual charts.
Bad Bunny dominated Spotify in 2025, racking up 19.8 billion streams globally and dethroning Taylor Swift, who had topped the list in both 2023 and 2024. This isn't new territory for the Puerto Rican artist—he previously ruled Spotify's charts in 2020, 2021, and 2022 before Swift's recent run.
The jump from third place in 2024 to first in 2025 tells only part of the story. Bad Bunny also cracked the U.S. top five, landing at number five among American listeners after not even making the top 10 in 2024. That's significant growth in a market that matters enormously for Super Bowl viewership.
Here's how the global top 10 shook out for 2025, with 2024 rankings in parentheses:
The U.S. rankings looked different, with 2024 positions in parentheses:
Bad Bunny's album "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" topped Spotify's global album chart, and his song "DtMF" ranked fifth globally. Interestingly, he didn't land any top 10 songs or albums in the U.S. specifically, which makes his fifth-place artist ranking in America all the more impressive—it's about consistent listening across his entire catalog.
The NFL is an American institution, but it's been aggressively pursuing global expansion through international games and media deals. Bad Bunny represents a perfect bridge between these worlds. Born in Puerto Rico—an American territory—he's technically American, but his Spanish-language music commands a massive international audience.
Comcast Corp (CMCSA), which will broadcast the game, stands to benefit enormously. The media giant has been charging up to $8 million for each 30-second ad spot and has already sold out its inventory. With Bad Bunny's global appeal, Comcast could set new viewership records in February.
Last year's Super Bowl, featuring Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance, averaged 127.7 million viewers for the game itself. The halftime show pulled in an even larger audience of 133.5 million viewers, setting records. Kendrick Lamar subsequently jumped into the top 10 on Spotify's 2025 list after not ranking in 2024—a pattern Bad Bunny could replicate in 2026.
The controversy surrounding Bad Bunny's selection—criticism over his Spanish-language songs, his opposition to Trump, and false claims about his nationality—might actually work in the NFL's favor by generating publicity. While conservative groups like Turning Point USA, the organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, have discussed alternative halftime shows, those efforts are unlikely to capture the massive global audience that the official broadcast will attract.
Sony Group Corp (SONY) is positioned to capitalize significantly on Bad Bunny's Super Bowl appearance. The Japanese conglomerate owns a stake in Rimas Entertainment, Bad Bunny's label home, and also owns The Orchard, the distribution company handling Bad Bunny's releases and other Rimas Entertainment albums.
A Super Bowl halftime performance typically triggers a surge in streaming and sales. With Sony collecting revenue from multiple points in Bad Bunny's commercial ecosystem, the company should see a substantial boost following the February performance.
While Bad Bunny dominated the artist rankings, Netflix Inc (NFLX) emerged as an unexpected winner on Spotify's 2025 charts. Soundtracks rarely crack the top 10 in recent years, but Netflix managed to land its animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" in multiple categories.
The soundtrack ranked second globally for albums and fourth in the U.S. The hit single "Golden" from the film placed seventh globally and sixth in the U.S. The movie broke Netflix viewership records and continues resonating with audiences, potentially setting up a franchise opportunity for the streaming giant.
This crossover success demonstrates how streaming video platforms can leverage their content to dominate audio streaming charts—a synergy that could become more common as entertainment companies seek multiple revenue streams from single properties.
Podcaster Joe Rogan maintained his stranglehold on Spotify's podcast charts, with "The Joe Rogan Experience" topping the global rankings for a sixth consecutive year. The show also held the number one position in the U.S.
Rogan's consistent performance validates Spotify's controversial decision to invest heavily in exclusive podcast content, even as the company has shifted strategy in recent years to focus more on profitability than content spending.
The broader picture emerging from Spotify's 2025 data shows a streaming landscape where global appeal increasingly matters alongside domestic popularity. Bad Bunny's Super Bowl selection reflects this reality—it's not just about who's biggest in America anymore, but who can draw eyes from around the world. For Comcast, Apple, and the NFL, that global reach is worth more than avoiding controversy.
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