Data doesn’t lie, and the data says U.S. listeners refused to let go of their favorite classic songs in 2025. Entertainment analytics company Luminate released its Year-End data, via NME, in January 2026, including the music streaming numbers for 2025.
There was a lot of new growth for genres like rock, gospel, and Latin music. But there were plenty of other songs from the past seven decades that have stuck around into the 2020s. Additionally, Luminate revealed that U.S. listeners were more focused on old music in 2025 than in previous years. Amazingly, less than half of the five trillion recorded streams were for songs released in the last five years. Clearly, nostalgia was having a big day last year.
Listeners discovered iconic classics for the first time through social media, like when Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” went viral on TikTok in 2020. Additionally, old favorites came back for many music lovers. The 2000s pop-punk revival of the past several years comes to mind here. Bands like Mayday Parade and All Time Low released new albums last year, while My Chemical Romance returned to the stage for the first time since 2022.
Classic Songs From the Last Seven Decades Saw Streaming Increase in 2025
So what classic tracks were U.S. listeners streaming the most all last year? The answers are actually not that surprising when given a little thought.
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” gained 136.7 million streams last year. The 1969 track saw the highest number of streams out of songs from the 60s. While nothing quite beats the goofy misheard lyrics of “Bad Moon Rising” about there “being a bathroom on the right,” there’s a triumphant quality to “Fortunate Son” that makes it a go-to classic.
For the 70s, “Dreams” earned 387.4 million streams in 2025. Again, a great choice, but one most likely curated through social media and memes. Where’s the love for “The Chain” with its intense, chugging solo? If Rumours wasn’t a top-to-bottom no-skip album, this would be akin to sacrilege.
Moving on, the 80s were helmed by Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” with 263 million streams. This renewed popularity of the 1981 hit seems to carry over from 2024, when it went 18x Platinum. The Goo Goo Dolls saw a resurgence for their 1998 single “Iris,” earning 337.9 million streams. The quintessential 90s band closed out 2025 by performing on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve for the first time in 30 years.
The 2000s are represented by who else, but The Killers with “Mr. Brightside”. Their 2004 hit earned 272.1 million streams last year, while in 2024 it set two Guinness World Records. It remains the No. 1 most-streamed song in the U.K., but U.S. listeners never forget their first time hearing “Mr. Brightside”.
Do we dare touch the 2010s and 20s? Chris Stapleton took the top spot for the 2010s with his hit rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey”. Meanwhile, the 2020s were represented by YouTuber-turned-country singer Alex Warren’s newest single, “Ordinary.”
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