Metal is thriving in the streaming era, and one band rules them all.
Metallica has been named the most-streamed metal artist of all time on Spotify, according to a ranking compiled by Loudwire using the ChartMasters database, which tracks the most-streamed artists on the platform. The legendary band has racked up 19.2 billion streams, placing it 90th among all artists on Spotify.
Coming in at No. 2 is System of a Down, with 13.6 billion streams. Slipknot and Rammstein are nearly neck and neck in third and fourth place, with 11.4 billion and 11.2 billion streams, respectively. Avenged Sevenfold rounds out the top five with 8.2 billion streams.
Nu-metal pioneers Korn land at No. 6 with 7.2 billion streams, followed by heavy metal’s founding fathers, Black Sabbath, at No. 7 with 5.9 billion. Iron Maiden sits just behind at No. 8 with 5.8 billion streams.
Ozzy Osbourne also earned a spot of his own. The late Black Sabbath frontman ranks No. 9 as a solo artist with 5.1 billion streams, giving him two appearances on the list, once with his legendary band and once on his own.
The rest of the top 13 features a mix of veterans and newer stars. Swedish power metal band Sabaton ranks No. 10 with 4.6 billion streams, followed by Falling in Reverse at No. 11 with 4.5 billion. Danish rockers Volbeat and the masked British band Sleep Token tie at 4.3 billion streams each, landing at Nos. 12 and 13.
Sleep Token’s inclusion is especially notable. The mysterious band, fronted by a masked singer known only as Vessel, is one of the newest acts on the list, and its rapid rise shows how quickly a band can build a massive audience in the streaming age.
The ranking also highlights metal’s staying power across generations. Bands that formed in the 1970s and 1980s, like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Metallica, sit alongside acts that broke out decades later, proving that heavy music continues to win over new fans.
This story was originally published by Parade on Nov 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
