Why old songs are dominating charts and streaming

Despite over 100,000 new songs reaching streaming services daily, listeners keep returning to old favourites. Data firm Luminate found that in the first half of 2026 about 60% of music streamed in the UK and US was at least five years old. Eighteen of the UK's top 20 songs this year are over a year old, with Zara Larsson's 2015 hit Lush Life eighth.