In 2013 songs like ‘Tum Hi Ho’ and ‘Chahun Main Ya Naa’ from Aashiqui 2 dominated everything from phone ringtones to radio waves. The popularity of the songs made Arijit Singh a sensation. And, over the years, songs like ‘Kesariya’, ‘Jhoome Jo Pathaan’ and ‘What Jhumka’ have added to his fame and fandom.
Singh’s heightened popularity is reflected in the number of his Spotify followers. As per a report released in August, Singh’s follower count stood at 85,996,564, and out of a list of top 10 well-known global personalities, the singer has ranked at third.
Singh races ahead of global sensations like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber who are ranked at fifth and eighth with a follower count of 82,617,872 and 73,718,935, respectively. At the number one position is Ed Sheeran with a follower base of 114, 216, 598 on the digital service platform.
Sheeran is followed by Ariana Grande at two with a following of 92,782,473 on the platform. Singh also ranks above Billie Eilish, Drake and The Weeknd, whose following is at 84,449,074, 78,317,870 and 69,538,892, respectively.
Singh’s popularity or the rise in following count has been attributed to his songs in the last eight months.
Recently, Singh lent his voice to Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in the song ‘Chaleya’, and has belted out hit songs like ‘Khairiyat’ from Gadar 2, ‘Tere Pyaar Mein’ from Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar and ‘Passori Nu’, a rehashed version of Ali Sethi’s Passoru for Satyaprem Ki Katha, which led to massive backlash.