Georgia’s Top Artists of 2024–2025: The 5 Voices That Defined a Year of Music in the Peach State

From the streets of Atlanta to the towns of Augusta, Macon, and Savannah, Georgia’s musical influence runs deep. This is a state that doesn’t just consume music—it creates culture, sets trends, and raises the bar for what hip-hop, soul, and Southern storytelling should sound like.

Between April 7, 2024, and April 7, 2025, Georgia’s most-streamed artists reveal a blend of homegrown pride, emotional depth, lyrical excellence, and gritty realism. Whether in headphones on the MARTA, blaring from car speakers on Peachtree Street, or bouncing through house parties in Athens, these five artists ruled the charts—and the hearts—of Georgia listeners. If you are interested in learning music, you should check out music lessons in Boulder

Let’s dive into the top five most-played artists across the state this past year and break down what their success says about Georgia’s musical identity.

1. Future – 126 Million Views

At the very top is Future, with a staggering 126 million views across Georgia in the last year—cementing his place as not only a local hero, but a Southern rap legend whose sound is still defining the genre a decade after he first broke through.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Future has long been the spiritual father of melodic trap, blending druggy ambiance with emotional confessions. His music continues to evolve, but the themes—pain, power, paranoia, and pride—remain the same. His 2024 collaborations with Metro Boomin, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver, along with his own solo drops, kept his catalog red hot.

In Georgia, where trap music is part of the cultural bloodstream, Future isn’t just an artist—he’s a son of the city.

Why Georgia Loves Future:

• Atlanta native with global impact

• Signature style that shaped an entire generation

• Lyrics that oscillate between vulnerability and flex

Future is still the voice of Atlanta’s soul—coded in pain, wrapped in diamonds.

2. YoungBoy Never Broke Again – 103 Million Views

Coming in second with 103 million views, YoungBoy Never Broke Again (NBA YoungBoy) continues to defy the odds and dominate regional streaming without major radio support. In Georgia, his appeal runs deep with younger fans, especially in urban areas and smaller towns.

His relentless output (dropping multiple albums and mixtapes annually), emotionally volatile lyrics, and raw vocal style make him one of the most authentic artists in the game. YoungBoy’s fans don’t just listen—they live his music, using it to navigate everything from heartbreak and anger to loyalty and redemption.

Songs like “Testimony,” “Deep in My Thoughts,” and “On My Side” were some of the most-played tracks across Georgia high schools, college dorms, and late-night drives.

Why Georgia Loves YoungBoy:

• Gritty, emotional realism

• Loyalty to the streets and the struggle

• Nonstop releases keep fans constantly engaged

In Georgia, YoungBoy isn’t just streamed—he’s felt.

3. Lil Baby – 84.8 Million Views

With 84.8 million views, Lil Baby continues to hold his place as one of Georgia’s most respected and streamed artists—and for good reason. Born and raised in Atlanta’s Oakland City neighborhood, Lil Baby’s rise from the streets to superstardom has been a source of local pride.

While his breakout came in the late 2010s, Baby’s 2024 output reminded fans that he’s still hungry and evolving. Songs like “350,” “No Sleep Pt. 2,” and his feature-heavy presence on major trap albums kept him in heavy rotation.

In Georgia, Lil Baby’s voice is as familiar as the skyline—a sound of modern Atlanta that blends ambition, authenticity, and pure talent.

Why Georgia Loves Lil Baby:

• Hometown hero and role model for young artists

• Known for real-life bars and relentless hustle

• Active in the community and politically aware

Lil Baby’s voice speaks for the streets—and for the city that made him.

4. Rod Wave – 81.6 Million Views

With 81.6 million views, Rod Wave secured his place in Georgia’s music soul, proving that emotional storytelling and pain-driven ballads still have massive power in the South.

Though hailing from St. Petersburg, Florida, Rod Wave’s music resonates deeply in Georgia thanks to his Southern drawl, heartfelt delivery, and gospel-infused production. His 2024 releases, including “Checkmate” and “Boyz Don’t Cry,” as well as viral TikTok snippets, made him a voice for those navigating loss, mental health struggles, and personal growth.

In Georgia’s more rural areas and suburban neighborhoods—where music is both comfort and confession—Rod’s voice is a counselor, friend, and diary all in one.

Why Georgia Loves Rod Wave:

• Southern soul-trap that hits every emotion

• Perfect for solo drives, heartache, and healing

• A voice that sounds like survival

Rod Wave brings gospel to the trap—and Georgia listens with open arms.

5. Kendrick Lamar – 76.9 Million Views

Rounding out Georgia’s top five is Kendrick Lamar, with 76.9 million views, and once again proving that lyrical excellence still thrives in the streaming era—especially in a state that knows great rap when it hears it.

While Kendrick isn’t a Georgia native, his music resonates with fans here because it blends artistry, activism, and authenticity. His monumental diss track “Not Like Us,” part of the 2024 feud with Drake, went viral and dominated Georgia’s streams. But fans also revisited classics like “DNA,” “Money Trees,” and “Sing About Me.”

Georgia listeners—particularly college students and music heads in Atlanta, Athens, and Savannah—connect with Kendrick because he says what others are scared to, with intelligence and intention.

Why Georgia Loves Kendrick Lamar:

• Pure lyrical craftsmanship and depth

• Social consciousness paired with street wisdom

• Trusted voice in a time of cultural reflection

Kendrick may be from Compton, but in Georgia, he gets played like a native son.

What Georgia’s Top Artists Say About the State’s Music Taste

Looking at Georgia’s most-streamed artists this year, we can draw some big insights about what listeners here value most:

1. Georgia Still Backs Its Own 🔥

With Future and Lil Baby representing Atlanta royalty, Georgia fans continue to show immense loyalty to hometown heroes. These artists shaped the modern trap sound, and the state hasn’t forgotten it.

2. Emotion Is Everything 💔

YoungBoy and Rod Wave may have very different sounds, but they both thrive on raw vulnerability, emotional intensity, and confessional storytelling. Georgia listeners clearly connect to music that goes deeper than the surface.

3. Lyrics Still Matter 🎤

Kendrick Lamar’s presence in the top five proves that great writing still breaks through—even in a region known for melodic trap. Georgia wants music that makes you feel and think.

4. Trap Isn't a Trend—It's a Language 🎧

From Future’s futuristic flows to Lil Baby’s effortless wordplay, Georgia’s top artists remind us that trap is not just a sound—it’s how Georgia tells its story.

Methodology

This article is based on YouTube Music’s regional streaming data, focusing specifically on Georgia listeners from April 7, 2024 to April 7, 2025. Rankings were determined by total YouTube views from users located in the state, offering a hyper-local, accurate picture of what music resonated most with Georgians during the past year.

Final Thoughts

Georgia’s top-streamed artists in 2024–2025 reveal a state deeply rooted in its musical heritage while still reaching out for new sounds, deeper meaning, and emotional truth. Whether listeners were flexing with Future, crying with Rod Wave, learning with Kendrick, or riding with YoungBoy, the music of the year was as diverse, dynamic, and layered as Georgia itself.

These five names—Future, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Baby, Rod Wave, and Kendrick Lamar—dominated not just the charts, but the mood, memory, and meaning of 2024 in the Peach State.