Drake's 'God plan' shatters Apple music's first week Global streaming record

Drake has set a new first-week Apple Music global streaming record with more than 60 million listens on "God's Plan" since its release on Jan. 19 as part of his Scary Hours two-track single.

The figure more than doubles the previous high-mark set by Post Malone, who hit 25 million streams in a debut week last September with the 21 Savage-featuring "Rockstar."

Last Friday, Drake also broke Apple Music's first-day streaming record when "God's Plan" was played more than 14 million times globally in 24 hours.
Apple Music's first week results with Drake's new music is historic and indicative of the growth potential for streaming globally," Republic Records EVP and general manager Jim Roppo told Billboard in an email.

Roppo's optimism over streaming's future seems fair, given a new report issued by Digital Media Association (DIMA) and research firm MIDIA that the U.S. alone saw a 53 percent increase in streaming last year to bring in $3.4 billion -- up from 2016's total of $2.2 billion. DIMA represents music streaming services and other digital music providers that account for 95 percent of U.S. digital music revenue.

"God's Plan" is expected to debut at No. 1 on next week's Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Feb. 3), which would make for Drake's first entrance atop the songs tally and fourth leader overall. Preliminary data indicates "God's Plan" could rack up over 55 million U.S. streams and will likely also sell over 110,000 downloads for an expected No. 1 spot on the Digital Song Sales chart as well.
The Scary Hours B-side "Diplomatic Immunity" should also kick off with some impressive streaming numbers, raking in around the 20 million mark for its first week in the U.S.

Setting records is nothing new to Drake. In 2016, his Views became Apple Music's first album to hit 1 billion streams and last March he broke the another global single-day record with the service when his More Life mixtape received 89.9 million song streams in the first 24 hours.