Game of Thrones is as much about sounds as sights, and as the beloved show prepares to enter its 8th and final season, we dug into how it has influenced listening on Spotify.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Game of Thrones season 8 trailer
With more than 380 million streams of all Game of Thrones soundtracks and related playlists on Spotify since January 1st 2016, it’s clear that fans of the show are also fans of the music. More than 250,000 listeners have created their own Game of Thrones-themed playlists and many more have created character playlists. In fact, with what could be a hint as to who Spotify listeners think should sit on the Iron Throne, Tyrion Lannister has the most fan-made playlists – more than 7,700.
Also a big draw is the Game of Thrones’ captivating soundtrack, scored by composer Ramin Djawadi, which provides instant recall of the characters’ most dramatic moments. “Light of the Seven,” the piece you hear when Cersei blows up the Sept of Baelor in the hair-raising Season 6 finale, is the most-streamed Djawadi composition since January 1, 2016, followed by the show’s eponymous “Main Title” and then “The Winds Of Winter,” which accompanies Arya as she sails to Braavos at the conclusion of Season 4.
As Game of Thrones’ popularity has grown over the years, so too has interest in podcasts related to the series. Spotify listeners have spent almost 1.8 million hours listening to podcasts with Game of Thrones in the title, with “Binge Mode: Game of Thrones” serving as the most listened-to podcast. Its co-hosts Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion have a dedicated following thanks to their lively analysis of the show.
To time with Season 8, we’re excited to unveil a refresh of Spotify’s rock-influenced playlist “Game of Thrones: The End Is Coming” (formerly named “Songs of Ice and Fire”), a collaboration between Game of Thrones co-creators David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and Spotify.
“We were looking for songs that made us feel the way the show made us feel,” Benioff and Weiss told For The Record, Spotify’s blog. Check out the full blog post for more on the playlist’s aim to create a consistent, pulse-racing vibe.
And are you House Stark, Lannister or Targaryen? Wherever your allegiance lies, you can stream 7 different house-themed playlists curated by HBO and featuring Djawadi score songs that relate to each family’s journey on Game of Thrones. You’ll only find these playlists on Spotify by going to the TV & Movies hub.
As we bid farewell to this epic show, here are our top lists for Game of Thrones listening:
Characters with the most user-generated playlists globally:
1. Tyrion Lannister
2. Hodor
3. Jon Snow
4. Cersei Lannister
5. Arya Stark
6. Samwell
7. Sansa Stark
8. Melisandre
9. Khal Drogo
10. Jaime Lannister
Most-streamed songs from official Game of Thrones soundtracks (from January 1, 2016 – April 1, 2019):
1. Light of the Seven – Cersei blows up the Sept of Baelor Season 6, Ep.10
2. Main Title – From The “Game Of Thrones” Soundtrack – Featured during every episode. You know this!
3. The Winds of Winter – Arya sails to Braavos at the conclusion of Season 4
4. Blood of My Blood – Daenerys flies over her Dothraki khalasar on Drogon. Season 6, Ep.6
5. The Rains of Castomere (performed by The National) – End credits of Season 2, Ep.9, after the Lannisters win the Battle of the Blackwater
6. My Watch Has Ended – Jon Snow, revived from the dead, greets his friends in the courtyard of Castle Black. Season 6, Ep.3
7. Winter Has Come – White raven flies over Winterfell, Jon and Sansa talk post Battle of the Bastards. Season 6, Ep.9
8. Khaleesi – Daenerys emerges from the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen after setting it alight. Season 6, Ep.4
9. I Need You by My Side (Bonus Track) – Ser Jorah reveals to Daenerys that he has contracted the deadly disease, greyscale. Season 6, Ep.5
10. Maester – Sam sees the Citadel library for the first time. Season 6, Ep.10
Countries that stream the most Game of Thrones music (from January 1, 2016 – April 1, 2019):
1. U.S.A.
2. Germany
3. UK
4. Spain
5. France
6. Brazil
7. Canada
8. Mexico
9. Sweden
10. Netherlands
Most-streamed Game of Thrones podcasts globally (based on hours listened from January 1, 2016 – April 1, 2019)
1. Binge Mode: Game of Thrones (U.S.A)
2. Oysters, Clams & Cockles: Game of Thrones (U.S.A)
3. A Cast of Kings – A Game of Thrones Podcast (U.S.A)
4. Game of Owns – The Game of Thrones podcast (U.S.A)
5. A Storm of Spoilers – A Game of Thrones Podcast (U.S.A)
6. Arya Talking To Me? – A Game of Thrones Podcast (Australia)
7. History of Westeros (Game of Thrones) (U.S.A)
8. EW’s Game of Thrones Weekly (U.S.A)
9. Boars, Gore and Swords: A Game of Thrones Podcast (U.S.A)
10. Game of Thrones – podkasten (Norway)
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