Genre mashups and viral hits drive in-car listening, says Xperi

Xperi has released its “In-Car Listening Report” for the second quarter of 2025, based on data from its DTS AutoStage Broadcaster Portal. The report highlights genre fusion, cross-market appeal and the lasting popularity of key tracks across more than 10 million vehicles in 150 countries.

According to Xperi, the most listened-to songs in Q2 were Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” in the United States, Ed Sheeran’s “Azizam” in the United Kingdom and Doechii’s “Anxiety” globally.

Genre fusion, global appeal and staying power

The report ranks the top 10 most listened-to songs in-vehicle across the U.S., U.K. and globally, and reveals that every track in the top 10 for each region blends at least two genres. Xperi describes genre mixing as “the new normal” in in-car listening.

Five tracks appeared across all three regional top 10 lists: “Stargazing” by Myles Smith, “Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey, “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, “Messy” by Lola Young and “Ordinary” by Alex Warren. These songs, says Xperi, “cut across borders.”

Legacy hits also continue to dominate, with five songs holding spots on Xperi’s top 10 lists for five consecutive quarters: Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” Shaboozey’s “Bar Song (Tipsy),” Myles Smith’s “Stargazing” and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things.”

Viral resurgence and festival boosts

Xperi notes the rising influence of viral culture on in-car listening trends. Tracks such as “Anxiety” by Doechii and “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, both released years earlier, surged into Q2’s top 10 following TikTok virality, live performances and strategic re-releases.

Ed Sheeran’s “Azizam” was the only song released in Q2 to enter the top 10, a rare achievement given that most songs build over time or carry over from earlier quarters.

Xperi attributes second-quarter boosts for songs by Post Malone, Doechii, Shaboozey and Chappell Roan to major award wins and prominent performances at Coachella and Stagecoach festivals in 2025.

The DTS AutoStage platform, embedded in vehicles worldwide, powers the data behind the report, offering what Xperi describes as “unique insights into what people are really listening to on the road.”