Patti Smith is one of the most important artists ever to appear on this list, and her inclusion shows exactly how a streaming-only measure can flatten a monumental career. A poet, author, and punk pioneer, she helped define the New York scene of the 1970s, and her debut album Horses is routinely named among the greatest records ever made. She is, in every sense, the opposite of a novelty.
But streaming gathers around one song. "Because the Night", released in 1978 and co-written with Bruce Springsteen, was her biggest commercial hit, a soaring, romantic rock anthem that reached far beyond her art-punk base.
On streaming, "Because the Night" sits near 325 million plays, while her next most-streamed track, "Dancing Barefoot", trails at around 59 million. That puts the ratio above 5, over our line.
So by our strict, numbers-only measure, Patti Smith registers as a certified one-hit wonder, and we flag the caveat as firmly as we possibly can. This is a genuine icon with a deep, fiercely influential body of work. It is only that her one chart hit has drawn the streaming crowd while the rest of a remarkable catalogue sits, undersold, behind it.