Showbiz

The Weeknd is officially the most popular artist in the world

The Weeknd is officially the most popular artist in the world

The singer-songwriter, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, is statistically the most popular musician on the planet, according to Guinness World Records (GWR).

"No one else even comes close," the organization said in a statement earlier this week.

The Canadian singer, 33, has set two new Guinness World Records titles. He currently has the most monthly listeners on Spotify, with 111.4 million as of March 20. He also became the first artist to reach 100 million monthly listeners.

Miley Cyrus ranks behind The Weeknd, with 82.4 million monthly listeners, according to GÉR.

Next is Shakira (81.6 million), then Ariana Grande (80.6 million), Taylor Swift (80.2 million) and Rihanna (78.5 million). The closest male competitor is Ed Sheeran (77.5 million), adds GWR.