Apple Music has announced Tyler, The Creator as its Artist of the Year for 2025, acknowledging the rapper-producer’s remarkable influence on music and culture over the past twelve months.
Between November 2024 and October 2025 Tyler recorded more than 4.5 billion minutes of listening time on Apple Music globally, marking his most successful timeframe on the platform so far. He embarked on a worldwide tour in support of his album CHROMAKOPIA, described by Apple as his most personal project to date.
While the tour was in motion, Tyler released another album, DON’T TAP THE GLASS, which became number one in more than 55 countries on the day of its release. The two albums reflect very different moods and ambitions. CHROMAKOPIA delivered a layered, introspective journey, while DON’T TAP THE GLASS leaned into urgent, stripped-down rap textures and a more playful attitude.
Tyler’s output this year also included headlining high-profile festivals such as Lollapalooza, Outside Lands and Osheaga as well as overseeing the 11th edition of his own festival, Camp Flog Gnaw.
Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director, praised Tyler’s fearless approach to creativity, highlighting that his risk-taking is matched by the attention to detail in his work. Tyler himself expressed his appreciation for the recognition and for his fans’ support, emphasising the importance of backing out-of-the-box artists.
Tyler’s ambitions extend beyond the studio. He is slated to make his feature-film debut in the period drama Marty Supreme directed by Josh Safdie and starring Timothée Chalamet, underscoring his growing footprint in film. Additionally, both albums have earned Grammy nominations.
As Apple Music’s Artist of the Year, Tyler receives a unique physical award: a custom silicon wafer from Apple’s devices suspended in glass and mounted in anodised aluminium, a symbolic merging of technology and music.
Apple encourages listeners to explore a curated set of playlists that reflect the songs and voices that shaped the past year, inviting fans to engage further with Tyler’s creative world.
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