In the world of music, controversy has always been a potent currency. A new study for 2025 confirms that a well-executed diss track can be incredibly lucrative, turning personal spats into streaming gold.
The Lucrative History of Musical Feuds
Musical rivalries are far from a modern invention. The practice dates back to 1933, when Brazilian artist Noel Rosa used his samba song ‘Rapaz Folgado’ to critique fellow musician Wilson Batista. In the realm of modern pop, many point to Paul McCartney's ‘Too Many People’ as a pivotal moment, where he took veiled jabs at John Lennon and Yoko Ono. This, in turn, provoked Lennon's scathing response, ‘How Do You Sleep?’, which questioned McCartney's musical talent.
Today, these artistic conflicts do more than just generate gossip. They drive immense interest on streaming platforms, creating a highly profitable revenue stream from royalties for the artists involved.
How The Most Profitable Diss Tracks Were Ranked
To identify the most profitable diss tracks of the last decade, SeatPick conducted a detailed analysis. Researchers began by compiling a seed list of diss tracks from Wikipedia. They specifically added recent tracks from Lily Allen's latest album following her public diss aimed at ex-husband David Harbour.
The next step was to gather the current Spotify stream counts for each song. Using the Music Gateway calculator, estimated royalty earnings were determined, allowing the tracks to be ranked from the highest to the lowest earner.
The Top Money-Making Diss Tracks of 2025
As we approach the end of 2025, the data reveals which musical call-outs have paid off the most. Here are some of the standout profitable diss tracks from the study.
1. Offset - NO SWEAT (beef: Stefon Diggs, Cardi B)
This track served as Offset's public response to his divorce from Cardi B and the swirling rumours of her involvement with NFL star Stefon Diggs. The song is a scathing reaction to the new relationship, with Offset allegedly questioning Diggs's character and how quickly Cardi B moved on after their highly publicised split.
2. NLE Choppa - KO (beef: YoungBoy NBA)
'KO' is NLE Choppa’s aggressive counter in his ongoing feud with YoungBoy. The rivalry intensified after YoungBoy targeted NLE Choppa in a previous track. This response lyrically dismisses his rival, challenging YoungBoy's influence and character in an attempt to end their long-running dispute.
3. Joyner Lucas - Nobody Cares (beef: Skepta)
Joyner Lucas launched this immediate and forceful reply after Skepta's diss track, "Friendly Fire." Lucas used "Nobody Cares" to aggressively question Skepta's standing in the rap world and challenge his authenticity, turning a UK vs. US rap challenge into a full-scale lyrical battle.
4. Skepta - Friendly Fire (beef: Joyner Lucas)
Skepta’s track was the opening shot in his feud with Joyner Lucas. The diss is a pointed critique of Lucas's highly technical and complex rapping style. Skepta used 'Friendly Fire' to accuse Lucas of overthinking his craft and being disconnected from the street origins of rap.
The analysis proves that in the modern music industry, a sharp pen and a public feud can be just as valuable as a catchy chorus, generating significant revenue and capturing the public's attention.
