Bruno Mars Hits Spotify Milestone, Jokes About Gambling Debt Rumors

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Bruno Mars, the Grammy-winning artist, made history on Tuesday, January 28, by becoming the first artist to reach 150 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The milestone was celebrated with a playful nod to persistent rumors about his alleged gambling debts.

“KEEP STREAMING! I’ll be out of debt in no time,” Mars wrote on his Instagram Story, accompanied by a dancing man emoji and his hit song “24K Magic,” which features the lyrics, “I’m ’bout to buy Las Vegas after this roll.” The post came amid ongoing speculation about his financial ties to MGM Grand, where he has a residency.

Last year, reports surfaced claiming Mars owed $50 million to the MGM Grand due to gambling debts. However, MGM quickly denied the allegations. “We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers,” an MGM spokesperson said in a statement. “Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM.”

Mars has repeatedly joked about the rumors. During a September 2024 show, he quipped, “Ever since those articles came out about me owing the casino money, you stopped picking up my calls. It’s me, baby — I got money.” In June 2024, he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “I love the lore that I am a Las Vegas lounge singer in debt to the mob. I can work with that.”

The Spotify milestone caps off a remarkable year for Mars. His collaboration with Lady Gaga, “Die With a Smile,” became the fastest song in Spotify history to reach 1 billion streams. Additionally, his duet with Blackpink‘s Rosé, “APT.,” also achieved significant streaming success, securing the No. 3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Mars continues to dominate the music scene with a catalog of hits, including “Uptown Funk,” “Just the Way You Are,” and “Grenade,” all of which have surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. Recently, he teamed up with rapper Sexxy Red for the track “Fat Juicy & Wet,” further solidifying his status as a versatile and prolific artist.

With 150 million monthly listeners and a string of record-breaking achievements, Bruno Mars remains a global music powerhouse, proving his enduring impact on the industry.