In the final mix I usually only have 2 - 5 instruments playing at once at any given point in the song. Add to that a short interlude where a solo instrument cuts in for a few bars and add to that a lead vocal and some background harmonies.
Depending on the song some of those instruments might be stereo or doubled.
This could be up to around 10 - 12 tracks used in the final mix. My drums are always either 2 tracks or one stereo track of either RealDrums or MIDI drums.
During the process of recording I'll often have upwards of 20 - 30 tracks. But, they get muted in sections, I copy/paste/merge sections from them. One is just a tempo track. Others are first takes that have the original expression for reference. Others are ideas that I can't throw away 'cause I'm a hoarder. There are lots of reasons to have excess tracks that you never hear, or don't know they are there, in the final mix.