A Spotify analysis has revealed that Kenyans have gravitated towards popular local and global sounds on Spotify since its launch 6 months ago.
During its Made for Kenya event, Spotify revealed that although Kenyans are listening to local genres like Gengetone, there is huge interest in global artists such as Drake, Pop Smoke and The Weeknd. The Gengetone musical wave is not only gaining momentum amongst creators and listeners but building in popularity with its youthful urban sound.
Local artists making the list for top streamed artists by Kenyans include boy band Sauti Sol and R&B/Afropop artist Nviiri The Storyteller.
To mark six months since launch, Spotify looked at the top streamed tracks, artists and playlists by Kenyans. Sauti Sol’s Bien and Nviiri The Storyteller’s hit single Niko Sawa was the most streamed track by Kenyans in the last six months.
“Spotify has always celebrated Africa’s abundance of talent and diversity. Now with Spotify’s presence across Africa, we will continue to use the power of the platform to amplify African creators to a global audience. What we are seeing come out of Kenya is that the Gengetone genre, which draws sonic influences from dancehall, reggaeton and Genge, is gaining popularity. This youth-driven sound of Kenya’s streets is growing and our flagship Gengetone Fire playlist shows up in the top 10 most streamed playlists on Spotify,” said Phiona Okumu, Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa.
Spotify features curated playlists such as African Heat, Made in Kenya, RADAR Africa, and most recently, Gengetone Fire, which has further driven the discovery and celebration of African influence. Spotify also houses the Afrohub platform that promotes and brings to the surface culturally diverse music to users around the world.
Earlier this month, Gengetone artist Sylvia Sarru, popularly known as Ssaru, was the latest artist to join its EQUAL Music Program. EQUAL is Spotify’s global initiative to cultivate gender equality in music and support female artists and podcast creators both locally and internationally.
In terms of genre, data has shown Kenyans have a huge appetite for pop, trap, rap and Southern hip hop with some Azontobeats and dance pop mixed in.
The expansion of Premium Mini in Kenya also ensures Kenyans have greater access to Spotify. The new bite-sized plan offers flexibility to suit anyone’s on-demand listening habits with weekly subscription.
As Spotify continues to give listeners across the continent streaming access to the best African and international audio continent, it will continue to drive education around Spotify for Artists. This, together with the expertise of Spotify’s music team and all the platform’s initiatives, will ensure that Spotify remains an instrumental vehicle for African creators looking to feature on a global stage.
Top 10 most streamed tracks in Kenya
- Niko Sawa
- MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)
- Levitating (feat. DaBaby)
- Peaches (feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon)
- RAPSTAR
- Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)
- Up
- Heartbreak Anniversary
- Leave The Door Open
- Astronaut In The Ocean
Top 10 most streamed artists in Kenya
- Drake
- Sauti Sol
- Justin Bieber
- Pop Smoke
- Juice WRLD
- Burna Boy
- The Weeknd
- DaBaby
- J. Cole
- Travis Scott
Top 10 most streamed playlists in Kenya
- Today’s Top Hits
- RapCaviar
- African Heat
- Made In Kenya
- Mood Booster
- Mega Hit Mix
- Hot Hits Kenya
- Soft Pop Hits
- Top Gaming Tracks
- Gengetone Fire
Top 10 cities Kenyans are streaming from
- Nairobi
- Mombasa
- Nakuru
- Eldoret
- Kisumu
- Thika
- Nyeri
- Meru
- Kiambu
- Mandera