After a year in which Afrobeats artist Asake stormed the music scene from relative obscurity onto the global stage, anticipation for his newest release Work of Art was high.
A look at Spotify streaming data shows the trajectory of one of Nigeria’s fastest-rising stars and gives a glimpse into his future in the age of streaming.
“Work of Art”, released on the global streaming platform Spotify on Friday, June 16, is a sprawling compendium of auditory splendour that demonstrates the breadth and depth of Asake’s sonic ingenuity.
The 14-track album showcases Asake’s prowess and ability to seamlessly blend various genres such as afrobeat, pop, and R&B to create a unique sonic experience that keeps listeners engaged and wanting more.
Since his arrival on the mainstream music scene in January 2022, Asake has maintained his sizzling form with his EP Ololade Asake and his debut album Mr. Money With The Vibe, producing a string of hit singles. The first of these, Omo Ope, is Asake’s first song to cross one million streams on Spotify, hitting the threshold in March 2022- just weeks after its official release. The track, which was produced in collaboration with Olamide Baddo, founder of YBNL Nation where Asake is signed, kicked-off the artist’s blistering run on the world stage.
His debut album Mr. Money With The Vibe dominated the soundscape and propelled him to superstar status, producing six of his most streamed songs on the platform including the Burna Boy remix of Sungba’. This track is Asake’s number one streamed song on Spotify and his most exported track.
While Nigeria makes up the largest market for Asake’s music, the bulk of his total Spotify streams are coming from outside of the country. The United Kingdom is the second biggest market for his music, with the United States, Canada and France rounding out the top five.
“Looking at this data, it’s almost hard to believe that Asake is still relatively new on the music scene. Spotify is excited to be part of his journey, as he shares this new album and his talent with a growing global audience,” says Victor Okpala, Spotify’s Artist and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa.
Amapiano, the third single from Work of Art, is already doing numbers since its release last month. It currently occupies the number 10 spot among Asake’s most playlisted songs. The singer’s tracks have already been featured on over 2.5 million user-generated playlists on Spotify.
