Spotify has launched Afrobeats: Culture in Motion, a global project that documents the genre’s evolution over the last five years and the people propelling its forward momentum.
The initiative highlights how Afrobeats has grown from a regional sound into a global cultural force, generating over 240 million discoveries on Spotify worldwide in the last 12 months alone.
The launch is centered on a new Spotify documentary, Culture in Motion, which follows the next generation of Afrobeats artists. This is complemented by an immersive microsite on Spotify’s newsroom, For the Record, that breaks down the movement across five key pillars using exclusive interviews, expert context, and fresh Spotify listening data.
Key Trends Revealed by Spotify Data
The microsite’s data offers a deep dive into the genre’s remarkable transformation. The sound of Afrobeats is becoming more emotionally resonant, with introspective and emotionally charged vocals now accounting for 38% of global streams. Its reach is expanding rapidly, with listenership in Latin America growing by more than 180% year-over-year, and streams in Brazil alone are up 500% since 2020. Female artists are also at the forefront of the genre’s global success, with Tems becoming the first African female artist to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams for a single track. At the same time, the visual language of Afrobeats is shaping global culture, while fan communities play a vital role in discovery, acting as the new tastemakers and driving the genre’s growth in real-time.
Nigeria: The Cultural Heartbeat of Afrobeats
In its birthplace, Afrobeats is more than just music—it’s a cultural heartbeat. Over 180 million hours of Afrobeats have been streamed in Nigeria this year alone, with the genre’s passion most evident in the top three streaming cities: Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Nigerian Gen Z listeners connect with Afrobeats on a deeper level, with their top three listening moods for the genre being “whiny,” “island vibes,” and “playful.” This passion has also fueled a powerful, community-driven movement that started in Nigeria, with fan-made Afrobeats playlists growing by nearly 3000% in the last decade worldwide. Notably, a new sub-genre, Afro-Adura, has seen incredible growth with streams increasing over 4000%.
