Spotify’s Loud & Clear Report Highlights Booming South African Music Industry

In a recent revelation, Spotify’s Loud & Clear report shed light on the remarkable growth of South African artists within the global music scene. The report disclosed that royalties generated by South African artists through Spotify alone surged to nearly 256 million ZAR in 2023, marking an impressive increase of almost 240% since 2019 and a staggering over 500% surge since 2017.

This exponential growth underscores the unprecedented heights that African music, particularly Amapiano and Afrobeats, has attained on the global stage. According to the IFPI‘s 2024 report, the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) music industry has emerged as the fastest-growing region, with revenue growth surpassing 20%. In 2023, SSA‘s overall revenue experienced a remarkable 24.7% increase, fueled predominantly by a surge in paid streaming revenues, which contributed 24.5% to the total revenues.

Closer examination reveals South Africa‘s pivotal role in this music industry boom. South Africa retains its position as the largest market in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a 19.9% growth rate, contributing a staggering 77% of the region’s total revenue. Several factors have contributed to this growth, with internet penetration and music streaming standing out as primary catalysts. Platforms like Spotify have facilitated cross-border exposure for artists, enabling them to expand their fan bases and derive sustainable income from their craft.

Spotify‘s annual Loud & Clear report serves as a beacon of transparency in the music industry, offering insights into royalty payments and unraveling the dynamics of the global streaming economy. Notably, for the second consecutive year, Spotify has provided detailed data on earnings specifically for South African artists, further enhancing transparency and accountability.

Key findings from Spotify’s 2024 Loud & Clear Report on the South African music industry include:

• Royalties generated by South African artists on Spotify surged to nearly 256 million ZAR in 2023, reflecting remarkable growth since 2019.
• South African artists garnered over 735 million first-time listeners on Spotify in 2023.
• The number of South African artists earning over 100,000 ZAR in royalties from Spotify alone has multiplied more than fivefold since 2018.
• Nearly 2,800 South African artists were featured on editorial playlists on Spotify in 2023.

Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify‘s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, expressed pride in the continuous growth of streaming revenues for South African artists, emphasizing Spotify‘s commitment to supporting artists and enabling them to thrive professionally.

Amapiano, South Africa‘s leading musical export, continues to captivate global audiences with its infectious rhythms and viral dance routines. Spotify‘s on-platform data reveals the genre’s enduring popularity:

• Local music consumption in South Africa surged by 101% in 2023.
• While the industry remains male-dominated, female artists are gaining traction, with average streams increasing by 49% in 2023.
• Amapiano tracks have been featured on over 14 million playlists, witnessing a remarkable 566% growth from 2018 to 2023.

The burgeoning success of South African artists, coupled with the global resonance of Amapiano, underscores the transformative power of music streaming in driving the growth and diversification of the African music industry.