By Agboola Aluko | GLiDE NEWS
I n a major win for African music, global streaming giant Spotify has revealed that artists from Nigeria and South Africa achieved record-breaking earnings in 2024, driven by soaring global demand and explosive streaming numbers.
According to Spotify’s latest annual report released on Friday, royalties for Nigerian artists more than doubled from the previous year, reaching a remarkable ₦58 billion (US$37.8 million). South African musicians also earned an impressive R400 million (US$20.9 million) in royalties—underscoring a landmark year for Sub-Saharan Africa’s fast-growing music scene.
The surge was powered by internationally acclaimed stars such as Burna Boy and Ayra Starr, whose Afrobeats dominance continued to reshape global pop music, alongside South Africa’s Tyla, who clinched a Grammy and brought Amapiano into the global spotlight.
“We are witnessing extraordinary growth across Sub-Saharan Africa’s music industries,” Spotify noted, highlighting the unprecedented global reach achieved by Nigerian and South African artists.
In 2024 alone, music from the two nations reached more than one billion first-time listeners each—an astonishing feat that points to the continent's mounting influence on the global soundscape.
Back home, local consumption also witnessed a sharp rise, with Spotify reporting that music performed in indigenous languages recorded a significant jump in both listenership and revenue.
The platform's growing footprint has opened new revenue channels for African creatives. Since launching in 2008, Spotify now boasts over 640 million monthly active users worldwide—serving as a key platform for exporting African culture to the global stage.
Afrobeats and Amapiano, once regional phenomena, are now leading cultural exports. Beyond solo stardom, artists from both nations continue to collaborate, pushing boundaries, blending genres, and vying for international awards, including coveted Grammy nominations.
As Africa's influence in global entertainment deepens, 2024 may be remembered as the year the continent’s rhythms not only went global—but got paid doing it.
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