From Asake's 2022 unprecedented run to Seyi Vibez warming his way into the heart of listeners, Amapiano has soundtracked the rise of Nigerian music since 2020.
In celebration of Amapiano, Spotify is hosting media and influencers from across the continent on an Amapiano Tourism experience which shares the roots of the genre, the power of collaborations and how streaming is helping to export local music to the world.
Designed around some of Spotify’s most popular Amapiano playlists, the tour highlights South African and Amapiano culture for guests from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa. In partnership with South African Tourism, it starts off with 'Amapiano 101'- detailing the background of the genre, and giving guests a tour of its origins in townships like Mamelodi but also exploring other popular Amapiano spots in Soweto.
The 'Amapiano Grooves' segment of the tour showcases the impact of clubs on the music.
Speaking on the initiative, Managing Director for Spotify in Sub-Saharan Africa, Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy says “Amapiano's unique sound and infectious beats have captivated audiences around the world, and are sure to keep fans dancing for years to come. As more artists emerge and push the boundaries of the genre, there is no doubt that Amapiano is set to become a mainstay in the global music scene.”
Spotify data tells the story of just how popular Amapiano is right now, both at home and all around the world- with close to 2 billion streams last year, representing a 143% increase year on year. The genre has garnered a huge following, with more than 240K playlists featuring Amapiano in the title and over 10M playlists featuring at least one Amapiano track. What's more, over 40% of Amapiano streams come from listeners outside South Africa.
Listeners on Spotify love tuning into the genre on weekday afternoons, with Friday evening peaks. 'Amapiano Grooves', Spotify's biggest Amapiano playlist, is most popular among 18-24 year olds, with listeners hailing from South Africa, UK, USA, Mozambique, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.
Here are the top exported Amapiano tracks on Spotify:
And here are the top exported Amapiano artists on Spotify:
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