Swedish music streaming service Spotify launched in South Africa a year ago. Today, on the anniversary of its launch, it’s dropped some data about which local artists and tracks have performed the best over the last 365 days… and there aren’t many surprises. Well, unless you’re second or third on the lists, perhaps. Awks.
To celebrate the occasion, Spotify also brought its MD for Middle East and Africa, Claudius Boller, to South Africa. We got to chat to him about how far the streaming service has come and where it’s heading. You can listen to that discussion over here.
The streaming landscape in South Africa is pretty crowded these days and includes Apple Music, Simfy Africa, Deezer, Tidal and the freshest face of the lot, YouTube Music Premium, which launched last night (though, really, it’s a rebranding of Google Play Music for all intents and purposes). Nonetheless, Spotify remains our favourite of the bunch thanks to its deep catalogue, collaborative playlists, ease of use, and a few other things only it offers.
When it launched in SA, Spotify was available in 64 other countries. Today that number is 79. In the interim, it’s also announced the acquisition of Gimlet Media and Anchor, which suggests the company hopes its service will become the default place people go to for podcasts, too. Oh, and it’s waded into the quagmire that is deciding whether or not artists’ actions should impact how we treat their art. But that’s enough of its recent history, let’s get into the details of the top local performers on the platform.
It’s nice to be Nasty, see?
The artist more South African Spotify users have streamed than any other in the last year is 21-year-old rapper, Nasty C. Black Coffee secured second spot, with AKA closing out the podium at number three.
Black Coffee comes out top when it comes to individual track streams, though (na na na na na), with the radio edit version of his tune ‘Drive (with David Guetta, featuring Delilah Montagu)’. Next up is ‘Collide’ by Lady Zamar, with ‘Fela In Versace’ from AKA in third spot.
Given its population and demographics, it comes as no surprise most Spotify streaming in South Africa happens in Johannesburg. It’s totally surprising, however, that 22 February was the day that saw the most streams. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Pop it like it’s hot
According to Spotify, y’all love pop most of all… with local hip hop coming a close second. Remarkably, though, and not mentioned in Spotify’s release is the fact that Afrikaans rapper Snotkop was the fourth most streamed artist. The fourth, folks. Look, we’re as relieved as you are that it wasn’t Steve Hofmeyr… but still. Can we all agree to try and do better next year? Thanks.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in listening to the top 50 most streamed tracks, they’ll be featured on one of Spotify SA’s most popular playlists of local content — Made in South Africa — today (13 March 2019) only. So, clickety click, yeah?
Without further ado, here are the official lists:
The top 10 most-streamed local artists (by South African Spotify users) since March 2018:
1. Nasty C
2. Black Coffee
3. AKA
4. Snotkop
5. GoldFish
6. Mlindo the Vocalist
7. Jeremy Loops
8. Fokofpolisiekar
9. Sjava
10. Prince Kaybee
The top 10 most-streamed local tracks (by South African Spotify users) since launch in March 2018:
1. Drive – Black Coffee ft. David Guetta, Delilah Montagu
2. Collide – Lady Zamar
3. Fela In Versace – AKA
4. Banomoya – Busiswa, Prince Kaybee, TNS
5. AmaBlesser (feat. DJ Maphorisa) – DJ Maphorisa, Mlindo The Vocalist
6. Particula (feat. DJ Maphorisa, Nasty C, Ice Prince, Patoranking & Jidenna) – Patoranking, Nasty C, Major Lazer, Ice Prince, DJ Maphorisa, Jidenna
7. Hold Your Kite (feat. Sorana) – GoldFish, Sorana
8. Bamthathile – Sun-El Musician, Mlindo The Vocalist
9. King – Nasty C, A$AP Ferg
10. iWalk Ye Phara – Moonchild Sanelly, K.O, Zulu Mkhathini, DJ Raybel, DJ Maphorisa
What’ll next year’s list look like? We’ll have to wait and… hear. Clearly, though, our Stuff office playlists have no impact at all, being as they are confined almost exclusively to metal, indie and — when we’re feeling nostalgic — the sort of things you’d hear on 702 on the weekends.
