Bien, Sauti Sol and Wakadinali top Kenya’s Spotify Wrapped 2025 rankings

They performed strongly alongside international acts, including Drake and Kendrick Lamar, who ranked first and third respectively among all artists streamed in Kenya during 2025.

Spotify Wrapped 2025 for Kenya shows a shifting balance between long-established acts and a rising generation of performers, with local artists securing prominent positions across songs, albums and artist charts.

However, emerging artists registered some of the most notable gains. Njerae, Toxic Lyrikali and Watendawili each entered Kenya’s top streaming lists for the first time. Njerae’s ‘Aki Sioni’ was the most-streamed song in the country in 2025, ahead of both local and international releases. Spotify data also shows that listeners aged between 18 and 24 accounted for the highest volume of streams for the track.

Watendawili recorded four entries on the local songs chart with ‘Inakuballika’, ‘Matata’, ‘Cham Thum (Atoti)’ and ‘Hadi Kesho’, while Toxic Lyrikali placed two tracks, ‘Backbencher’ and ‘Chinje’, and was identified as the most-discovered artist in the country during the year.

Only three songs in Kenya’s top 10 were by non-Kenyan artists including ‘Luther’ by Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ‘Laho’ by Shallipopi and Chella’s ‘My Darling’.

Album performances also reflected a mix of continuity and new momentum. ‘Alusa Why Are You Topless?’ by Bien and ‘Midnight Train’ by Sauti Sol remained among the most-streamed Kenyan projects, while new releases by Njerae (‘Unintentional’) and Watendawili (‘En Route’) entered the top five local albums list. Asake’s work continued to attract Kenyan listeners, with multiple projects appearing in wider album rankings.

Beyond domestic consumption, several Kenyan artists expanded their international reach. Idd Aziz, Karun, Bien, Sauti Sol and Zum ranked among the most-exported Kenyan acts. Karun’s ‘Maharani’ and ‘Mrignaini’, Zum’s ‘Rebel’, and Francis Mercier’s collaboration ‘Kamili’ were among the Kenyan-linked tracks that performed strongly outside the country, alongside ‘Nairobi’ by Marioo and Bien.

Spotify’s data indicates that Kenyans spent more than 180 million hours on the platform in 2025. The most-streamed genres in the country were rap, hip hop, Afropop and Afrobeats.

Top Streamed Kenyan Artists

• Bien
• Sauti Sol
• Wakadinali
• Toxic Lyrikali
• Bensoul
• Watendawili
• Njerae
• Nyashinski
• Lil Maina
• Okello Max

Top Streamed Artists

• Drake
• Bien
• Kendrick Lamar
• Future
• Chris Brown
• Travis Scott
• Gunna
• The Weeknd
• Vybz Kartel
• Sauti Sol

Top Streamed Kenyan Songs

• Njerae – ‘Aki Sioni’
• Mutoriah – ‘Beta’
• Charisma – ‘Sina Noma’
• Matata, Watendawili – ‘Inakubalika ‘
• Bensoul, Bien – ‘Extra Pressure’
• Toxic Lyrikali, County Hype – ‘Backbencher’
• Toxic Lyrikali – ‘Chinje’
• Watendawili – ‘Cham Thum’
• Watendawili – ‘Hadi Kesho’
• Savara – ‘Show You Off’

Top Streamed Songs

• Njerae – ‘Aki Sioni’
• Mutoriah – ‘Beta’
• Charisma – ‘Sina Noma’
• Matata – ‘Inakubalika’
• Bensoul, Bien – ‘Extra Pressure’
• Toxic Lyrikali, Country Hype – ‘Backbencher’
• Kendrick Lamar – L’uther (with SZA)’
• Shallipopi – ‘Laho’
• Toxic Lyrikali – ‘Chinje’
• Chella – ‘My Darling’

Top Streamed Kenyan Albums

• Bien – Alusa Why Are You Topless?
• Sauti Sol – Midnight Train
• Njerae – Unintentional
• Watendawili – En Route
• Charisma – The Motions
• Sauti Sol – Afrikan Sauce
• KODONGKLAN – Disko
• Sauti Sol – Live And Die In Afrika
• Bensoul – The Party & The After Party
• Wakadinali – Ndani Ya Cockpit 3

Top Streamed Albums

• Bien – Alusa Why Are You Topless?
• SZA – (SOS Deluxe LANA)
• Sauti Sol – Midnight Train
• Playboi Carti – Music
• Kendrick Lamar – GNX
• SZA – SOS
• PARTYNEXT DOOR – $ome $exy $ongs 4 U
• Chris Brown – 11:11
• Njerae – Unintentional
• Tyla – TYLA