Spotify charts 10 years of amapiano

19 Jun 2024 - 13:16

Spotify has launched an exclusive website charting the growth of amapiano over the past 10 years.

South African amapiano artist Kamo Mphela.

A Decade of Amapiano explores the global growth of the South African genre and its impact on the music industry. The site is complemented by an on-platform amapiano hub featuring pivotal playlists and podcasts discussing its origins, sounds and future.

Amapiano hit more than 1.4 billion streams on Spotify in 2023, with the COVID-19 pandemic period proving to be a game-changer. “In 2020, the genre hit its first 100 million streams, followed by 300 million streams in 2021, further solidifying its rising popularity,” Spotify said.

Originating from the townships and now making waves on global stages, amapiano not only serves an entertainment value but has become a tool amplifying the voices of South Africa’s young people, who use it to express their aspirations and showcase their resilience and creativity.

“The last time we saw a uniquely South African genre paint a clear picture of the state of South African groove culture was with kwaito spearheaded by the youth,” Spotify’s head of music in sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, said.

“What amapiano has managed to bring with it from the ground up locally and eventually globally is admirable, not only from a music point of view but also cultures. One of the most affirming parts of watching amapiano explode over the past decade is seeing how people use it for self-expression.”

Okumu says A Decade of Amapiano reinforces Spotify’s commitment to supporting the growth of home-grown music genres in Africa. In June last year, Spotify launched Afrobeats: Journey of a Billion Streams, a website dedicated to celebrating the Afrobeats genre.

Key amapiano data on Spotify over the past 10 years

345k%+ growth 2023 versus 2014
Over 855 million so far in 2024
153k%+ growth in export 2023 versus 2014
87% growth of female artists 2023 versus 2022
40% of listeners are between 18-24 years

Top amapiano tracks over the past 10 years

Mnike – Tyler ICU ft. DJ Maphorisa, Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA, Tumelo_za & Tyron Dee
Tshwala Bam – TitoM and Yuppe ft. S.N.E, EeQue
Imithandazo – Kabza De Small and Mthunzi, ft. Young Stunna, DJ Maphorisa, Sizwe Alakine & Umthakathi Kush
Dalie – Kamo Mphela, Tyler ICU, Khalil Harrison ft. Baby S.O.N
Abalele – Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Ami Faku
Yahyuppiyah – Uncle Waffles, Tony Duardo, Justin99 ft. Pcee, Chley, EeQue & Chley
Champion Sound – Davido, Focalistic
Abo Mvelo – Daliwonga ft. Mellow & Sleazy and M.J
Mina Nawe – Soa Mattrix, Mashudu, Happy Jazzman & Emotionz DJ
Awukhuzeki – DJ Stokie, Omit ST, Sobzeen, Zee_nhle

Top amapiano artists in the past 10 years