![]() ![]() Nairobi has also long been the top city for Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz, Zuchu, Ali Kiba, and Rayvanny among other Bongo music stars. According to YouTube data on which cities artists are getting the most plays from, for instance, Nairobi currently ranks as the top city in the world for Burna Boy and Fireboy DML, second for Tiwa Savage and Davido, and fourth for Wizkid. Nigeria’s Afrobeats and Tanzania’s Bongo, for instance, are arguably the most popular genres in Kenya-East Africa’s largest economy-and often perform better in the country than music from Kenyan artists. Music has managed what politics and governance so far hasn’t, by rendering colonial boundaries that define the continent useless. The labels are also facilitating collaborations and partnerships between African artists and Western superstars and brands, continually exposing them to new audiences.īut while the rise is often attributed solely to the increasing international support, one underrated driver behind the growing international popularity of African music is the incredible intra-African support it receives. These labels today market, promote, and distribute African music in territories where a majority of music consumers previously haven’t interacted with Afrobeats, for example, resulting in African artists drawing in countless new fans everyday. It signals optimism in the financial potential of Africa’s music. The recent support of African artists by major record labels has also been a key factor. Global streaming revenues in 2021 were up 24.3% from the previous year to hit $16.9 billion, while overall music industry revenues rose by around 20% to reach $25.9 billion. Streaming revenues have been growing at an average rate of 43.9% since 2014 and now account for 65% of music industry revenues. Importantly, technology has made it easier for a global audience to discover artists from around the world. What is fueling the growth of Africa’s music?Ī mix of factors is driving this meteoric rise. Everyday has felt like a day of new firsts, whether it’s Burna Boy and Wizkid breaking streaming records and winning awards, or Tems topping charts and collaborating with the biggest artists in the world, or Billboard introducing its first Afrobeats chart in the US in March. Peru was one of the biggest songs of 2022, and scored an endorsement from the Peruvian government in addition to an Ed Sheeran remix.įor artists and the African music industry in general, the possibilities seem endless and optimism is high. Peru star Fireboy DML and Sungba hitmaker Asake are both signed to Olamide’s independent label YBNL (Yahoo Boy No Laptop) Nation, which itself signed a joint venture deal with Empire Distribution-an American distributor and label-in February 2020. Rema’s mega-hit Calm Down even got remixed by Selena Gomez in September. Warner’s 2019 agreement with Nigeria’s Mavin Records for example, is proving to be a fruitful partnership as since then, Mavin-affiliated artists including Ruger and Rema have broken into international markets with their hits. Major labels are also expanding their reach by working more closely with labels in Africa, helping develop the next generation of stars. Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, and Tiwa Savage all signed their major label deals within the past six years, and several others have signed more recently, such as Tanzanian sensation Diamond Platnumz and his Wasafi Records’ partnership with Warner announced in 2021, or the chart-topping Wait for U star Tems who last year also inked a deal with Sony subsidiary RCA Records. ![]() Warner, Universal Music Group, and Sony-the ‘big three’ labels which together control an estimated 69% share of the global music recording market-are tapping into the African music opportunity. When African countries made up 39 out of 80 new markets it expanded to in February 2021, Spotify cited its desire to accelerate the global discovery of new genres such as South Africa’s Amapiano, and to tap into the vibrant culture in these countries. ![]()
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