South African music continues to dominate globally, with local artists earning more than R504 million from Spotify in 2025 alone.
The streaming giant revealed the figures during the launch of its annual Loud & Clear report held at its new Rosebank offices in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
According to the report, earnings by South African artists on the platform jumped by 28% compared to the previous year and have nearly doubled since 2023.
The latest numbers highlight the growing international demand for South African music, particularly genres like amapiano, Afro-pop and hip hop, which continue to gain traction across global markets.
Spotify also revealed that independent artists and labels are now taking a larger share of the industry’s success.
More than half of all royalties generated by South African artists on the platform last year came from independent creators, reflecting a major shift away from traditional label dominance.
The report further showed that local music is attracting listeners far beyond South Africa’s borders.
Nearly 74% of royalties earned by South African artists came from international audiences, underlining the global appeal of the country’s sound.
In another major milestone, South African artists were discovered by first-time listeners more than 1.6 billion times on Spotify in 2025, representing a 40% increase from the previous year.
Around 3,550 local artists were also featured on Spotify editorial playlists during the year.
Local listeners also continued supporting homegrown talent, with South African musicians accounting for 67% of songs featured on Spotify South Africa’s Daily Top 50 playlist.
The report highlighted the growing impact of female artists as well, revealing that streams for South African women in music increased by 22% locally and 20% internationally year-on-year.
Music performed in isiZulu also experienced major growth, with global royalties linked to isiZulu songs increasing by 37% over the past year and more than 120% over two years.
Speaking during the event, Spotify’s Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy praised South African artists for becoming a powerful creative force worldwide.
“Their success is driven by worldwide demand, ensuring that independent and local talent alike are being discovered by billions of listeners and taking the international stage by storm,” she said.
Although unable to attend the event, Solly Malatsi shared a statement applauding Spotify for recognising South Africa as a key creative hub on the continent.
Malatsi also encouraged the company to strengthen support for African languages, improve transparency and invest more in skills development within the music industry.
Responding during a panel discussion, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, said: “This is a challenge we accept as Spotify.”
Spotify added that African music has become a major cultural influence globally, with cities such as Johannesburg, Lagos, Accra and Nairobi helping shape worldwide music trends in real time.