Spotify, the online streaming platform, has revealed its top 10 exported Amapiano tracks on its streaming line. In a statement made on Monday in Lagos, Jocelyne Muhutu‑Remy, Managing Director for Spotify in Sub‑Saharan Africa, highlighted the genre’s growing global reach. The News Agency of Nigeria notes that Amapiano is a sub‑genre of house music that emerged in South Africa in the mid‑2010s, blending deep house, jazz and lounge music with synths and wide percussive bass lines.
Muhutu‑Remy listed the top exported Amapiano tracks as “Abo Mvelo” (feat. Mellow & Sleazy & M.J), “Love & Loyalty” (Believe), “Ameno Amapiano Remix” (You Wanna Bamba), “Big Flexa”, “Hamba Wena”, “WATAWI” (feat. Davido, Focalistic & Abidoza), “Abalele”, “Mina Nawe”, “Champion Sound” and “Tanzania”. She also identified the leading exported Amapiano artists on Spotify: DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Focalistic, Young Stunna, Mellow & Sleazy, DBN Gogo, Costa Titch, Major League Djz, Kamo Mphela and Daliwonga.
“The unique sound and infectious beats of Amapiano have captivated audiences worldwide and will keep fans dancing for years to come,” Muhutu‑Remy said. “As more artists emerge and push the genre’s boundaries, Amapiano is set to become a mainstay in the global music scene.” Listeners on Spotify tend to tune into the genre on weekday afternoons, with peaks on Friday evenings. Spotify’s biggest Amapiano playlist is most popular among 18‑ to 24‑year‑olds, with listeners from South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe. She added that Spotify’s platform has helped Amapiano expand its reach, connecting the genre to a diverse global audience. With steady growth and a dedicated fanbase, Amapiano is poised to continue its success on Spotify and beyond.
Muhutu‑Remy described Amapiano as arguably South Africa’s hottest cultural export at present. To showcase the genre, Spotify is hosting media and influencers from across the continent on an Amapiano tourism experience. The event allows artists and influencers to share the genre’s roots, the power of collaborations, and how streaming is exporting local music worldwide. Designed around Spotify’s most popular Amapiano playlists, the tour highlights South African and Amapiano culture for guests from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.
In partnership with South African Tourism, the tour begins with “Amapiano 101,” detailing the genre’s background and offering a tour of its origins in townships such as Mamelodi, as well as other popular spots in Soweto. The “Amapiano Grooves” segment showcases the impact of clubs on the music, while cultural stories—like “Mogodu Monday,” a tradition of celebrating the least popular day of the week with tripe and music—are also featured. Participants have the opportunity to meet local artists in the studio and see where the music is created.
One of South Africa’s top five exported Amapiano artists, Focalistic, joined the first leg of the tour at Jack Budha in Mamelodi, one of the genre’s birthplaces, to share its origin story. “Spotify data shows just how popular Amapiano is, both at home and worldwide—close to 2 billion streams in 2022, a 143 percent year‑on‑year increase,” Muhutu‑Remy noted. “The genre has garnered a huge following, with more than 240 000 playlists featuring Amapiano in the title and over 10 million playlists containing at least one Amapiano track. Over 40 percent of Amapiano streams come from listeners outside South Africa.”
Nigerian artist WurlD, who attended the first day of the tour, explained the genre’s global appeal: “Music is spiritual; Amapiano is spiritual. I was a fan watching from a distance. Music is energy, and what people experience with Amapiano is the heart and soul of the people of South Africa.”
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