In 2023, South African dance genre Amapiano hit more than 1.4 billion streams on Spotify. The genre’s influence on the music culture in South Africa and beyond has seen the world embrace the Amapiano frenzy from dance challenges to inspired collaborations, fusions and fashion.
This critical influence has led to the launch of A Decade of Amapiano, a site looking at the past decade of Amapiano and its different key influences, complemented by an on-platform Amapiano destination with pivotal playlists and podcasts for anyone wishing to learn more about the genre’s origins, sounds and future. The Covid-19 pandemic proved to be a game-changing year for Amapiano’s growth on the platform. In 2020, the genre hit its first 100 million streams, followed by an impressive 300 million streams in 2021, further solidifying its rising popularity.
On June 14, 2024, Spotify launched A Decade of Amapiano in the lead up to South Africa’s commemoration of Youth Day. June 16 marked a turning point for the country’s youth and their quest for freedom and justice. Today, they use Amapiano as a platform to amplify their voices, freely express their aspirations and showcase their resilience and creativity.
In June 2023, Spotify launched Afrobeats: Journey of a billion streams, a website dedicated to celebrating the Afrobeats genre. Originating from South African townships to the global stages, A Decade of Amapiano tracks the genre’s ascend to the music throne showcasing the journey and high.
