November 30, (THEWILL) – Spotify, global online streaming platform has announced Nigerian Afrobeats artistes, Ahmed Ololade, known professionally as Asake, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burnaboy and David Adedeji Adeleke, better known as Davido, as the most streamed musical artistes on its platform in 2023.
Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa, revealed this, also unveiling the top female artists of the year, with Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, and Tems, leading the charts in 2023, as disclosed in a statement on Wednesday.
Okumu, highlighted that this information is part of Spotify’s ‘2023 Wrapped’, delving into the top 10 most streamed artists (male and female categories), tracks, albums, playlists, and more.
“The top 10 most streamed artistes on Spotify for the male category are: Asake, Burna Boy, Davido, Seyi Vibez, Omah Lay, Bnxn, Rema, ODUMODUBLVCK, Olamide and Wizkid.
“For female category, we have: Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, Tems, Rihanna, SZA, Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Libianca and Mercy Chinwo.
“Top 10 most streamed tracks on Spotify in Nigeria are: ‘Lonely At The Top’ by Asake, ‘Gwagwalada’ by Bnxn ft Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez, ‘Feel’ by Davido, ‘2:30‘ by Asake, ‘Reason’ by Omah Lay.
“Others are: ‘Party No Dey Stop’ by Adekunle Gold, ‘Soso’ by Omah Lay, ‘Declan Rice’ by Odumodublvck, ‘Kante’ by Davido featuring Fave and ‘Amapiano’ by Asake ft Olamide.
“Nigeria is a hotbed of musical talent, and we are incredibly proud to showcase the diversity and passion of Nigerian music lovers through Wrapped.
“This year’s Wrapped is a testament to the power of music to connect people and bring them closer to the culture and traditions of Nigeria,” Okumu said.
She revealed that Rema, Burna Boy, Tems, Ayra Starr, Wizkid, Ckay, Omah Lay, Fireboy DML, Asake, were the most exported Nigerian artists.
For top 10 most streamed albums, we have: ‘Timeless’ by Davido, ‘Work of Art’ by Asake, ‘Boy Alone’ by Omah Lay, ‘Eziokwu’ by Odumodublvck, ‘I Told Them’ by Burna Boy, ‘Rave & Roses Ultra’ by Rema, ‘Mr Money With The Vibe’ by Asake, ‘Sincerely, Benson’ by BNXN, ‘Love, Damini’ by Burna Boy and ‘Unruly’ by Olamide.
“The top 10 most streamed local podcasts in Nigeria are: Apostle Joshua Selman with KOINONIA, The HonestBunch Podcast, I Said What I Said, Tea with Tay, Menisms, So Nigerian, Love & Lust in Lagos and Toke Moments.
“Also, the top 10 most streamed Spotify playlists are : Hot Hits Naija, Gbedu, African Heat, Traffic Jams Naija Street Energy, New Music Friday Naija, Afropop, Afro Party Anthems, Afro Hits and Party Dey!,” she said.
Okumu highlighted that, for the third consecutive year, Nigerian artists and songs dominated the country’s top ten most streamed list, showcasing Nigeria’s unwavering pride in its music. In 2023, Nigerian music surged globally, reaching unprecedented heights and shattering barriers.
She specifically pointed out Rema’s extraordinary rise to fame as one of the genre’s brightest stars.
She highlighted that Rema’s collaboration with American pop star Selena Gomez on the hit single ‘Calm Down’ not only garnered him a global fanbase but also marked a historic achievement as the first African-led single to surpass a billion streams on Spotify.
“A landmark achievement for African artistes, this song is the first by a Nigerian Afrobeats artist to feature on the top 10 chart of most streamed recordings globally on Spotify.
“It also tops the Nigerian song export chart, solidifying its position as a global musical phenomenon.
“Rema and Asake have also cemented their positions as Afrobeats’ global ambassadors, with Rema holding the title of the most globally exported artiste and Asake captivating audiences across Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo, earning him the coveted title of most streamed artist in each country.
“This continued international success further underscores the enduring appeal of Afrobeats as the most exported genre of the year,” she said.
According to Okumu, Ayra Starr, a Spotify RADAR alumnus and first-time Grammy Nominee, won the title of the most streamed female artist in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Additionally, gospel artist Mercy Chinwo secured a spot among the top 10 most streamed female artists in Nigeria, emphasising the enduring popularity and influence of gospel music.
Okumu also pointed out that the throwback charts for 2023 were dominated by the legendary 2Pac, with his song ‘Hit ‘Em Up – Single Version’ and album “Greatest Hits” securing the top spots.
“Rema topped the list of most searched queries, while Burna Boy topped the list of both most searched artistes and most viral artistes. Asake’s Lonely At The Top claimed the first spot on most viral tracks,” she said.
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