Spotify Launches 'Afrobeats: Culture In Motion' Global Project Documenting Genre's Evolution

Spotify has introduced 'Afrobeats: Culture In Motion,' a global project that delves into the evolution of the Afrobeats genre over the past five years. This initiative seeks to showcase how Afrobeats has transitioned from a regional sound to a significant global cultural force.

With over 240 million discoveries on Spotify worldwide in the last 12 months alone, the project includes a new Spotify documentary, 'Culture In Motion,' which features the next generation of Afrobeats artists. The initiative also comprises an immersive microsite on Spotify's newsroom, offering exclusive interviews, expert insights, and fresh Spotify listening data to analyze the genre's transformative journey.

Afrobeats has become emotionally resonant, with introspective and emotionally charged vocals accounting for 38 billion global streams. The genre's popularity is rapidly expanding, with a 180% year-on-year growth in listenership in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, which saw a 500% increase in streams in 2020.

Notably, female artists are at the forefront of Afrobeats' global success, with Tems becoming the first African female artist to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams for a single track.