In an annual revelation of streaming trends, Spotify unveiled its “2023 Wrapped,” showcasing the most streamed male and female artists, tracks, albums, playlists, and podcasts in Nigeria. Asake, Burna Boy, and Davido emerged as the top streamed male artists, while Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, and Tems secured the lead positions among the female artists.
Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted the pivotal insights gleaned from the “2023 Wrapped.” She said that the dynamic nature of Nigerian music was reflected through the top streamed male artists: Asake, Burna Boy, and Davido, and female artists: Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, and Tems.
The top 10 streamed tracks in Nigeria encompassed hits like Asake’s “Lonely At The Top,” Bnxn’s “Gwagwalada,” and Davido’s “Feel,” among others. Furthermore, albums like Davido’s “Timeless,” Asake’s “Work of Art,” Omah Lay’s “Boy Alone,” and more captured the audience’s attention.
Local podcasts gained significant traction in Nigeria, with titles such as “The HonestBunch Podcast,” “I Said What I Said,” and “Koinonia Experience With Apostle Joshua Selman (ENI)” leading the charts.
Okumu accentuated the dominance of Nigerian artists, acknowledging their unwavering presence among the top streamed tracks and albums for the third consecutive year. Additionally, she highlighted Rema’s remarkable rise to fame, citing his collaboration with Selena Gomez on “Calm Down” as the first African-led single to achieve a billion streams on Spotify.
The streaming trends also reflected listeners’ evolving interests, with Mercy Chinwo, a gospel artiste, securing a spot among the top 10 streamed female artists, while 2Pac’s resurgence dominated the throwback charts, marking the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
Nigerians displayed an increased inclination towards local music, witnessing a substantial 284% surge in consumption, with a notable 150% rise in streams of female artists.
Key insights into listening habits revealed Friday afternoons, particularly 3 pm, as the peak time for indulging in music. Rema topped the list of most searched queries, while Burna Boy clinched the titles for the most searched and most viral artists. Asake’s “Lonely At The Top” claimed the first spot among the most viral tracks.
Spotify’s “2023 Wrapped” provided an insightful reflection of the Nigerian music landscape, demonstrating the nation’s robust pride in its musical diversity and talent.
