Afropop musician Bien Aime Barasa has emerged as the ‘most streamed’ Kenyan music artist on streaming platform Spotify, solidifying his dominance in driving local music consumption up 93%.
- •According to Spotify Wrapped 2024, ‘Arbantone’ – a new club-worthy genre popular with the Gen-Z population and 85% of audiences between ages 13 to 17 – has established itself in the local music industry.
- •‘Nakam Sai’ by Lil Maina and Sosatheprodigyy, an Arbantone track, became the most streamed Kenyan song on Spotify; while others like From the Hood Music’s ‘Anguka Nayo’, YBW Smith’s ‘Lele’, and Dyana Cods’ ‘Set It’ also made it to the top ten ‘most streamed’ Kenyan tracks.
- •Arbantone’s efforts to break borders has been aided by content creators – mainly dancers – in the short-video platform, TikTok, who amplify the popularity of these songs to global audiences.
“Kenyan music is making its mark both locally and globally. Sauti Sol, though not in the top 10, still holds a strong position at number 12 of the top most streamed artists in Kenya, proving their enduring popularity, Additionally, the increased export of local Arbantone tunes shows Kenya’s music is steadily gaining recognition on global stages,” Spotify said.
Other notable Kenyan artists who topped the Spotify playlists in 2024 include Wakadinali, Sauti Sol, Bensoul, Lil Maina, Nyashinski, Okello Max, Chris Kaiga, Nviiri the Storyteller, and Otile Brown. Spotify noted that these artists belonged to different genres, acclaiming the diversity of Kenyan music.
“Spotify Wrapped 2024 provides a fascinating glimpse into the diverse musical landscape of Kenya. The data also reveals some intriguing generational trends. While Lil Maina, sosatheprodigyy ‘NAKAM SAI’ has taken the younger generation by storm, older Kenyans find solace in the heartfelt tunes of Israel Mbonyi and Christina Shusho,” the streaming platform stated.
For the 626 million active users globally, Spotify Wrapped gives them an opportunity to discover the artists and tracks they have listened to over a year. By offering personalized data, subscribers of the platform can easily identify themselves as fans of certain artists and share experiences with like-minded music enthusiasts.
Kenya’s Music Scene Is Still Nascent
The Kenyan music industry has been a tumultuous arena of debate over the years. In the mid-2000s, the airwaves were dominated by genres such as Boomba, Kapuka, and Genge – which entertained audiences in the larger East African region until their dissipation in the 2010s. In this decade, the Kenyan music industry plateaud as Nigerian and Tanzanian hits took over. Only Sauti Sol morphed into a musical beast in the ensuing decade.
The 2020s began with an experimental sound called ‘Gengetone’. This genre, popular with many young people, was highly criticized for being vulgar, explicit, and decidedly immoral. The Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB), then under Ezekiel Mutua, was always at loggerheads with this fresh batch of young artists who seemingly rebuffed his overtures. The standoff was complicated by the scarcity of alternative music forms.
The artistic movement has evolved over the last few years, with observable improvements in other genres even those sang in ethnic languages. While some may still regard ‘Arbantone’ problematic as its precursor genre, artists like Nikita Kering, Njerae, Okello Max, and Charisma are churning out good music that would augur well with more reserved audiences. The growth in the industry has also been witnessed in the quality of music videos and audio, revealing that capital investment in the sector has been on the ascent.
African music has been rallying itself to take over the world entertainment arena. Nigeria and South Africa have been doing extremely well, its artists breaking barriers and bagging awards previously reserved for American musicians.
Kenya has a long way to go in garnering continental influence and grounded authenticity in their craft. However, the rising prominence of previously underground artists on the continental charts shows that 2025 will be an interesting year if the stakeholders play their cards right.
Podcasts
Spotify Wrapped unveiled some of the most popular podcasts Kenyans streamed and listened to in 2024. They included ‘The 97s Podcast’, So This is Love, The Mkurugenzi Podcast, The Messy In Between, ShxtsNGigs, The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett, It’s Related. I Promise, Mic Cheque Podcast, The Sandwich Podcast, and the Success Addicted Podcast with the voice of Earl Nightingale.
Podcasts have become popular in Kenya due to the versatility and convenience it serves audiences. Unlike traditional radio stations, podcasts have a clearer view of their demography and a replayability aspect.