When Spotify rolled out its services in Kenya in February 2021, it stepped into a market eager for digital access to music. Five years later, the platform says Kenyan users have embraced streaming in ways that show steady growth, wider taste and deeper engagement with both local and international acts.
Figures released by Spotify show that listening has risen consistently each year since launch. The company summed up the trend in a simple phrase: “The big picture: listening keeps compounding,” Spotify said, noting a sustained upward pattern in streams.
After an energetic start, usage continued climbing. The average annual growth rate reached 68 per cent last year, supported by a youthful audience keen on discovering new releases and revisiting popular tracks.
Amapiano stands out as one of the biggest success stories. The genre, which began in South Africa, has seen streams in Kenya surge by +1,404 per cent between 2021 and 2025, reflecting its firm grip on local playlists.
Other styles have recorded rapid gains as well. Gospel and Praise music rose by +1,103 per cent, R&B by +737 per cent, Afrobeats by +680 per cent and Hip-hop/Rap by +520 per cent. The numbers show a broad appetite for different sounds rather than a focus on one trend.
Music performed in Kenyan indigenous languages is also drawing larger audiences. “Listening to music in Kenyan indigenous languages is rising sharply, both inside Kenya and beyond,” the report said. Local plays of such tracks grew by more than 101 per cent over five years.
Outside Kenya, the rise has been just as clear. In 2024, global streams of Kenyan indigenous-language songs increased by 128 per cent, with a year-on-year growth rate of 69 per cent, pointing to expanding reach beyond national borders.
Among the most-streamed artists in Kenya are Drake, Chris Brown, Future, Burna Boy and Travis Scott, showing that global stars remain firm favourites.
Top songs over the period include Asiwaju by Ruger, Rush by Ayra Starr and Bandana by Asake and Fireboy DML. Kenyan tracks such as Inauma by Bien, Aki Sioni by Njerae, Beta by Mutoriah and Sina Noma by Charisma also featured strongly.
The creator side has expanded alongside audience growth. Kenyan artists on Spotify have increased by +112 per cent since the service launched, giving more musicians access to listeners at home and overseas.
Engagement levels show how central streaming has become. In the past year, users in Kenya clocked more than 203 million hours of music. Podcast listening has surpassed 35 million hours since 2021, pointing to steady interest in talk content.
In a recent month, the average user streamed music from 124 different artists, a sign of varied taste. The typical listener in Kenya is 26 years old, reflecting the platform’s connection with a tech-savvy generation.
Playlist culture has flourished as well. Over five years, Kenyan users have created more than nine million playlists, shaping their own music spaces and sharing them widely.
Taken together, the data shows how digital platforms are changing how music is consumed in Kenya. Five years after launch, Spotify’s footprint reveals a lively mix of global hits, homegrown sounds and a growing love for music in local languages.
