Spotify has announced the launch of Afrobeats: Culture in Motion, a project on the genre’s evolution from a regional sound into a global cultural force over the last five years and the major players sustaining its momentum.

The project is anchored on a new Spotify documentary, Culture in Motion, which spotlights the next generation of Afrobeats artists. This is complemented by an immersive microsite on Spotify’s newsroom, For the Record, that breaks down the movement across five key pillars using exclusive interviews, expert context, and fresh Spotify listening data.

The five pillars the microsite reveals include sound evolution, which has been on quite a rise, as revealed by Spotify data. According to the data, Afrobeats have grown into a more emotionally resonant genre, with introspective and emotionally charged vocals now accounting for 38% of global streams. Additionally, in its expanding reach, the genre’s listenership has spread into Latin markets, growing more than 180% year over year, with Brazil up 500% since 2020.

The role of female artists in the genre’s global success is also in the project’s focus. With Tems becoming the first African female artist to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams for a single track, and Ayra Starr’s Nigerian streams rising more than 3,000% since 2020, their influence is evident. Meanwhile, the genre’s visual language, from Rema’s Benin history homage at London’s O2 Arena to Tems lighting up the Oscars and the Met Gala, is also highlighted as a profound influence on the culture as much as the sound. 

For further exploration, there’s more on Spotify’s Afrobeats Destination and the accompanying media kit.