Spotify has announced Nigerian music sensations Ayra Starr and Tems as the most streamed Nigerian artists globally. Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, made the announcement in Lagos, revealing the top 30 Nigerian artists with the biggest global streaming numbers on Spotify’s 2024 global impact list.
Rauw Alexandro and Ayra Starr’s “Santa” topped the list, followed by Ayra Starr’s “Comma” in second place and Tems’s “Love Me Jeje” in third. Luciano and Omah Lay’s “Another Vibe” came fourth, while Savage and Burna Boy’s “Metro Boomin Just Like Me” and Tyla and Tems’s “No.1” clinched fifth and sixth places, respectively.
Okumu highlighted that the list recognizes Nigerian tracks with the most global listens in the first half of 2024, released between January 1 and June 30.
Notable entries include Usher and Pheelz’s “Ruin” in seventh place, Reis B and Tempoe’s “Pretty Girl” in eighth, and TitoM, Yuppe, Burna Boy, and S.N.E’s “Tshwala Bam” in ninth.
Ayra Starr and Giveon’s “Last Heartbreak Song” is tenth, Victony’s “Everything” is eleventh, Aya Nakamura and Ayra Starr’s “Hype” is twelfth, and Tems and J.Cole’s “Free Fall” is thirteenth.
Okumu praised the global appeal of Nigerian music, particularly Afrobeats, which has captivated audiences with its rhythms, storytelling, and innovative sounds.
She noted that female artists, especially Ayra Starr and Tems, are leading with top-ranking hits, emphasizing the significance of international collaborations, with eight of the top ten
