South Africa’s music industry is entering a new era of change and transformation.



The country’s local artists doubled their earnings since 2022 by generating R400 million ($21.24 million) in royalties last year. According to music streaming service Spotify’s 2025 Loud &amp; Clear transparency report, the “financial milestone” comes alongside explosive audience growth, with South African artists being discovered by first-time listeners over 1.1 billion times–a 55% increase since 2023.



“We&#8217;re not just supporting South African artists–we&#8217;re revolutionizing how they build sustainable careers,” Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify&#8217;s Sub-Saharan Africa Managing Director said in a statement. “Our ecosystem empowers artists to earn equitably from their talent while driving a powerful wave of cultural innovation that resonates globally.”



The report further highlighted that royalties for music performed in indigenous languages have skyrocketed, especially for South African local languages like isiZulu, Sotho, and Afrikaans, which has more than doubled since 2021.



Over 3,000 South African artists are featured on Spotify&#8217;s editorial playlists. The streaming service says it believes a substantial portion of royalties generated by South African artists came from international listeners.



“Global consumption of South African music averages over 600,000 hours daily,” the report reads. “Users have created approximately 220 million playlists featuring South African artists globally.”&nbsp;



Muhutu-Remy also highlighted how South African Grammy award-winning artist, Tyla Laura Seethal, recently surpassed one billion streams on Spotify with her global hit Water. This milestone made her the first African solo artist to achieve this.



“This historic moment cements Tyla’s place as one of the most influential new voices in music, solidifying the growing global impact of African artists,” Muhutu-Remy added.

Tag: Optimist Music ZA

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

South Africa’s Artists Doubled Their Earnings, Report Reveals