French-language content sees 192% explosion on Spotify
A francophone content report from Spotify has revealed a global audience’s growing appetite for French audio content.
According to Spotify’s recent francophone content report, streams of Francophone music have jumped 192% worldwide since 2019. In 2024 alone, more than 123 million people listened to French-language content on the platform – and over 100 million of them were not based in traditional French-speaking regions like France, Quebec, Belgium, or parts of Africa.
This boom in French-language audio goes well beyond music. Since 2019, streams of French podcasts have grown by a huge 1,888%. And since Spotify introduced French-language audiobooks in late 2024, listeners around the world have streamed thousands of hours – often outside of francophone territories.
On average, French-language content is now streamed for more than 64 million hours per month globally. While France and Quebec remain central hubs for francophone music, countries across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia are showing increased engagement.
Gustav Gyllenhammar, Spotify’s VP of Markets and Subscriber Growth, said: “Francophone music is thriving – not just in French-speaking regions, but across Asia, Latin America, Africa, and beyond. From local podcasts to global chart-toppers, creators are connecting with listeners regardless of language.”
Spotify’s most-streamed French-language song of 2024 actually originates in Canada – ‘Je te laisserai des mots’ by Patrick Watson from Montreal. The track racked up an impressive 6.6 million streams worldwide. The most-listened-to francophone artist on Spotify is Belgian singer and rapper, Stromae. Other top artists include Aya Nakamura, GIMS, Angèle, Soolking, and Charlotte Cardin.
Quebec continues to support its own scene, with 47% of local Spotify users streaming French music, podcasts, or audiobooks. Quebecois artists like Les Cowboys Fringants and Enima are gaining international fans, while French-speaking African artists such as Magic System, Sidiki Diabaté, and Amadou & Mariam are helping shape the global sound.
French-language songs are also appearing more frequently in curated playlists, with Spotify reporting a 26% rise in playlist adds between 2023 and 2024.
Audiobooks has only been a feature available to premium Spotify users in France since October 2024, but its reception demonstrates just how welcome this addition to the platform was. According to Spotify, each month almost 12,000 hours of French audiobooks are streamed in countries where French is not the primary language. Again, Quebec pays a significant contribution in talent to this growing consumption, with five of the 10 most-listened-to francophone audiobooks in North America coming from Quebec.
As Gustav Gyllenhammar said, ““This isn’t a passing trend. We’re witnessing a lasting shift in how the world consumes music.” Evidently, the same can be said of other audio formats – such as podcasts and audiobooks.
As the global audience for French audio continues to grow, it’s clear that language is no longer a barrier to musical discovery, but a gateway.