Spotify payouts to South African artists more than double in two years
Local listening in South Africa has boomed since 2022, and artists are enjoying increased Spotify revenue.
More news off the back of Spotify’s recent Loud & Clear report – this time from South Africa. Impressive growth for South African artists has been highlighted, as they earned nearly 400 million ZAR (around $21 million) through Spotify in 2024. That’s more than double what they earned in 2022, showing strong growth in just two years.
Spotify also shared that the number of South African artists earning over 100,000 ZAR ($5,300) and over 500,000 ZAR ($26,300) has doubled since 2022. This suggests that more local musicians are now reaching meaningful income levels through streaming.
On home turf, the appetite for local sounds appears to be growing fast. South African locals listening to South African artists has boomed, increasing 281% in the last three years. This also represents a staggering 96% YoY growth in 2024.
The success isn’t just limited to listeners at home, either. South African music is streamed globally for more than 600,000 hours every day on Spotify, fuelling what the company calls a 104% increase in export growth over the past three years. That’s great news for independent artists who want to reach fans beyond their borders and gain listeners around the world – something you can do for free when you distribute your music with RouteNote.
This update follows recent reports from Spotify focusing on other key music market, such as India and Nigeria, where local artists have also seen major changes in earnings and listening habits.
For independent musicians in South Africa and beyond, this is a clear sign that digital platforms like Spotify can provide serious opportunities to grow both income and fan base – at home and around the world. Having your music available on major DSPs enables fans to discover you and contribute towards the progression of your music career as a whole.