The firm announced today it’s launching in over 85 markets and in 36 new languages internationally in a new global push against upcoming platforms. According to Alex Norström, Chief Freemium Business Officer of Spotify. “Launching in these new markets is a key next step to fulfilling our ongoing commitment to building a truly borderless audio ecosystem.” With over 345 million monthly active listeners and 150 million subscribers using its ad-free premium product across 93 markets, Spotify will not discriminate against its users in Africa but will offer them access to the global catalog as it continues to sign up more content from Africa. Apart from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, Spotify has launched in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Spotify has been available in South Africa since March 2018 for free or with an upgrade to Spotify Premium, a subscription service that offers an ad-free music listening experience giving its subscribers access to more than 70 million international and local songs, 2.2 million podcasts and over 4 billion playlists. The platform offers everyday new music and podcast discovery, algorithmic recommendations personalised to each listener’s audio taste, and the freedom to engage Spotify across a wide range of devices and app integrations with Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Samsung, Tinder, Google Maps, Nike, and more. In a statement, Phiona Okumu, Spotify Head of Music Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “We hope our new listeners are going to love the revolutionary audio experience we are bringing to the rest of the continent.” Spotify has uniquely tailored its music experience for Africa, expertly curated and updated regularly with more than 100 playlists across some of the most popular genres in the continent.
Genre Playlists: Bongo Flava, Made in Kenya, Gbedu, Naija Bars, Be Lifted, (+)233 Bars, Gwarn, Asakaa, Gengetone Fire and more. Thematic Playlists: Paper Chase, Chill Bops, Party Dey!, Troski Rhythms, Soloku, Sound Semester, Pump It Up and more. ‘Starring’ playlists: This Is Tekno, This Is Yemi Alade, This Is Stonebwoy, This Is Sarkodie, This Is Sauti Sol, This Is Diamond Platnumz and more.
Listeners will also have access to Spotify’s Afro genre hub that encompasses a wide range of African music, including AmaPiano Grooves, Afropop, African Heat, Phenomenal Woman. In addition, RADAR Africa, a playlist uncovering the most exciting artists on the rise from the African continent and diaspora, is part of Spotify’s global emerging artist program. In Kenya, listeners can upgrade to Spotify Premium for the ultimate Spotify experience for 299 Ksh per month. The Premium Family plan is available for 479 Ksh for up to 6 family members living under one roof. The Spotify Premium DUO (389 Ksh a month) is a subscription plan for two people living at the same home address, which includes Duo Mix, a regularly updated playlist made just for the two subscribers to discover audio they both love and enjoy together. Spotify Premium for Students will cost 149 Ksh per month. All subscriptions can be paid with M-PESA.
