According to a mid-year 2023 report by Luminate, the world of music has surpassed 1 trillion streams in just three months – a feat achieved a full month earlier than in 2022. The report also revealed that 69 percent of U.S. music listeners have a distinct preference for artists originating outside the U.S., with Latin music and K-pop leading the charge.
Jaime Marconette, Luminate’s senior director of music insights and industry relations said, “Specifically, our streaming data shows that Spanish and Korean language music is the most popular when taking a look at the top 10,000 most streamed songs (audio and video combined) during the first half of 2023.”
“Furthermore, Spanish-language music’s share of that top 10,000 has grown 3.6 percent since 2021, while English-language music’s share has dropped 4.2 percent in that same time,” he says.
This new data presents a golden opportunity for Afrobeats artists to ride this wave of international preferences and expand their fanbase.
Imagine this: Bad Bunny, the biggest Latino artist of the moment, is set to share the stage with Burna Boy, Wizkid, or Davido – the titans of Afrobeats. The crowd, a vibrant mix of cultures and backgrounds, waits with bated breath. As the first beats of a fusion track fill the air, there’s a collective gasp, then a cheer. This is more than a concert. It’s a defining moment in the evolution of global music.
Collaborations with leading artists from these popular genres could be the key to tapping into this dynamic and increasingly global music market.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Latin music was the second fastest-growing genre in the world in 2022, with a 25.9 percent increase in global revenue. This growth was largely driven by streaming accounting for 85.2 percent, with platforms like Spotify and Apple Music seeing huge increases in Latin music streams.
Afrobeats artists may not have gotten to work with Benito (Bad Bunny) but have worked with other names from the Latino community. The inescapable Afrobeats track ‘Calm Down’ by Rema featuring American pop star Selena Gomez is not slowing down this summer season becoming the number one song on American radio on July 1 2023 as it is unavoidably heard in ocean hangouts and grocery stores globally.
Burna Boy, who headlined the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick-Off Show by Pepsi alongside Brazil’s Anitta, who also has a huge listener base in the Latino community. In 2022, he collaborated with Colombian reggaeton superstar J Balvin on the song ‘Rollercoaster’ from his album ‘Love Damini’. The song was a fusion of Afrobeats and Reggaeton, and it proved to be a winning combination getting over a million streams across all platforms.
Another Afrobeats artist who is looking to break into the Latin market is Davido who recently collaborated with Puerto Rican singer Ozuna on the song ‘Eva Longoria’ from his 2023 album ‘Afro’ which features a mix of Afrobeats and Latin rhythms.
This potential collaboration between Bad Bunny and Afrobeats giants like Burna Boy, Wizkid, or Davido could be a game-changer, not only for the artists involved but also for the music industry at large. Fans of these artists have long been clamouring for such a fusion, and the response to any collaboration is likely to be overwhelming.
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Obi Asika, Nigerian music executive and founder of Storm 360, an indigenous music label, told BusinessDay that Afrobeats as a movement is on the move to target any market because of the synergy it has with other artists around the world. He said Afrobeats can work with any other artist around the world with the Latin market not an exception as it possesses original African influence.
This newfound love for international sounds may be a reflection of the growing global consciousness among listeners. Music has always been a universal language, and now, more than ever, it’s becoming a melting pot of diverse cultures, styles, and voices which opens doors for other artists who are looking to also expand their listener base.
“Afrobeats is in phase one of its global growth and journey, constantly refreshing with new sounds and new talents. And we can see Burna selling out stadiums and doing the champions league final as well as the NBA halftime show. Wizkid was on mainstage with a full set at Glastonbury and recently Davido was on stage at the BET Awards. With All of this happening the next phase of stars are coming through with Rema, Arya Starr, Asake, Ruger and now Odumodublvck and more,” Asika said.
The potential collaboration between Bad Bunny and the top Afrobeats artists could set the stage for a new era of musical fusion. With the Latin pulse meeting the infectious Afrobeats rhythm, music fans across the globe could find a new sound to fall in love with, reshaping the global music scene in the process.
In the end, this isn’t just about chart-topping hits or record-breaking streams. It’s about the global music community coming together, sharing their unique sounds, and creating something truly extraordinary.
