Omanghana
Nigerian music superstar Burna Boy has made history by becoming the African artist with the highest number of monthly listeners on Spotify, surpassing the previous record held by South African singer Tyla.
The Grammy Award-winning artist reached a record-breaking 47.4 million monthly listeners, eclipsing Tyla’s previous peak of 46.58 million and setting a new benchmark for African music on the global streaming platform.
World Cup Anthem Fuels Record-Breaking Rise
Burna Boy’s latest milestone has been largely driven by the worldwide success of “Dai Dai,” his collaboration with Colombian pop icon Shakira.
The song serves as the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and gained enormous international attention following its high-energy performance during the tournament’s opening ceremony.
Since then, the track has become one of the biggest global hits of the year, climbing to No. 1 on Spotify’s Global Top Songs chart while enjoying strong radio airplay and streaming numbers across Europe.
“Dai Dai” has also reached No. 1 in Spain and secured top-five chart positions in France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, further expanding Burna Boy’s global audience.
Burna Boy Leads Africa’s Spotify Rankings
The achievement places Burna Boy at the top of Spotify’s African artist rankings and positions him to potentially become the first African musician to surpass 50 million monthly listeners on the platform.
The current all-time monthly listener records among leading African artists are:
- Burna Boy – 47.4 million
- Tyla – 46.58 million
- Tems – 40.64 million
- Rema – 29.43 million
The milestone highlights the growing international influence of African music, with Afrobeats and related genres continuing to attract millions of listeners worldwide.
Success Built on More Than One Hit
While the World Cup anthem has accelerated Burna Boy’s rise to the top of Spotify’s rankings, industry analysts say the record reflects years of sustained international success rather than a single viral release.
The Nigerian star has built one of Africa’s strongest global catalogs through a series of critically acclaimed albums and chart-topping singles that have expanded his fan base across multiple continents.
Among his most enduring hits is “Last Last,” released in 2022, which is approaching 600 million streams on Spotify and remains one of the platform’s most successful Afrobeats songs.
Another Milestone for African Music
Burna Boy’s latest achievement marks another significant moment for African artists on the global music stage, demonstrating the growing reach of African music across streaming platforms and international markets.
With “Dai Dai” continuing to dominate playlists during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and his catalog attracting millions of new listeners, Burna Boy appears well positioned to extend his record and potentially become the first African artist to cross the 50-million monthly listener milestone on Spotify.
Source: Omanghana
