Spotify has unveiled Wrapped 2019, an annual end of year summary that reveals the top artists, albums, songs, playlists and podcasts streamed on the platform. ‘Wrapped’ showcases how more than 248 million people around the world listened to and discovered music and podcasts in 2019, taking a look at music, culture and streaming through the eyes (and ears) of the fans and artists that made it all possible.
Spotify has revealed that, globally, Post Malone is the most streamed artist this year. This is the first time the rapper-singer-songwriter tops Spotify’s Wrapped list, just over 12 weeks after dropping his latest album, Hollywood’s Bleeding, which is also the second most streamed album globally and the most streamed album in South Africa this year.
Khalid came in at the top spot for the most streamed artist in South Africa, followed by Post Malone and Drake.
AmaPiano dominated South African dance floors in 2019, so it comes as no surprise that AmaPiano breakout star Kabza De Small is the most streamed local artist in South Africa this year, followed closely by DJ Maphorisa, with Hip Hop mega star Nasty C taking the third spot.
Female voices were a force on Spotify in 2019, with Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande coming in as the second and third most streamed artists globally. Our second most streamed artist of 2019, 17-year-old singer/songwriter Billie Eilish, had an earth-shaking breakout year. She surpassed 6 billion streams this year alone, and her album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? is 2019’s most streamed album of the year on Spotify, marking the first time a female-led album has topped “Wrapped.” Billie Eilish also made it onto the most streamed artist in South Africa list at number 5 and WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? was the second most streamed album in South Africa. Shekhinah, who recently opened for legendary RnB singer Toni Braxton, remained the most streamed local female artist in South Africa. Lady Zamar,whose much anticipated second album Monarch, churned out more chart-topping hits, followed in second place with Afrikaans rock artist, Karen Zoid, claiming the third spot.
The year’s most streamed song globally is Señorita by Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello with more than 1 billion streams, followed closely by Billie Eilish’s hit track “bad guy” with more than 990 million streams.
While Post Malone and Billie Eilish dominated global streaming lists, they also featured prominently in South Africa’s most streamed songs for 2019. Post Malone claimed the first and fifth spots, with Sunflower featuring Swae Lee as the most streamed song and wow in fifth position and Billie Eilish’s bad guy taking the fourth spot.
Closer to home, South Africans showed their support for local artists with Drive by Black Coffee and David Guetta (featuring Delilah Montagu) maintaining its position as the most streamed song, spearheaded by a local artist. Fetch Your Life by Prince Kaybee and Msaki is the second most streamed song in South Africa, with Dames by Biggy, the song that became a viral sensation locally, in at number three.
Prince Kaybe and Kabza De Small also feature on the list of most streamed South African albums in South Africa. Prince Kaybee’s Re Mmino topped the list with Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa’s Scorpion Kings in the second most streamed album slot.
2019 was a massive year for podcast growth on Spotify. Globally there are now more than 500,000 podcast titles available on platform and Spotify’s global podcast audience has grown by more than 50% since the start of the year.
As part of Wrapped 2019, Spotify has launched the Wrapped Microsite that allows users to get a personalised Wrapped experience tailored just for them. For the first time, listeners will be able to access this experience directly in the Spotify app on mobile and tablet and via a website at spotify.com/2019.Results can be shared to Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook with a personalised “Wrapped” share card.
A snapshot of the “Wrapped” 2019 Top Global and South Africa results can be found below.
Spotify Wrapped 2019 – South Africa Top Lists
Most Streamed Artists in South Africa
1. Khalid
2. Post Malone
3. Drake
4. Ed Sheeran
7. Chris Brown
9. Beyoncé
10. J. Cole
Most Streamed Tracks in South Africa
1. “Sunflower” – Post Malone, Swae Lee
2. “I Don’t Care” – Ed Shereen and Justin Bieber
3. “Eastside” – Halsey, Khalid, benny blanco
6. “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Billy Ray Cyrus, Lil Nas X
7. “Señorita” – Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes
8. “Happier” – Bastille, Marshmello
9. “Someone You Loved” – Lewis Capaldi
Most Streamed Albums – in South Africa
1. Hollywood’s Bleeding – Post Malone
2. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? – Billie Eilish
4. No.6 Collaborations Project – Ed Sheeran
5. thank u, next – Ariana Grande
6. Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes
7. beerbongs & bentley’s – Post Malone
9. Indigo (Extended) – Chris Brown
10. Scorpion – Drake
Most Streamed Female Artists in South Africa
3. Beyoncé
4. Taylor Swift
5. Halsey
7. Rihanna
8. Nicki Minaj
9. Cardi B
10. Bebe Rexha
Most Streamed South African Artists in South Africa
2. DJ Maphorisa
3. Nasty C
5. Spoegwolf
6. Black Coffee
8. Sjava
9. Snotkop
10. AKA
Most Streamed South African Tracks in South Africa
1. “Drive” – Black Coffee, David Guetta, Delilah Montagu
2. “Fetch Your Life” (Edit) – Prince Kaybee, Msaki
4. “Amantombazane” – DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Mfr Souls, Samthing Soweto
5. “Akulaleki” – DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Samthing Soweto, Sha Sha
6. “Vula Vala” – DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Nokwazi, Vigro Deep
8. “Kokota” – Bizizi, KayGee DaKing, Killer Kau
9. “Gugulethu” – Afro Brothers, Indlovukazi, Prince Kaybee, Supta
10. “Whipped” – Nasty C, Shekhinah, Tellaman
Most Streamed South African Albums in South Africa
2. “Scorpion Kings” – Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa
3. “Emakhaya” – Mlindo The Vocalist
4. “Strings And Bling” – Nasty C
6. “Isphithiphithi” – Samthing Soweto
8. “Die Platinum Reeks” – Snotkop
9. “Africa To The World” – Sun-El Musician
10. “Alles Van Die Beste” – Die Heuwels Fanstasties
Most Streamed South African Female Artists in South Africa
1. Shekhinah
2. Lady Zamar
3. Karen Zoid
4. Simmy
6. Ami Faku
8. Zonke
9. Sho Madjozi
Most Streamed South African Male Artists in South Africa
2. DJ Maphorisa
3. Nasty C
5. Spoegwolf
6. Black Coffee
7. Sjava
8. Snotkop
10. AKA
Spotify Wrapped 2019 – Global Top Lists
Most Streamed Artists
1. Post Malone
4. Ed Sheeran
5. Bad Bunny
Most Streamed Albums
1. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? – Billie Eilish
2. Hollywood’s Bleeding – Post Malone
3. thank u, next – Ariana Grande
4. No.6 Collaborations Project – Ed Sheeran
5. Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes
Most Streamed Tracks
1. “Señorita” – Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes