Growing Spotify listeners as an Afrobeats artist
Updated 5 October 2026 · 2 min read
Afrobeats is one of the most globally distributed genres on streaming, and its audience sits far from where many of its artists are based. That distance shapes everything about how you pitch.
Where the audience is
Listenership is spread across West Africa, the UK, North America and increasingly Latin America and continental Europe, with large diaspora communities carrying the genre into markets that have no domestic scene for it.
Practically, that means your listener geography matters more than your local following, and you should read your own country breakdown before choosing who to pitch.
What curators want
Curators in this space are looking for production quality and a clear rhythmic identity more than a genre tag, because the label covers an enormous range of sounds. Describe the tempo, the percussion and the closest reference rather than simply writing Afrobeats.
Pitch curators in the markets your data already shows, including diaspora-heavy cities, and approach specialist radio shows and blogs that cover African music rather than general world-music lists.
The mistake to avoid
Assuming the genre label does the work. Sending an identical message to every African-music contact produces nothing; a line about the specific scene or city you belong to is what makes the pitch credible.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my listeners abroad?
Diaspora listening and genre editorial both travel. It is common for Afrobeats artists to have larger audiences outside their home market.
Which curators should I approach?
Those covering African music specifically, plus regional and diaspora-focused radio and blogs in the markets your data shows.
Should I sing in English or a local language?
Both are commercially viable. What matters more is that the pitch explains the record to someone who does not speak the language.
Keep reading
- Spotify Monthly Listeners by Country
Where your listeners actually are, why the city breakdown changes your whole promotion plan, and how to target a market deliberately.
- How to Pitch a Spotify Playlist Curator
What curators actually read, why most pitches are ignored, and a template structure for a short, specific pitch that gets a listen.
- Spotify Monthly Listeners: How the Numbers Are Distributed
The artist audience distribution is heavily skewed. Understanding the shape of it is what stops you misreading your own position.
- Growing Listeners in Indian and Bollywood
One of the fastest-growing streaming audiences, with distinct markets by language. How to pitch region by region rather than as one country.