Tag: streaming

  • Wizkid Crosses 10 Billion Spotify Streams, Extending Afrobeats’ Global Run

    Wizkid Crosses 10 Billion Spotify Streams, Extending Afrobeats’ Global Run

    In an update published by The Guardian, Wizkid reportedly became the first African artiste to surpass 10 billion Spotify streams across all credits, reinforcing Afrobeats’ expanding global footprint.

    The milestone reflects catalog strength and the power of collaborations that pull African music into wider streaming ecosystems.

    It also boosts leverage for touring, brand partnerships, and label negotiations as streaming metrics increasingly shape market value.

    The Nation also reported “10billion Spotify streams,” while Vanguard similarly described him as the first African artiste to pass the 10-billion threshold.

    Echotitbits take: Watch the next strategic move—new releases and touring. Streaming dominance often precedes a major global tour cycle.

    Source: AfrobeatsMag — https://afrobeatsmagazine.com/wizkid-becomes-first-afrobeats-artist-to-reach-10-billion-spotify-streams/ January 10, 2026

    AfrobeatsMag 2026-01-10

    Photo Credit: AfrobeatsMag

  • The Kid LAROI releases ‘Before I Forget’ and leans into heartbreak storytelling

    The Kid LAROI releases ‘Before I Forget’ and leans into heartbreak storytelling

    Per PEOPLE, The Kid LAROI released his album Before I Forget on Jan. 9, leaning into more personal songwriting and reflective themes tied to heartbreak.

    The rollout is being read as both a creative pivot and a strategic reset, as fans comb through lyrics for real-life references.

    New-release coverage also keeps the project in wider pop conversation beyond core music audiences.

    • The Kid LAROI (Instagram): “It’s also the most personal thing I’ve ever made.”
    • Billboard (Web): “Friday Music Guide…” (new releases coverage)

    Echotitbits take: Personal albums travel faster when fans turn them into story content. Watch for the lead single push, interview run, and how the lyric narrative shapes the tour aesthetic.

    Source: PEOPLE — 2026-01-09 — https://people.com/the-kid-laroi-gets-candid-about-tate-mcrae-heartbreak-on-before-i-forget-11882119

    Source: RollingStone – https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/the-kid-laroi-before-i-forget-breakup-album-1235494202/ 2026-01-09
    Photo Credit: RollingStone

  • Rihanna’s Barbados groove sparks fresh global buzz for Shallipopi’s “Laho”

    Rihanna’s Barbados groove sparks fresh global buzz for Shallipopi’s “Laho”

    2026-01-02 09:00:00

    According to Pulse Nigeria, a short clip circulating online appears to show Rihanna vibing along to Shallipopi’s “Laho,” and fans are treating it like an unexpected Afrobeats co‑sign.

    The video has kicked off celebratory reactions across Nigerian social media, with listeners saying moments like this can accelerate global discovery.

    As the clip spreads, attention is shifting from “did you see it?” to “will the momentum translate into streams, Shazams, and playlist adds?”

    • HypeTribeNG (Instagram): “Rihanna vibing hard to shallipopi’s ‘Laho’ in Barbados.”
    • Officially Urban (Instagram): “Rihanna Vibing hard to Shallipopi’s ‘Laho’ in Barbados.”

    Echotitbits take: A casual celebrity moment can move faster than a label rollout—especially when it’s a global star connecting with a Nigerian sound in real time. If the clip keeps circulating, the smart play is for the camp to ride it with performance snippets, remix chatter, or a visual push that converts virality into sustained listening.

    Source: Facebook — January 2, 2026 — https://web.facebook.com/watch/?v=2299884327145462

    Facebook
    2026-01-02
    Photo Credit: Facebook

  • A 1962 Throwback Becomes TikTok’s 2025 ‘Track of the Year’ in a Surprise Global Revival

    A 1962 Throwback Becomes TikTok’s 2025 ‘Track of the Year’ in a Surprise Global Revival

    TikTok Newsroom (year-end music recap)
    2025-12-09 09:00:00

    According to TikTok’s Newsroom recap, Connie Francis’ “Pretty Little Baby” was crowned the platform’s 2025 ‘Track of the Year,’ showing how old catalog music can surge back into the mainstream through short-form video.

    The report highlighted how creators used the audio across wholesome family, pet and everyday-life clips—turning a vintage record into a modern soundtrack at massive scale.

    Rolling Stone wrote: “TikTok names Connie Francis’ 1962 hit ‘Pretty Little Baby’ the Top Global Song of 2025.”

    Forbes noted: “ ‘Pretty Little Baby’… garnered 68.6 billion views across 28.4 million TikTok videos this year.”

    Analysis/Echotitbits take: Expect labels to keep mining catalogs for “TikTokable” hooks. Watch next for sync deals, re-releases and playlist pushes that follow viral moments—and for which legacy songs become the next global audio trend.

    Source: TikTok Newsroom — Dec 09, 2025 — https://newsroom.tiktok.com/tiktok-reveals-the-top-artists-and-songs-of-2025?lang=en

     

  • Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Asake and Ayra Starr Dominate Spotify’s 2025 Afrobeats List

    Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Asake and Ayra Starr Dominate Spotify’s 2025 Afrobeats List

    Photo Credit: Ayomide T. Adebayo from Prudential Center , Newark NJ – Dec.12th, 2025

    Spotify has released fresh data on Afrobeats listening in 2025 – and Nigerian stars are front and centre. Burna Boy, Rema, Wizkid, Asake and Ayra Starr all feature prominently on the platform’s latest Afrobeats ranking, highlighting just how far the genre has travelled globally.

    The streaming giant noted that fans are now listening from Nigeria to Brazil and beyond, with songs by the Nigerian heavyweights placing highly in multiple territories. Burna Boy and Wizkid continue to enjoy deep catalog streams, while Rema’s global smash “Calm Down” refuses to slow down. Asake’s anthems and Ayra Starr’s hit singles also kept them locked among the most-streamed Afrobeats acts of the year.

    On Nigerian social media, the numbers were treated like a scorecard. Fans swapped bragging rights over who truly leads the Afrobeats wave, while others simply celebrated the fact that several Nigerian acts can now compete with global pop names on major platforms.

    Source: Instagram/ Punch Nigeria – report on Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Asake and Ayra Starr on Spotify’s 2025 Afrobeats list.