Spotify Wrapped 2025: Njerae, Toxic Lyrikali & Watendawili Break Into Kenya’s Top 10 Most-Streamed Local Artists
For the past two years, Bien, Sauti Sol, and Wakadinali have dominated Kenya’s Spotify landscape, consistently ranking among the Top 10 most-streamed local artists. Their influence has held strong even alongside global giants like Drake — Kenya’s most-streamed artist among 18–24 year-olds — and Kendrick Lamar, who also remains a major favorite. In 2025, Drake […]
For the past two years, Bien, Sauti Sol, and Wakadinali have dominated Kenya’s Spotify landscape, consistently ranking among the Top 10 most-streamed local artists.
Their influence has held strong even alongside global giants like Drake — Kenya’s most-streamed artist among 18–24 year-olds — and Kendrick Lamar, who also remains a major favorite. In 2025, Drake and Kendrick sit as the first and third most-streamed artists in the country.
But this year marks a major shift. Kenyans spent over 180 million hours streaming on Spotify in 2025, and a significant share of that attention has gone toward uplifting a rising wave of homegrown talent.
A New Wave Rising
Spotify Wrapped 2025 signals an exciting evolution for Kenya’s musical identity. Emerging artists such as Njerae, Toxic Lyrikali, and Watendawili have broken into the Top 10 most-streamed songs in Kenya for the first time — supported by strong album performances.
Njerae’s Unintentional and Watendawili’s En Route both debuted in the Top 5 most-streamed local albums, joining celebrated projects like Bien’s Alusa, Why Are You Topless?, which continues to resonate with 35–44 year-old listeners, and Sauti Sol’s Midnight Train. Together, they represent a moment where Kenya’s trusted legends and future-shaping voices share the spotlight.
Kenya’s Most-Streamed Song of 2025
The biggest milestone of the year is the song at the very top: Njerae’s “Aki Sioni,” which outperformed both local and international tracks to become Kenya’s most-streamed song of 2025 — with 18–24 year-olds leading the charge.
Only three of the Top 10 most-streamed songs this year are from non-Kenyan artists:
Kendrick Lamar – Luther
Shalipopi – Laho
Chella – My Darling (at number 10)
Watendawili further solidified their position with four songs in the Top local chart: Inakuballika, ft Matata, Cham Thum (Atoti), and Hadi Kesho.
Toxic Lyrikali also enjoyed a breakout moment as Kenya’s top discovered artist on Spotify in 2025. His raw, unfiltered sound secured two spots on the local chart — Chinje and Backbencher, landing at numbers 6 and 7. His rise is part of a larger movement proving that Kenyan artists aren’t just contributing to culture — they’re actively defining the nation’s sonic identity.
What Kenya Listened To
Streaming data reveals that four genres continue to dominate Kenya’s music appetite in 2025:
Rap
Hip Hop
Afropop
Afrobeats
These, alongside R&B, form the backbone of the country’s vibrant streaming culture. Spotify’s new “Listening Age” data also shows that Kenya’s average listening age is 28.
Export Titans Take the Global Stage
Kenya’s sound continued to travel worldwide in 2025, championed by export powerhouses such as Idd Aziz, Karun, Bien, Sauti Sol, and rising star Zum.
Karun had an exceptional year with her globally circulated hits Maharani and Mrignaini, going head-to-head with Zum’s infectious Rebel and Francis Mercier’s collaboration Kamili. Even Nairobi by Marioo and Bien extended the city’s heartbeat across continents.
Kenya’s Favorite Songs Across Five Decades
Listeners revisited hits from across the last 50 years, blending nostalgia with modern tastes. Top songs by decade include:
2020s: Njerae – Aki Sioni
2010s: Kendrick Lamar & SZA – All The Stars
1990s: Chris Brown & Jordin Sparks – No Air
1980s: Mario – Let Me Love You
1970s: Billie Eilish – Ocean Eyes
A Vibrant, Evolving Soundscape
“Kenya’s 2025 Wrapped reveals a music scene that’s more vibrant than ever. It’s inspiring to see how strongly Kenyans have streamed their own homegrown talent this year, championing rising voices while still celebrating the artists who’ve shaped the culture,” said Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa.
The year highlighted Kenya’s dynamic music ecosystem — one defined by increased local listening, boundary-pushing genres like Tecnobrega and 3 Step, and a growing global footprint. Kenya is boldly remixing, reclaiming, and exporting a fresh sonic identity to the world, setting the stage for an exciting and unpredictable future.
TOP STREAMED KENYAN ARTISTS
1. Bien
2. Sauti Sol
3. Wakadinali
4. Toxic Lyrikali
5. Bensoul
6. Watendawili
7. Njerae
8. Nyashinski
9. Lil Maina
10. Okello Max
TOP STREAMED ARTISTS
1. Drake
2. Bien
3. Kendrick Lamar
4. Future
5. Chris Brown
6. Travis Scott
7. Gunna
8. The Weeknd
9. Vybz Kartel
10. Sauti Sol
TOP STREAMED KENYAN SONGS
1. Njerae – Aki Sioni
2. Mutoriah – Beta
3. Charisma- Sina Noma
4. Matata, Watendawili – Inakubalika
5. Bensoul, Bien – Extra Pressure
6. Toxic Lyrikali, County Hype – Backbencher
7. Toxic Lyrikali – Chinje
8. Watendawili – Cham Thum
9. Watendawili – Hadi Kesho
10. Savara – Show You Off
TOP STREAMED SONGS
1. Njerae – Aki Sioni
2. Mutoriah – Beta
3. Charisma -Sina Noma
4. Matata – Inakubalika
5. Bensoul, Bien – Extra Pressure
6. Toxic Lyrikali, Country Hype- Backbencher
7. Kendrick Lamar – Luther (with SZA)
8. Shallipopi – Laho
9. Toxic Lyrikali – Chinje
10. Chella – My Darling
TOP STREAMED KENYAN ALBUMS
1. Bien – Alusa Why Are You Topless?
2. Sauti Sol – Midnight Train
3. Njerae – Unintentional
4. Watendawili – En Route
5. Charisma – The Motions
6. Sauti Sol – Afrikan Sauce
7. KODONGKLAN-Disko
8. Sauti Sol – Live And Die In Afrika
9. Bensoul – The Party & The After Party
10. Wakadinali – Ndani Ya Cockpit 3
TOP STREAMED ALBUMS
1. Bien – Alusa Why Are You Topless?
2. SZA – (SOS Deluxe LANA)
3. Sauti Sol – Midnight Train
4. Playboi Carti – Music
5. Kendrick Lamar – GNX
6. SZA-SOS
7. PARTYNEXT DOOR – $ome $exy $ongs 4 U
8. Chris Brown – 11:11
9. Njerae – Unintentional
10. Tyla – TYLA
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