R&B is enjoying a massive resurgence in South Africa, and music lovers are making their voices heard with every stream. New Spotify data reveals that South Africans spent more than 8.5 billion minutes listening to R&B in 2025, which is more than 142 million hours of slow jams, soulful vocals and heartbreak anthems.
The figures paint a picture of a genre that’s not only standing the test of time but finding a whole new audience. Young listeners are leading the charge, with people aged 18 to 24 accounting for 40.9% of all R&B streams in the country. Those between 25 and 29 years old make up a further 18.7%, proving that Gen Z and young millennials have fully embraced the sound.
Flying the South African flag is global sensation Tyla, who has emerged as the country’s most-streamed local R&B artist on Spotify this year. She is followed by fellow homegrown stars Sondae, Lloyiso, Elaine and Jordan G Welch, all of whom continue to shape the country’s modern R&B landscape.
Across Africa, listeners are also gravitating towards artists blending contemporary sounds with classic soul. The continent’s biggest R&B names in 2025 include Tyla, Tems, Ayra Starr, Omah Lay and Fireboy DML. Their songs, including Venus, Baby (Is It A Crime), Arike, Lost and Gimme Dat, have dominated playlists throughout the year.
Far beyond streaming
But South Africa’s love affair with R&B goes far beyond streaming.
Earlier this year, Johannesburg hosted another successful edition of Once Upon A Time In Joburg, one of the country’s premier R&B and neo-soul live music experiences. The event, headlined by acclaimed American singer SiR, drew passionate fans eager to celebrate the genre in a live setting.
Reflecting on his time in South Africa, SiR couldn’t hide his appreciation for the local audience.
“The audience is always wonderful when I’m out here. The people are always showing love and I definitely had a great time. I think this was one of my best shows,” he said.
The singer also spoke warmly about South Africa’s growing pool of R&B talent, revealing that local musician Manana left a lasting impression.
“Having experienced him, man, I’m a fan already,” SiR said. “To find out that my mother was already a fan, I was in tears.”
Spotify says curated playlists continue to play an important role in introducing listeners to new artists. Across Africa, Ginja remains the platform’s most-streamed R&B playlist, while editor-curated playlists such as Cocoa Butter and Afro R&B continue to drive music discovery.
Locally, Johannesburg remains the country’s biggest hub for R&B listeners, followed by Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban and Gqeberha. Across the continent, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Zambia have emerged as Africa’s biggest R&B markets.
ALSO READ: Tyla drops new single ahead of album release
- R&B is enjoying a massive resurgence in South Africa, and music lovers are making their voices heard with every stream.
- New Spotify data reveals that South Africans spent more than 8.5 billion minutes listening to R&B in 2025, which is more than 142 million hours of slow jams, soulful vocals and heartbreak anthems.
- The figures paint a picture of a genre that’s not only standing the test of time but finding a whole new audience.
- Young listeners are leading the charge, with people aged 18 to 24 accounting for 40.9% of all R&B streams in the country.
- Those between 25 and 29 years old make up a further 18.7%, proving that Gen Z and young millennials have fully embraced the sound.
