Apple Music expands African playlist selection

The move forms part of a vision to “represent all regions, genres, and scenes across sub-Saharan Africa.” 

The music streaming giant boasts a catalogue of more than 100 million songs, and the latest additions to its African playlist hub include Hits Afrique, Afro Folk, Bongo Flava, Africa’Jazznation, Afro-Fusion, Rap Ivoire, Afrikaans in Spatial Audio, and Afrobeats in Spatial Audio.

Hits Afrique brings together the most popular tracks from Francophone Africa, while Afro Folk blends African storytelling with neo soul and alternative sounds. Bongo Flava features tracks that fuse Western R&B, hip hop, dancehall, Afrobeats, traditional Taarab and dansi sounds, and the new Rap Ivoire playlist highlights Côte d’Ivoire’s burgeoning hip hop scene, reflecting the new realities of urban life.

Afro-Fusion combines the sonic traditions of styles like Soukous and Ndombolo with R&B, pop, jazz, and hip hop, while Africa’Jazznation presents a cross-section of contemporary African jazz, showcasing notable collaborations that transcend the continent’s borders.

Apple Music has also launched two new immersive listening experiences: Afrobeats in Spatial Audio and Afrikaans in Spatial Audio. These playlists feature premier artists in each genre and promise to offer a unique and dynamic audio experience for listeners.

In addition to these new offerings, Apple Music has announced the upcoming launch of a new app dedicated to providing users with an extensive classical music catalogue later this month.

Listen to Apple Music’s new African playlists by following the links below:

• Hits Afrique
• Afro Folk
• Bongo Flava
• Africa’Jazznation
• Afro-Fusion
• Rap Ivoire
• Afrobeats in Spatial Audio
• Afrikaans in Spatial Audio