Apple Music launches Africa Now playlist

The Africa Now playlist includes songs from Africa’s biggest musicians and presents the latest releases from genres such as hip hop, gqom, Afrobeats, amapiano, Afropop, alté and kuduro, among others.

The playlist will be updated every week to track new music as it is released.

Apple Music says the Pan-Africanist ideal never died. It morphed into hybridised sonic fragments which connect Jozi to Nairobi via Lagos and Accra.

Africa Now launched with the 'African Giant' star Burna Boy as the artist on the playlist’s cover, and features his latest single ‘Money Play’ at the top.

“Apple Music is a huge support system for ensuring African music reaches as many ears as possible all over the globe," Burna Boy said. "As a 2019 Apple Music Up Next artist the impact of that honour is still bring felt today. So more grease to them. They’re family now, always love.”

Other artists featured on the playlist include Davido (Nigeria), Sho Madjozi (South Africa), Sarkodie (Ghana), Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small (South Africa), among many others.

The new feature marks an early start to the year by the music streaming service, after a number of improvements were made in the playlist arena by music streaming platforms in 2019.