Spotify names top 30 South African tracks with global impact in 2025

Tyla and DJ Maphorisa emerged as the most prominent artists on the list. Tyla secured three entries, including ‘Show Me Love’ with WizTheMc, Bliss, and the remix of ‘PUSH 2 START’ featuring Sean Paul and Davido. DJ Maphorisa led with five songs, among them ‘Abantwana Bakho’ with Kabza De Small and Nkosazana Daughter, ‘Uyaphapha Marn’ with Scotts Maphuma, and Sangena featuring Toss.

Collaboration featured strongly across the rankings. Major League Djz worked with British singer Jorja Smith on ‘Come With Me’, while Master KG extended his global reach with Ngishutheni alongside Eemoh and Goon Flavour.

Amapiano continued to dominate as a major cultural export. Tracks such as ‘Ngibolekeni’ featuring Blxckie, DJ Maphorisa and others reinforced the genre’s spread across global dance floors. The list also highlighted the variety of South African sounds gaining international traction, from Alice Phoebe Lou’s indie-pop with You and I and The Surface to Kingdmusic and Luma Elpidio’s gospel anthem ‘Jesus’. House music also featured through ‘Beautiful People (THEMBA Remix)’, a collaboration with David Guetta and Sia.

Spotify head of music in Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, said: “The 2025 Global Impact List proves that when collaboration fuels creativity, South African music becomes an unstoppable force. We’re not just seeing global reach – we’re seeing global influence.”

The full list of the 30 most internationally streamed South African tracks in the first half of 2025 is as follows:

Top 30 most exported South African tracks:

• Tyla, WizTheMc, bees & honey – ‘Show Me Love (with Tyla)’
• Tyla – ‘Bliss’
• Sean Paul, Tyla – ‘PUSH 2 START (Remix)’
• Davido, Musa Keys, Victony – ‘Holy Water (feat. Victony & Musa Keys)’
• AYA, Vanco – ‘Ma Tnsani (Yalla Habibi)’
• Jorja Smith, Major League Djz – ‘Come With Me (feat. Jorja Smith)’
• Eemoh, Goon Flavour, Master KG – ‘Ngishutheni’
• CIZA, Jazzworx, Thukuthela – ‘Isaka (6am)’
• Blxckie, DJ Maphorisa, ‘Kabelo Sings, LeeMcKrazy, Madumane, Pcee, Scotts Maphuma, Seun1401, Xduppy – ‘Ngibolekeni’
• John Summit, Julia Church, Kyle Watson, Sub Focus – ‘Go Back (Kyle Watson Remix)’
• DJ Maphorisa, Kabelo Sings, Scotts Maphuma, Seun1401, TNK MusiQ – ‘Uyaphapha Marn’
• Gentle Slope, Lintonto, Mustbedubz, Sgijalo Musiq, Xman Rsa – ‘Piki Piki’
• David Guetta, Sia, THEMBA – ‘Beautiful People (THEMBA Remix)’
• Naarly, Sickluv – ‘Lovers Walk (Naarly Remix)’
• GL_Ceejay, Jazzworx, MaWhoo, Thukuthela – ‘Uzizwa Kanjan’
• Alice Phoebe Lou – ‘You and I’
• AR/CO, Kasango, Shimza – ‘Fire Fire’
• Dominic Neill, Thunder – ‘Stay The Same’
• DJ Maphorisa, Enny Man Da Guitar, Focalistic, Mellow & Sleazy, Ricky Lenyora, Uncool MC, Xduppy – ‘Dlala Ka Yona’
• DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Nkosazana Daughter, Thatohatsi, Xduppy, Young Stunna – ‘Abantwana Bakho’
• Alex Wann, Shimza – ‘Skill Of Love’
• DJ Maphorisa, Mbuxx, Scotts Maphuma, Toss, Xduppy – ‘Sangena’
• Alice Phoebe Lou – ‘The Surface’
• Kingdmusic, Luma Elpidio – ‘Jesus’
• DESIREE, Disclosure, Pa Salieu – ‘King Steps (DESIREE Remix)’
• Dominic Neill – ‘Wild for the Night’
• Cassper Nyovest – ‘Kusho Bani’
• Yanga Chief – ‘What If? (Mngani)’
• EASY FREAK – ‘Old School Love’
• Mawelele and Naledi Aphiwe – ‘Romeo & Juliet’