Music streaming platform hosting billions of streams, used to track African artist milestones and facing challenges with AI-generated content and piracy.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
Ghanaian music duo DopeNation has secured a spot on Spotify’s highly anticipated 2026 Songs of Summer Predictions list with their hit single, ‘Kakalika.’ The track was selected by Spotify’s global editorial team as one of 30 songs expected to define the summer season across the N …
DopeNation’s ‘Kakalika’ earns spot on Spotify’s Global Songs of Summer listJoy Online
Italy’s financial police said on Friday they had busted a sophisticated streaming piracy network that caused roughly €300 million ($348 million) in damages to rights holders such as Sky, DAZN, Netflix, Disney+ and Spotify. …
Italy busts €300 million streaming piracy ringJoy Online
Wizkid, a prominent Nigerian Afrobeats musician, has made history as the first African artiste to surpass 11 billion total streams on Spotify across all credits. …
Wizkid becomes first African artiste to hit 11 billion Spotify streamsJoy Online
… Speaking in a recent interview with Spotify, the Sungba crooner said Lagos inspired many of his songs. …
Many musicians far more talented than me but not heard – AsakeJoy Online
… Mr Agorzor explained that although platforms such as Spotify, Boomplay, Audiomack, and Apple Music have expanded global reach, revenue remains a major concern. …
MTN Ghana hosts first Digital Music Conference to tackle artistes revenue challengesJoy Online
Universal Music Group said on Wednesday it would sell half of its equity stake in Spotify and double its share buyback programme, as it reported first-quarter revenue held back by a weaker U.S. …
Universal Music to sell half its Spotify stake for buybacks, Q1 hit by weak dollarJoy Online
… Platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal turned access into abundance. Today, more than 600 million people worldwide use music streaming services, and global streaming revenue crossed $19 billion in 2024, accounting for over 65 percent of total recorded music income. …
The dirty secret powering some of music’s biggest hitsBusiness & Financial Times
… Globally, companies like Spotify and Airbnb have mastered this. Their platforms are designed to guide users step-by-step — from first interaction to habitual use. …
Digital growth: Why customer journeys matter more than campaignsJoy Online
… She has also applied to trademark audio of herself saying “Hey, it’s Taylor” and “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” from clips she recorded for Spotify and Amazon Music to promote her album The Life of a Showgirl last autumn. …
Taylor Swift files to trademark voice and image after AI concernsJoy Online
… Finding his Spotify playlists increasingly sprinkled with tracks he suspected were AI-generated, the Leipzig-based software developer built a tool to automatically label and block them from his listening. …
Why Spotify has no button to filter out AI musicNigerian superstar Burna Boy has sold 14.46 million equivalent album units, making him Africa's best-selling artist of all time according to music data aggregator Chartmasters. He is also Africa's best-selling touring artist.
23 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Nigerian superstar Burna Boy has sold 14.46 million equivalent album units, making him Africa's best-selling artist of all time according to music data aggregator Chartmasters. He is also Africa's best-selling touring artist.
23 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Nigerian singer Burna Boy became the first male artist to reach number 1 on Spotify's newly launched Global Music Video Chart with his World Cup song "Dai Dai" featuring Shakira. The song also peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and is the most-streamed music video of 2026 on YouTube.
23 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer best known for the 1980s hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart," has died aged 75. Born Gaynor Hopkins in a Neath council house, she was discovered by talent scout Roger Bell in a Swansea club and went on to a 50-year career dubbed the "female Rod Stewart" for her husky vocals.
9 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghanaian stars Gyakie and Amaarae have secured positions among the top ten most successful African female artistes according to Tanzania Charts, backed by millions of streams on platforms like Spotify alongside peers such as Nigeria's Tems and Ayra Starr. Amaarae's sophomore album Fountain Baby has surpassed 1 billion streams, while Gyakie's breakthrough single "Forever" earned over 150 million streams and double-platinum certifications in South Africa.
6 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
Nigerian singer Burna Boy has broken the all-time record for most monthly listeners by an African artist on Spotify, hitting 46.84 million monthly listeners and surpassing the previous African record of 46.58 million set by South African singer Tyla. The surge is primarily led by his World Cup song with Shakira, 'Dai Dai.'
3 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Michael Jackson movie has become the highest-grossing biopic of all time after earning $977 million at the worldwide box office, surpassing director Christopher Nolan's 2023 film about theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Tieme Music, founded in 2022 by Franck Osei-Mensah and Charlène Osei-Mensah with bases in Accra and Paris, has become the #1 music distribution platform in Ghana by 2025 and reached over 6,000 artists while signing seven major talents to its label services. The company has earned 17 nominations at the Telecel Ghana Music Awards and international recognition including nominations at the Trace Music Awards, the Headies, and two nominations at the Les Flammes Awards in France.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghanaian artist Moliymusic has released her single "Jetski (FRIKI)" featuring Dominican artist Yailin La Más Viral and Ghanaian dancehall artist Theodora Bossy. The track blends Afrobeat, Latin, and dancehall elements and is available on all major streaming platforms.
24 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Grammy-nominated Malian singer, songwriter, guitarist and actress Fatoumata Diawara has been announced as Spotify's EQUAL Africa artist for June. Known for blending Mali's Mandinka traditions with global contemporary sounds and collaborations with artists including Damon Albarn and Gorillaz, she is set to release her solo album MASSA in June 2026.
10 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghanaian artist Stonebwoy's 10-track album TORCHER II has surpassed one million viewership on Spotify, following its exclusive March 2026 launch and wider release in May 2026. The project blends Afro-dancehall, reggae, and introspection, exploring themes of perseverance and spiritual grounding.
8 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Ghanaian duo DopeNation's track "Kakalika" has been selected by Spotify's editorial team for its 2026 Songs of Summer Predictions list alongside international artists. The song was highlighted as part of a growing wave of sun-soaked global dance hits blending Azonto and Amapiano influences.
2 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Italy's financial police busted a sophisticated piracy network using an application called CINEMAGOAL that caused roughly €300 million in damages to rights holders including Sky, DAZN, Netflix, Disney+ and Spotify. The operation involved seizing foreign servers and prosecuting identified users across Italy, France and Germany.
25 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Nigerian Afrobeats musician Wizkid has become the first African artiste to surpass 11 billion total streams on Spotify across all credits, according to music chart platform ChartsAfrica.
21 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Nigerian singer Asake told Spotify that Lagos nurtured him into manhood after he relocated there following university and inspired many of his songs. He expressed gratitude that his talent is being appreciated worldwide, despite acknowledging there are more talented musicians who remain unheard.
1 May 2026 · Joy Online →
MTN Ghana held its first Digital Music Conference to address how artistes can earn sustainable income in the digital age. The event featured industry stakeholders and examined revenue challenges on streaming platforms, with officials noting that alternative channels like caller ring-back tones (CRBT) may offer more accessible earnings routes.
30 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Universal Music Group said it would sell half its equity stake in Spotify and double its share buyback programme, with proceeds also shared with artists under a commitment made when Taylor Swift re-signed with the label in 2018. The move comes after activist investor Bill Ackman made an unsolicited $64 billion bid for UMG three weeks prior, citing undervaluation of the company's 2.7-billion-euro Spotify stake.
30 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have transformed music distribution, but a "shadow economy" of bot farms now artificially inflates play counts using automation to mimic listeners at scale, with some offering paid services to artists and labels seeking chart visibility.
29 April 2026 · Joy Online →
A Business & Financial Times opinion piece argues that Ghanaian businesses focused on running digital ads and driving traffic often miss the deeper issue: they have not engineered the actual customer journey from discovery to loyalty. Growth comes from designing how technology and marketing work together, not from campaigns alone.
28 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Taylor Swift has filed three US trademark applications covering a stage photo from her Eras Tour and audio clips of her introducing herself, seeking to protect herself against AI-generated impersonations. The move follows a broader trend among celebrities using trademark rules to combat AI misuse of their likenesses.
28 April 2026 · Joy Online →
A Leipzig-based developer created an unofficial tool to block over 4,700 suspected AI artists from Spotify playlists after finding them increasingly prevalent, as frustration grows among users who prefer not to hear AI-generated music. Spotify has only implemented a voluntary labeling system in song credits that relies on artists and labels to self-report AI use.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →