Kenya's music scene has been witnessing a significant shift in recent years, with a new and vibrant genre, Gengetone, taking center stage.
Spotify has created a one stop destination for Kenya’s hottest music genre; Gengetone Fire. This homegrown style of music has rapidly grown in popularity and has become a cultural phenomenon that resonates with Kenyan youth, specifically those aged 18-24 according to Spotify data over the last 90 days.
Since its launch in 2021, the Gengetone Fire playlist on Spotify has been setting East Africa ablaze with its infectious beats and catchy tunes.
The East Africa Editor at Spotify took on the exciting task of curating a playlist that would reflect the culture and spirit of Gengetone and propel the genre beyond its underground roots.
In this article, we will explore the elaborateness of curating the ultimate Gengetone playlist, exploring its impact on the genre's perception, its growing global audience, and what the future holds for this dynamic music style.
Gengetone is for the streets
Every Spotify playlist has a spark or a vibe that sets it up for success on the platform. For Gengetone, the spark is its audience, particularly in Kenya.
According to the editor, “it's music for the streets by the streets”. The music has been buoyed by its audience through sharing DJ mixes via social media platforms, house parties and consumption via Nairobi’s vibrant matatu playlists.
What about the audience? The editor notes that Gengetone is particularly Gen Z driven and Kenya has the biggest listenership, with more than 15 million streams of the genre. USA comes second, followed by the UK then Tanzania.
Other African countries streaming Gengetone include South Africa, Nigeria and Uganda showing its cross border appeal. Top artists currently enjoying heavy rotation are Matata, Octopizzo, Breeder LW, Iyanii and Mejja
Coming up with an iconic playlist like Gengetone Fire is an exercise in inputting exactly what the audience likes but also using data; after all, Gengetone has very unique and specific vibes.
Gengetone is party music for Gen Z young men; it is a pre-game music genre meaning it is definitely in the background before heading to a party or the club. This is probably why Spotify data shows that Gengetone streams increase by 8% between 6pm and 8pm.
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