From 'Last Last' to 'Emiliana', Afrobeats rules top streamed songs by Kenyans in 2022

Afrobeats is here to stay, if the year-end listenership statistics by music streaming platform Spotify are anything to go by.

On Wednesday, the streaming giant released Spotify Wrapped, its annual roundup of the artists and songs its users spent the year listening to.

And while in most cases local artists dominate the charts of their respective countries, it is a different story in Kenya altogether; West African music swept all the Top 10 spots in the Most streamed songs.

Nigerian singer Burna Boy's club banger 'Last Last', which was released in May to massive airplay, emerged the top most streamed track by Kenyans this year, followed by Rema’s Calm Down, released in February.

Finesse by Pheelz, featuring BNXN fka Buju came in third, with Oxlade’s Kulosa - A Colors Show in fourth place.

In the most-streamed Kenyan songs category, Lilmaina's Kishash emerged top, followed by Wakadinali and Sir Bwoy's Geri Inengi, Bien and Aaron Rimbui's Mbwe Mbwe.

Nyashinski and Femi One's Properly, and Inauma by Bien closed the top five.

While airplay has for long beeen a huge factor in a song's success, Spotify acknowledged the large impact social media has in driving the success of these songs.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are now a key factor in the viral factor of a song due to their ability for users to attach music to photos and video posts.

"These songs are huge on social media, so it’s not surprising that this translates into streams," the company said.

Top streamed songs in Kenya:

1.    Burna Boy - Last Last

2.    Rema - Calm Down

3.    Pheelz - Finesse (feat. BNXN fka Buju)

4.    Oxlade - Kulosa - A Colors Show

5.    Lojay - Monalisa (feat. Sarz)

6.    Ckay - Emiliana

7.    Burna Boy - For My Hand (feat. Ed Sheeran)

8.    Mavins - Overloading (Overdose)

9.    Omah Lay - understand

10.  Ruger - Girlfriend

 Top streamed Kenyan songs:

1.    Lilmaina - Kishash

2.    Wakadinali - Geri Inengi (feat. Sir Bwoy)

3.    Bien, Aaron Mbui - Mbwe Mbwe

4.    Nyashinski - Properly (feat. Femi One)

5.    Bien - Inauma

6.    Nikita Kering’ - Ex

7.    Fully Focus - Dimension (feat. Bien)

8.    Bensoul - Thick Thighs (feat. Bien)

9.    Nviiri the Storyteller - Nikita

10.  Nviiri the Storyteller - Niko Sawa feat Bien

Most hearted songs:

1.    Rema - Calm Down

2.    Burna Boy - Last Last

3.    Pheelz - Finesse (feat. BNXN fka Buju)

4.    Burna Boy - For My Hand (feat. Ed Sheeran)

5.    Ckay - Emiliana

6.    Oxlade - Kulosa - A Colors Show

7.    Ruger - Girlfriend

8.    Mavins - Overloading (Overdose)

9.    Camidoh - Sugarcane (Remix) (feat. King Promise, Mayorkun & Darkoo)