Spotify dropped its Top 30 most-streamed Nigerian songs globally for the first half of 2025, and guess who’s sitting comfortably at number one? Rema. His track “Baby (Is It A Crime)” has been running playlists since January, and now it’s officially crowned as the most-streamed Nigerian song worldwide.
People have been expecting Rema to pop up somewhere on that list, but number one? That was the talk. The song has lived rent-free in clubs, on TikTok, and honestly, everywhere there’s a speaker. It’s not even a surprise anymore how Rema keeps doing it, smooth hooks, playful lyrics, and beats that just stay stuck in your head. Fans know the formula works.
Nigeria’s Biggest Names Fill the Top Ranks
The list didn’t stop with Rema. Burna Boy, Asake, Tems, Ayra Starr, and Kizz Daniel also made their mark in the top spots. Their names stay in rotation because people are not just listening, they’re living with these songs. Every party, every road trip, every random Reels post, it’s one of these tracks playing in the background.
Spotify’s Global Impact List Shows How Far Nigerian Songs Are Traveling
Spotify didn’t create this list for Nigeria alone. Similar Global Impact lists were also unveiled for Ghana, South Africa, the UK, and South Korea. For Nigerian artists, appearing on this list shows their songs are being streamed heavily outside home territory. This is no longer just about the local market. Their music is moving across continents, being played in places that don’t even share the same language or culture. These songs are in global playlists, building new audiences every day.
Amapiano Influence is Now a Core Sound in Nigerian Music
But here’s what is sweet about this year’s list: Amapiano has fully blended into the Naija soundscape. Almost every other song that made it to the top 10 carries that log drum bounce. Nigerian artists have taken the South African groove and flipped it into something unique. You can’t even call it a trend anymore. it’s the sound.
Of course, as soon as Spotify posted the list, Twitter (X) and Instagram caught fire. Some fans were hyped, reposting their ‘faves’ wins. Others were ready with the hot takes, arguing that some songs deserved better rankings.
@Paul20274084992 2025 would had been awful with out this song
@Alex77397527610 Where is tems boi boi? Wizkid is washed
@Only1Somzy It’s no longer a question Davido is the G.O.A.T of Afrobeat
But love it or hate it, the numbers are speaking. Nigerian music is not playing catch-up anymore. These songs are leading charts, not just back home but in places where most of these artists haven’t even toured yet. It’s organic. It’s loud. And it’s moving faster than anyone expected.
Rema sitting at number one? That’s just the headline. The real story is how Nigerian artists now dominate streaming conversations without needing Western features to validate them. They’re building their own streaming empires, and Spotify’s latest report just confirms what fans already knew.
