The Citizen reported that, based on figures from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) and the streaming platform Spotify, gospel music has moved ahead of Amapiano in the metrics that feed into the South African Music Awards (SAMAs, the country’s premier music awards ceremony). The headline “Gospel just dethroned Amapiano at the SAMAs” captures the shift, but the story matters beyond a chart win.
For small record labels, event promoters and venue owners, the genre that dominates the charts dictates where they allocate marketing spend, which artists they book and how they negotiate licensing deals. Amapiano, a hybrid of deep house, jazz and traditional South African sounds, has been the genre of choice for most South African clubs and streaming playlists since roughly 2018. Its rise turned many boutique producers into full-time studio owners and gave rise to a new wave of club-night entrepreneurs.
Gospel, by contrast, has always enjoyed a built-in audience through churches, community gatherings and radio stations that cater to faith-based listeners. What the new data suggests is that, at least for the period leading up to the SAMAs, gospel tracks generated more streams and higher sales than their Amapiano counterparts. In plain terms, more South Africans pressed play on gospel songs on Spotify, and the official statistics on music consumption reflected that behaviour.
Why the shift matters to small businesses
First, streaming revenue is split between the platform, the rights holder and the performer. When gospel songs attract more plays, the royalty pool that flows back to independent gospel artists and the small labels that represent them expands. Those labels can reinvest in new talent, upgrade recording equipment or negotiate better distribution terms.
Second, live-music promoters often design their line-ups around the genre that promises the biggest ticket draw. If gospel is now the most streamed genre, clubs and churches may see higher demand for gospel concerts, gospel-themed festivals or hybrid events that blend worship with entertainment. That creates an opening for small-scale event managers to pitch gospel acts to venues that previously focused on Amapiano nights.
Third, radio stations and advertisers follow the data. A higher share of gospel listening can lead to more airtime for gospel tracks, which in turn raises the value of advertising slots on stations that target that audience. Small advertising agencies that specialise in music-related campaigns will need to adjust their media plans accordingly.
Finally, the shift hints at a broader consumer mood. While Amapiano thrives on nightlife and dance-floor energy, gospel’s lyrical focus on hope and community may resonate more during periods of economic strain or social uncertainty. Small businesses that rely on discretionary spending, such as boutique fashion retailers that often sponsor music events, might find that aligning with gospel-centric promotions yields a better return on investment.
It is worth noting that the headline does not disclose the exact figures behind the claim. Stats SA typically publishes quarterly reports on music consumption, while Spotify releases its own “Wrapped” style summaries. Without the numbers, the precise scale of the overtaking, whether gospel leads by a narrow margin or a wide gap, remains unclear.
What is clear, however, is that the data challenges the assumption that Amapiano will remain the default genre for South African music business strategies. Small-scale operators who have built their models around Amapiano should now consider diversifying their portfolios, perhaps by scouting emerging gospel talent or by offering hybrid event concepts that blend the two styles.
For entrepreneurs watching the market, the lesson is simple: music trends are not static, and the metrics that drive award nominations also drive revenue streams. Keeping an eye on official statistics and streaming platform data can provide an early warning sign that a genre is losing steam, or gaining it, before the next big festival or award ceremony.
In the meantime, the SAMAs will likely reflect the new reality on the night of the ceremony, with gospel artists taking more award slots and Amapiano acts facing stiffer competition. How the industry’s power brokers, from major record companies to independent promoters, respond will shape the opportunities available to South Africa’s countless small-business owners who depend on the music ecosystem for their livelihood.
