Two years after their headline-making split marked by a period of no fresh releases, Kenya's legendary quartet Sauti Sol continues to dominate the Kenyan music streaming business.
Spotify’s latest Wrapped 2025 report, which breaks down annual listening habits and musical trends, reveals that the group’s 2023 split has done little to dim their influence on its platform, which boasts more than 281 million premium subscribers worldwide.
In the ranking of the top 10 most-streamed Kenyan artists of 2025, Sauti Sol claimed second place, topped only by their former bandmate Bien-Aimé Baraza.
Former Sauti Sol band member Bien-Aimé Baraza performs at Blankets and Wine in Kasarani, Nairobi on December 17, 2023.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
After the group, comprised of Bien, Willis Chimano, Savara Mudigi, and Polycarp Otieno, went their separate ways, all four pursued solo careers.
Still, Bien has clearly emerged as the breakout act. Hip-hop heavyweights Wakadinali secured third place, followed by Toxic Lyrikali, Bensoul, Watendawili, Njerae, Nyashinski, Lil Maina, and Okello Max to complete the top 10.
The group's stranglehold extends beyond individual rankings, with their dominance also extending to album rankings, where three of their projects landed in the 2025 top 10. Their acclaimed fifth studio album, Midnight Train , released in 2020 and funded and owned by Universal Music Africa, continues to resonate, taking the second spot five years after its debut.
Former Sauti Sol band member Savara Mudigi performs during Sol Fest Event at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on November 4, 2023.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Bien once again leads, with his solo debut album Alusa Why Are You Topless crowned the most-streamed Kenyan album of 2025. Njerae’s Unintentional follows in third place, then En Route (Watendawili), The Motions (Charisma), African Sauce (Sauti Sol), Disko (KondoKlan), Live and Die in Africa (Sauti Sol), and The Party & The Party After (Bensoul). Wakadinali’s Ndani Ya Cockpit 3 wraps up the list.
Across all artists streamed in Kenya, both local and international, only Bien and Sauti Sol broke into the top 10. Sauti Sol placed 10th, while Bien came in second.
Canadian rapper Drake extended his reign as Kenya’s most-streamed artist for a fourth consecutive year, followed by Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Future, Chris Brown, Gunna, The Weeknd, and dancehall star Vybz Kartel.
Willis Chimano of Sauti Sol band performs during Sol Fest concert at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on November 4, 2023.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
While global acts continue to dominate the overall charts, the report highlights a major shift. Kenyans are increasingly streaming homegrown music. For the first time in years, local content has surged ahead of foreign releases in domestic listenership.
“What we are seeing from this year’s report reveals a music scene that’s more vibrant than ever. It’s inspiring to see how strongly Kenyans have supported their own homegrown talent this year, championing rising voices while still celebrating the artists who’ve shaped the culture,” says Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2025, Kenyans spent more than 180 million hours streaming music on Spotify, a significant portion devoted to a rising generation of Kenyan artists. Njerae’s Aki Sioni outperformed all local and international competition to become Kenya’s most-streamed song of the year.
Sauti Sol guitarist Polycarp Otieno performs during Sol Fest concert at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on November 4, 2023.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Only three of the country’s top 10 tracks came from non-Kenyan acts, with Kendrick Lamar managing to squeeze into the list with three songs, namely, Luther, Shalipopi & Laho, and Chella My Darling.
The data paints an even broader picture of the global momentum of Kenyan music ascendancy. Kenyan music exports have surged 94 per cent over the past three years.
In 2024 alone, Kenyan artists captured the attention of over 95 million first-time listeners worldwide. Meanwhile, domestic consumption of Kenyan music has exploded by a staggering 277 percent during the same window.
“These figures show that Kenyan music is no longer just a regional phenomenon, but a major player on the global stage. The growth, both domestically and internationally, is creating opportunities for Kenyan artists and the broader cultural economy. What we are seeing is the result of incredible talent combined with digital accessibility that allows these unique sounds to reach audiences around the world,” Phiona further observes.
