Amapiano: DJ Maphorisa Shatters Spotify Record With 5 Million Monthly Listeners Milestone

• DJ Maphorisa achieved a groundbreaking feat on November 17, 2025, when his Spotify profile surged past 5 million monthly listeners for the first time in his career
• The milestone marked an increase from his previous peak of 4.2 million listeners in October, propelled by renewed streams of his amapiano anthems
• The accomplishment as a testament to amapiano's global dominance, with Maphorisa becoming the second South African artist to hit the mark this year

DJ Maphorisa's Spotify counters ticked over the 5 million monthly listener threshold on Monday, November 17, 2025, solidifying his position as a cornerstone of South Africa's amapiano export machine.

The 38-year-old producer, who recently declared war on South African Revenue Services, watched his numbers climb amid a platform-wide surge in genre streams, outpacing even his local counterparts.

Spotify data showed the jump from 4.2 million in late October, driven by algorithmic playlists like Amapiano Hits and Friday Cravings that funneled international ears toward albums such as Scorpion Kings, which was a collaboration with Kabza De Small.

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These numbers translate to tangible revenue in an industry where streaming royalties form the backbone of artist earnings. For context, 5 million monthly listeners equates to roughly 150-200 million annual streams, per industry benchmarks, potentially netting Maphorisa upwards of R2-3 million in royalties alone, that is before splits with labels and collaborators.

Top tracks driving the 5.1 million listener surge

DJ Maphorisa's ascent to 5 million monthly Spotify listeners rides on a core set of tracks that continue to dominate playlists and viral feeds worldwide. Leading the charge is Abalele (2022, with Kabza De Small featuring Ami Faku), which has amassed millions of lifetime streams, largely from resurfacing TikTok trends in the US and Europe.

Izolo (2021, featuring Tyler ICU) is boosted by its staple rotation on Spotify's Friday Cravings playlist. Rounding out the top performers, Uyaphapha Marn (2025, featuring TNK MusiQ and Seun1401) spotlighted for its amapiano swagger on global charts, is also a top performer.

Future implications for SA's music economy

This 5-million mark is not isolated but a data point in South Africa's streaming renaissance, where exports hit R1.2 billion in 2024 per SAMRO stats. For Maphorisa, it unlocks doors: potential equity in Spotify's artist fund and headlining slots at Coachella 2026.

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Streams reflect genre's export boom

Amapiano's rise, with Maphorisa as its pioneer, mirrors broader shifts in global music consumption. Spotify's 2025 Loud & Clear report pegged the genre's worldwide streams at 2.5 billion year-to-date, a 65% year-on-year leap, fueled by TikTok virality and endorsements from the likes of Burna Boy, who partied with Black Coffee in New York.

DJ Maphorisa supports other artists

While DJ Maphorisa constantly faces claims of exploitation, he also receives praises from artists who say he is supportive of them.

Briefly News previously reported that an established musician who allegedly beefed with the amapiano pioneer, came out singing his praises and saying that he had given him financial support when he was down and out.

Source: Briefly News