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Spotify has released some interesting insights into the listening habits of South Africans during the Rugby World Cup and as can be expected, Afrikaans music downloads boomed during the last few weeks.

Particularly interesting was that on the evening when South Africa had that nailbiter against England, streaming of the popular playlist ‘Rugby Musiek’ increased by 191%. But it wasn’t just the Afrikaans okes that got into it. Searches for ‘rugby’ increased by 210% on the same day in Mzansi, and globally the searches for rugga-tunes increased by 82%.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with ‘Rugby Musiek’, the playlist features all the greatest hits when it comes to getting amped for a game. There are songs like the old-school standard Nkalakatha by Mandoza, as well as saamsing hits by Robbie Wessels, Karlien Van Jaarsveld, and even Saam Suid Afrika by Anlia Star (wife to Eben Etzebeth, the team’s lock).

According to Spotify, the playlist is most popular among men (68%), which mirrors the stats for attendance of games as well. Boys like their rugby.

“Sport unites people, and by the same token, music is universal. The Rugby Musiek playlist captures the spirit of unity, and this is possibly why South Africans turned to it to celebrate this win”, says Henco Harmse, Spotify’s Afrikaans specialist manager, artist and label partnerships in South Africa.

Most of the downloads were amongst supporters aged 35-55, with 35-44 leading the pack at 28%, followed by 45-54 at 19% and then 30-34 and 55+ at 14% respectively.

Harmse says that “Post-streaming music, and culture at large crossed borders across the world with playlists as one of the conduits facilitating discovery on-platform.” Whatever that means.

Afrikaans music is a quiet juggernaut that most folks south of Goodwood are generally ignorant of. Afrikaans artist like Riaan Benadé is currently the most streamed in South Africa and even features on the global all-time ‘most streamed’.

Benadé’s Spontaan and Vat ‘n Bietjie currently sits at number one and number three on the streaming site’s SA Top Ten, with other spots taken up by TOTO’s Africa, Irene-Louise Van Wyk’s Tekkies Brand, and Elandré’s Vuur Op Die Water.

To quote Jack Parrow: “Afrikaans is Groot.”

[source:bizcommunity]