Among the Top 10 highest streamed Jamaican artists on Spotify, a number of them have crossed over into the Billion Streams Club according to data obtained by WMV from Spotify.
The platform entered Jamaica and 80 other markets in March 2021 and in an exclusive interview with World Music Views, Spotify’s communications manager Julia Lavender said it is likely that there will be further local activities (related to music) in Jamaica in the future. Meaning Spotify is looking to boost local consumption as well as promote Jamaican artists and related content.
She stated that, “Jamaicans are embracing their local music scene after launching in the island.”
This is in keeping with global trends as according to a Goldman Sachs’ “Music In The Air” report, music revenue will more than double to about $150 billion in the US alone by 2030 with more people streaming music on their smartphones legally than ever before. This behavioral shift has had a direct impact in how Jamaican music is received overseas. Artists are also excelling with features and collabs that are popular in regions outside of the diaspora where streaming is becoming fully integrated.
As the consumption of music has evolved the dominant form of music consumption comes from the younger demographic, but there has been a rise in local artists consumption according to Goldman Sachs ‘Music In The Air’ Researcher Lisa Yang. “One of the growing trends we have seen in the last couple of years has been the rise in local artists. We have observed an increasingly diverse set of artists and genres becoming successful on a global level and that’s because with the digitization of music has allowed local music to extend its reach globally,” Yang said.
With verified data curated from Spotify, WMV discovers who are the most streamed Jamaican artists on Spotify as of October 2, 2023.
1. Sean Paul- 10.8 Billion
Earlier this year International pop star Sean Paul became the first Jamaican with three albums surpassing 1 billion streamson Spotify. Sean is the most streamed Jamaican of all time on the platform with more than 10 billion streams across all credits. His top 3 songs are “Rockabye ” with Clean Bandit surpassing 1.4 billion, “No Lie” with Dua Lipa has 996 million, and “Temperature has 709 million.
2. Bob Marley & The Wailers- 8.4 Billion
Bob Marley and The Wailer music on Spotify has surpassed 8.4 billion streams across all official credits. The group’s top songs are “Three Little Birds” with 838 million, “Could You Be Love” with 741 million and “Is This Love” with 646 million streams.
3. Shaggy- 3.5 Billion
Shaggy’s Spotify streams are lead by his 2000 smash hit Wasn’t Me”, with almost 900 million streams, “Angel” with more than 400 million, both from his 8x Platinum RIAA certified Hot Shot album and “Boombastic” surpassing 270 million from the 1995 Grammy winning album of the same name.
With an average of 1.8 million streams per data across all credits, 2.3 billion of his 3.5 billion streams are from songs that he is the lead artist.
4. Rvssian- 2.2 Billion
Rvssian, the only singer/producer from Jamaica with more than 2 billion streams across all credits. His lead song on the platform is ‘Nostálgico’ featuring Chris Brown and latin singer Rauw Alejandro which has surpassed 455 million streams. His other top songs which he also produced are Farukko’s “Krippy Kush (feat. Travis Scott ) – Travis Scott Remix” which has garnered 249 million total streams, “Ponle” with 214 million, and “B11 (feat. Myke Towers)” with 147 million streams.
5. Omi- 2.1 Billion
Omi has one song to thank for making this list and that is his 2015 Billboard chart topper Cheerleader. The song has surpassed 1.5 billion streams, making up more than half of his total streams. His other top songs Hula Hoop and his feature on Jambo Takagi and Ketra surpass 250 million and 100 million respectively.
6. Damian Marley – 1.6 Billion
Welcome To Jamrock singer Damian Marley’s international collaborations place him in the Spotify Billions club. While he does not have any single surpassing a billion, Make It Bun Dem with Skrillex from the ‘After Hours’ EP has surpassed 271 million streams. His first song to reach the milestone. Welcome TO Jamrock is at No. 2 with 233 million and Liquor Store Blues with Bruno Mars earned 143 million on the platform.
7. Popcaan- 1.5 Billion
No doubt his affiliation with Drake has certainly given him a boost in the world of music but those Drake collabs are not among dancehall artist Popcaan’s top songs on Spotify. Papi rides into the billion streams club on the back of songs like Jamie xx’s “Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)” with 160 million streams, Gorillaz’ “Saturnz Barz” 154 million”, his own TWIST & TURN (feat. Drake & PARTYNEXTDOOR)” from his 2020 Fixtape has 87 million getting a daily average of 47,032 and “I’m In Control” by Aluna George rounds out his top four songs with 83,553,284 total streams.
8. Nyla – 1.4 Billion
Nya is the first Jamaican woman to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify thanks to her Major Lazer collab “Light It Up Remix” featuring FUSE ODG from the group’s Peace Is The Mission album. The former Brick & Lace member’s other top songs on the platform include “Hard And Done” by Jugglers featuring Charly Black with 1.3 million, “Mad Out” with Toopa La Mascara and Mr. Vegas with 1.1 million and ‘Skirt Dem’ with KickRaux, Beenie Man and Tommy Lee Sparta.
9. Vybz Kartel – 930 Million
Vybz Kartel is just below the billion mark with 930 million streams across all credits on Spotify. His top song is the RIAA certified gold “Fever” from the album King Of The Dancehall which has 83 million on Spotify, with a daily average of 39,587 streams. Followed by XXXtentacion‘s “Royalty” with 41 million streams, produced by Jon Fx (feat. Ky-Mani Marley, Stefflon Don )”. “International Criminal” is his third most streamed with 39 million and his Major Lazer produced party anthem “Pon De Floor” has 35 million streams.
10. Konshens – 913 Million
No one could have predicted that Konshens and Doja Cat would have a top streaming single, but as the music gods would have it, the album cut “Wine Pon You” by Doja featuring the dancehall artist has surpassed 130 million streams on Spotify. It is Konshens’ second song to reach the milestone and Doja’s 36th. His top song on the platform is on Amsterdam artist Eva Simons’ “Police” (Radio Edit) with 138 million streams. At No. 3 on his list is the Urban Latin song Privado produced by Rvssian feat. Nicky Jam, Farruko, Arcangel.
The dancehall classic “Bruk Off Yuh Back” rounds out his top four songs with 84 million total streams.
Editor’s note: figures are rounded off to the nearest million streams up to October 2, 2023.
