Burna Boy has set a new African record on Spotify, becoming the first artist from the continent to reach 47.4 million monthly listeners. The milestone, achieved in late June 2026, surpasses the previous record held by South African singer Tyla, who peaked at 46.58 million monthly listeners in December 2025.
World Cup Anthem Drives Historic Surge
The surge in listeners is almost entirely attributed to 'Dai Dai', Burna Boy's World Cup collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira. Released on May 15, 2026, as the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the song topped Spotify's Global Top Songs chart on June 30, making Burna Boy the first African artist to achieve that feat since Wizkid's appearance on Drake's 'One Dance' in 2016.
'Dai Dai' has accumulated over 123 million streams on Spotify alone since its release. The track is written in five languages: English, Spanish, Italian, French and Japanese, blending Shakira's pop instincts with Burna Boy's Afrobeats influence. It was co-written alongside Ed Sheeran and Jon Bellion, among others.
Live Performances and Music Video Boost Reach
Shakira and Burna Boy performed 'Dai Dai' live at the World Cup opening ceremony on June 11. The song has since been added to Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour setlist during its North American leg. Its music video, which opens with cameos from Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, has further fueled its global reach.
On Track to Cross 50 Million Listeners
With 47.4 million monthly listeners and climbing, Burna Boy is now positioned to become the first African artist ever to cross 50 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The World Cup runs through July 19, with the final scheduled at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, meaning 'Dai Dai's peak streaming window is still ahead, and Burna Boy's listener count has room to climb further before the tournament ends.
Record-Breaking Year for Burna Boy
The milestone adds to what has already been a record-breaking run for the singer. In 2025, he posted 1.986 billion streams on Spotify across the year, the highest single-year total ever recorded by an African artist on the platform, ahead of Wizkid's 1.81 billion and Tyla's 1.67 billion. He is also the first African artist to have two studio albums individually surpass one billion streams on Spotify.
According to Pulse Nigeria, the previous record was held by Tyla, who reached 46.58 million monthly listeners in December 2025, briefly overtaking Burna Boy to become the most-listened-to African act on the platform. That run lasted until 'Dai Dai's global momentum pushed him past her total.
