Spotify today officially opened its new Johannesburg office, marking an important moment in the company’s continued growth in South Africa and its broader commitment to Africa’s creative ecosystem.
The opening brought together press, creators, artists, industry stakeholders, partners and Spotify teams for a programme focused on discovery, transparency, audio innovation and the future of South African creativity. Spotify launched in South Africa in March 2018. Eight years on, the new Johannesburg office reflects the company’s continued belief in the market’s creative, cultural and commercial importance, and its intention to work more closely with the artists, creators, publishers, partners, policymakers and communities shaping culture in the country.
“Today is about deepening Spotify’s commitment to South Africa and to the African continent,” said Jocelyne Muhutu Remy, Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Spotify. “Being present allows us to listen better, understand more deeply, and build relationships that reflect the realities of this market. South Africa is one of the most culturally influential music markets in the world, and Johannesburg is central to how we engage with that opportunity.”
South Africa’s influence continues to extend beyond its borders, with local sounds and genres shaping global culture in real time. From Amapiano and Gqom to Maskandi, Afrikaans music and many other forms of local expression, the market reflects a diverse, multilingual and fast-moving creative landscape. As part of the office opening programme, Spotify hosted a Loud & Clear session focused on transparency in the streaming economy, a fireside chat on audiobooks in South Africa with Jeremy Amsellem, Associate Director, Audiobook Licensing & Partnerships at Spotify, and a creator panel on how podcasters can grow their audiences through video on Spotify and live experiences.
The audiobooks session explored Spotify’s broader audio strategy in South Africa and the opportunity for audiobooks to create new ways for listeners to discover stories, while opening future possibilities for authors, publishers, narrators, creators and cultural partners.
“Audiobooks are part of Spotify’s broader ambition to make audio more useful, more accessible and more discoverable for listeners,” said Jeremy Amsellem, Associate Director, Audiobook Licensing & Partnerships at Spotify. “South Africa has a rich storytelling culture, and audiobooks give us another way to help stories travel through audio. The opportunity is to make audiobooks more accessible, more discoverable and more culturally relevant for South African listeners.”
The creator panel highlighted the growing role of video in podcast discovery and audience development, as well as the value of live experiences in helping creators build deeper relationships with their communities. Together, the sessions reflected Spotify’s wider focus on supporting creators across music, podcasts and audiobooks.
The Johannesburg opening also comes as Spotify celebrates its 20th anniversary globally, marking two decades of connection through listening. To celebrate the fans, artists, podcasters and authors who have made Spotify their home, the platform is giving users a personalised in-app experience, Spotify 20: Your Party of the Year(s), allowing them to look back at their listening journey on Spotify.
To mark the Johannesburg office opening, Spotify also looked at local listening trends around work and office culture. According to Spotify data, user-generated playlists in Johannesburg containing work and office-related keywords grew by 214% growth between 2020 and 2025. In the Sandton/Rosebank postcode view over the last 30 days, Drake was the top artist by plays, while Offset’s “Backends Fasho” and Feza’s “Umaqondana” were among the top tracks.
The opening follows a message from South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mr Solly Malatsi, who welcomed Spotify’s continued presence in South Africa and encouraged further support for local African languages, skills development across the music ecosystem, and transparency in artist pay and remuneration.
Spotify welcomed the challenge and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting a more transparent, inclusive and sustainable creative economy.
“Discovery is one of the most important roles Spotify plays,” added Jocelyne Muhutu Remy. “It is how artists find audiences, how audiences find what matters to them, and how stories can travel. Our role is to keep growing the audience, expand global opportunities for African artists and strengthen the connection between creators and fans.”
The Johannesburg office opening marks Spotify’s next chapter in South Africa, focused on deeper partnerships, stronger local presence, broader audio storytelling and continued support for the creative ecosystem.