Market pulse

LATAM was among the world’s fastest-growing regions in 2024, with recorded-music revenues up 22.5% (IFPI 2025). (Reuters)
In the U.S. (a key export market for LATAM artists), Latin music hit a record ~$1.4B in 2024, continuing its rapid climb. (Vinyl Me, Please, RIAA)

Drivers & formats

Streaming remains the engine; global streaming hit $20B+ and 69% share in 2024, lifting Latin catalogs too. (RouteNote)
Youth engagement is extreme: >50% of listeners to Latin acts are under 30 (higher in Mexico), fueling virality and ticket demand. (AP News)

Genres & repertoire

Reggaetón, urbano, and a surging Regional Mexican wave are exporting at scale, with cross-genre collaborations now routine. (AP News)
Superstar cycles continue (Bad Bunny et al.), with traditional forms (salsa/plena) re-entering mainstream charts via pop-urban hybrids. (TIME)

Live & festivals snapshot

Vive Latino (CDMX) drew ~160,000 across days in March 2025. (LATV)
Lollapalooza Brasil 2025 (São Paulo) featured global headliners, underscoring Brazil’s scale as LATAM’s biggest touring stop. (Melodic Magazine, Grooveist)

Risks / constraints

Currency volatility can whipsaw ticket pricing and DSP ARPU; catalog monetization is robust but advertising cycles remain choppy (global ad-supported streaming up only ~1.2% in 2024). (Reuters)

What to watch (H2 2025)

Regional Mexican’s endurance on global playlists; further Spanish-first crossover in U.S. formats; continued festival normalization in Brazil and Mexico. (RIAA, Melodic Magazine)

Middle East & North Africa (MENA)

Market pulse

Fastest-growing region worldwide in 2024: +22.8% recorded-music revenue. (Reuters)

Platforms & monetization

Anghami reported strong subscriber and ARPU growth through 2024 (premium subs +18% YoY to ~1.87M by Mar 31, 2024; ARPU +18% on direct subs; engagement +28%), reflecting deeper paid uptake and product upgrades (Dolby Vision/Atmos, recommendation improvements). (Anghami Talks, Stock Titan)
Regional live infrastructure keeps scaling—Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena (17,000 cap) anchors year-round arena touring. (Wikipedia, about.coca-cola-arena.com, Populous)

Live & mega-events

MDLBEAST Soundstorm (Riyadh) has evolved into the Gulf’s signature mass-attendance event; reports cite hundreds of thousands annually (700k+ in some years), with 2024 editions hosting 150+ artists and marquee headliners. (euronews, Arab News, The National)

Context & tailwinds

Rapid venue build-out (KSA/UAE) plus tourism-driven event strategies are expanding the touring grid. Subscription growth is aided by telecom bundles and local billing rails via regional DSPs like Anghami. (Anghami Talks, BroadcastPro ME)

Risks / constraints

Policy shifts and content regulations require careful tour planning and release windowing; data transparency across some promoters remains uneven.

What to watch (H2 2025)

Anghami’s subscriber mix and ARPU trajectory post-OSN+ tie-ins; Riyadh/Jeddah seasonal calendars; continued arena-level routing via Dubai/Abu Dhabi. (Nasdaq, Visit Dubai)

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

Market pulse

SSA recorded-music revenues grew 22.6% in 2024 to ~$110M, surpassing $100M for the first time—second-fastest growth globally. (Music In Africa, Businessday NG, Reuters)

Access & payments (the real unlock)

Explosive digital-payments adoption (mobile money) is widening paid access; 23% of SSA adults saved via mobile accounts in 2024 (vs. 9% LMIC average). (Ecofin Agency)
Broader digitalization programs (World Bank/DE4A) continue to lift connectivity across the region. (World Bank)

Platforms

Boomplay remains a lead local DSP with ~90–95M MAUs cited across recent sources; crucial for freemium reach even as monetization models evolve. (African Business, InterSpace Distribution, Wikipedia)
Audiomack leans into affordability and local payments (e.g., Carry1st partnership to enable easier subscription purchases). (TechAfrica News)

Live & cultural moments

Nyege Nyege (Uganda): 2024 edition hosted 300+ artists and ~26k attendees, generating ~$1.8–2.0M for the local economy—evidence of live’s growing economic footprint. (RA, PAM | Pan African Music)
Afro Nation continues to project Afrobeats/Amapiano globally (Portugal mainstay ~40k/day in 2023–24), reinforcing export demand. (Wikipedia)

Headwinds

Royalty chains and per-stream payouts remain challenging; ad markets can be thin, and FX constraints impact international settlement. (Industry analyses and trade coverage underscore these structural issues.) (Omdia, InterSpace Distribution)

What to watch (H2 2025)

Telco/DSP bundle experiments tied to mobile money; cross-border Amapiano/Afrobeats penetrations; festival season (“Detty December”) as a revenue catalyst in Nigeria/Ghana. (Teen Vogue)