This Week’s Top Stories on Lifestyle Uganda: Spotify and TuneCore launch operations in Africa. While Pefoma announced on Wednesday that it would launch its app on March 1st.
This week’s top stories on Lifestyle Uganda, Spotify revealed that it is expanding into more than 80 new markets in more than 36 new languages - including key regions such as Cote d’Ivoire, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe across Africa.
Meanwhile, TuneCore, a Believe distribution service, has begun operations in Africa. Jade Leaf has been appointed TuneCore chief of Southern Africa and will share responsibility for key countries in East Africa with Lagos-based Chioma Onuchukwu, who has been appointed TuneCore chief for West Africa.
Elsewhere, UK music innovation platform Pefoma announced on Wednesday that it would launch its app on March 1st. This app acts as a stop-shop for unsigned actions to gain exposure for followers who want to discover new music.
This will create a virtual home for artists of all genres to interact with fans.
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In addition, audio streaming company Spotify has announced its launch in Uganda, enabling the East African nation to access more than 70 million international and local songs and more than 4 billion playlists of its vast content base.
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# 1. Spotify is expanding into more than 80 new markets, including major countries across Africa such as Uganda, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria.
Spotify is expanding into more than 80 new markets in more than 36 new languages - including key regions such as Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe across Africa.
In total, these 80 markets have more than a billion people, half of whom already use the Internet, Spotify says.
The vast expansion in the coming days means that Spotify will be active in more than 173 markets.
The news comes almost a year after spot music rival Apple Music announced its expansion into 52 new global markets, reaching a total of 167 markets.
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#2. TuneCore, one of the leading digital music distribution and publishing management companies for independent artists, has launched operations in Africa.
It’s been a week for the fastest-growing streaming ecosystem across Africa, with Spotify being introduced in many countries there, and now distributors are running up in the region with TuneCore joining the list.
The distributor has appointed two executives for its Africa launch: Jade Leaf as TuneCore’s chairman for Southern Africa and Chioma Onuchukwu as TuneCore’s chairman for West Africa – both of them working under the company’s international VP, Faryal Khan-Thompson.
TuneCore says it has already seen a number of growth in African artists using its platform, including Kofi Mole, Small Doctor, Spoegwolf, Mpho Sebina and Fena Gitu.
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#3. UK music innovation site Pefoma announced on Wednesday that it would launch its app on March 1st.
This app acts as a stop-shop for unsigned actions to gain exposure for followers who want to discover new music. This will create a virtual home for artists of all genres to interact with fans.
Pefoma is free for artists and fans around the world, with no subscriptions or in-app purchases to open additional functions. Artists can upload music videos and monetize live performances on stage without the need for third-party fees or booking integration.
#4. Swedish audio streaming service Spotify launched in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania
Audio streaming company Spotify has announced the launch of Uganda, which will enable the East African nation to access more than 70 million international and local songs and more than 4 billion playlists on its vast content site.
With more than 345 million monthly active listeners, the company is now available in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania.
Although one can access some of its contents at no cost, Spotify, a subscription service that offers an ad-free music listening experience, can be upgraded to Premium.
According to a news release on Wednesday, listeners can upgrade to Spotify Premium for the ultimate Spotify experience for UGX 10,000 per month. Premium family plan up to 6 family members living under one roof is available for UGX 16,000.
