Leading the month’s most-streamed artists were Kelvin Momo, Kabza De Small, and Thukutela, whose projects dominated playlists and charts nationwide. The biggest song of the period was Shela by Sam Deep, Nia Pearl, and Boohle featuring Mano, which topped Apple Music rankings and became the most Shazamed track in the country.
Local sounds remained at the heart of December’s music culture, with amapiano, Afro-house, and maskandi strongly represented. Artists such as DJ Maphorisa, Sam Deep, Mzukulu, and Dlala Thukzin helped drive the charts with a fusion of traditional roots and modern rhythms. At the same time, international heavyweights including Drake, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Chris Brown, and Kendrick Lamar continued to attract massive streams, reflecting South Africa’s broad musical appetite.
The Ke Dezemba breakdown further highlighted top-performing tracks across genres, including Abantwana Bakho, ZEP, Tobetsa 3.0, and uValo. Maskandi listeners gravitated toward hits like Ubu Ghost Bami and Thandolwethu by Mzukulu, while Afro-house standouts featured Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix) and iPlan by Dlala Thukzin.
Shazam trends closely followed streaming success, with Shela leading discoveries, alongside popular songs such as ZEP, SNOKONOKO, Tobetsa 3.0, and Vele Uyena (Risk It All). Amapiano once again emerged as the most dominant genre overall, while Afro-house and maskandi maintained strong listener engagement.
Apple Music’s Ke Dezemba overview paints a vivid picture of South Africa’s festive-season soundtrack, celebrating homegrown talent, global influences, and the diverse sounds that defined December 2025.