What's Happening?
Music creation platform Splice has announced Afro house as its sound of the year for 2025, following a remarkable 778% growth in downloads on the platform. This surge was driven by 1.3 million searches and 6.7 million downloads, as reported by Splice on January 13, 2026. The broader house genre also saw significant growth, moving from the fifth to the second most downloaded genre on Splice, with Afro house contributing to 70% of this increase. The report, prepared by MIDiA Research, highlights the trends in music creation from 2023 to 2025, noting that hip-hop remains the most downloaded genre, with trap as its leading subgenre. Pop has returned to the top three genres, with bedroom pop leading its subgenres. Other fast-growing genres include
electronic music, with speed garage seeing a 625% increase in downloads.
Why It's Important?
The rise of Afro house and other genres on Splice reflects broader cultural shifts in music consumption and creation. As music trends become more personalized and microtrends dominate, platforms like Splice provide valuable insights into these changes. The growth of Afro house indicates a growing interest in diverse and global sounds, which could influence mainstream music production and consumption. This trend also highlights the role of digital platforms in shaping music trends, offering creators access to a wide array of sounds and styles. The data from Splice suggests a move towards a more inclusive and varied music landscape, where traditional genre boundaries are increasingly blurred.
