Spotify revealed a remarkable increase in heartbreak song streams in Nigeria during the Valentine’s Day season, recording a 626 percent rise between 2022 and 2024.
This was disclosed in Lagos by Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu.
Okumu stated, “Spotify data reveals a surprising trend, a massive surge in heartbreak song streams. Nigerians are turning to their playlists to express their emotions, with a staggering 626 per cent overall growth in heartbreak streams from 2022 to 2024. This Valentine, the sound of love is accompanied by the sound of heartbreak, and the data shows it’s louder than ever before.”
Interestingly, she noted that male listeners led the increase in heartbreak song streams, far outpacing female listeners.
“On Valentine’s Day, most surprisingly, male listeners streamed heartbreak songs at a significantly higher rate than female listeners, with a 362 per cent increase compared to 169 per cent among women,” Okumu revealed.
“This could suggest that men resonate with the feeling of heartbreak more and turn to music as a private outlet for processing emotions. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear, when love is in the air, so is heartbreak, and Nigerian men are pressing play on their pain more than expected.
“While Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with grand gestures, heartbreak is a common theme on Valentine’s Day—more than what’s publicly shown,” she added.
Nigerians will join the rest of the world in marking the 2025 Valentine’s Day on Friday.
