LAGOS — Nigerian Afrobeats star Tems and British rapper Dave have earned a place on Spotify’s 2026 Songs of Summer list for their hit collaboration Raindance. Punch confirmed the inclusion on Monday. The recognition adds to an extraordinary year for Tems, who also leads Nigeria’s BET Awards 2026 nominations with three nods ahead of the June 28 ceremony.
Spotify’s Songs of Summer list is compiled using streaming data, listener engagement metrics, and cultural impact assessments across the platform’s global user base. Being featured on it places Raindance among the most listened-to tracks worldwide during the summer season.
Tems expressed gratitude on social media after the inclusion was confirmed. She thanked fans globally for their support and said she and Dave are proud of what they created with Raindance. The song blends her distinctive vocal style with Dave’s introspective lyricism in a way that crosses genre boundaries between Afrobeats and UK rap.
A Banner Month for Tems
June is shaping up as one of Tems’ biggest months. She is nominated at the BET Awards for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, the BET Her Award for First, and the Viewers’ Choice Award for Raindance itself. A win in any category would significantly boost her commercial profile in the US market.
Beyond Tems, the Spotify summer list inclusion confirms that Nigerian music’s global penetration extends across different subgenres and collaborative formats. Not only Afrobeats, but Nigerian artists working with artists from other traditions are reaching global top-tier playlist status.
Wizkid’s 11 billion Spotify streams milestone from last week and Tems’ summer list placement together paint a picture of Nigerian music as a globally dominant force. The BET Awards on June 28 will be the next major test of how that dominance translates into formal international recognition.
Discover more from News247 Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
