Celebrating Diversity & Opportunities in Black Music

Whether listeners are tuning into the many Black-dominated stations on Pandora (from 2000s Hip Hop to Smooth Jazz) or listening to subgenres on SoundCloud (from Afro House to amapiano), it’s evident that the Black community’s relationship with music is rooted in countless decades of rich history and culture. 

Music is the perfect way to connect with Black audiences. After all, Black listeners are +122% more likely than the total audience to say that music connects them to their community, and 70% of Black listeners say that music makes them happy. Today, when most brands think about Black music, they might immediately associate the community with hip hop and R&B, but not so fast. Black listeners’ musical taste is diverse—our Black listeners tune in to over eight genres on average. For brands, it’s essential to understand that the community is not a monolith, and there are endless musical avenues for reaching Black consumers. 

As we look ahead to Black History Month, we’re celebrating the diversity of Black culture and the many different practices, elements, and people that make up the community, and we encourage advertisers to do the same. Ditch the traditional playbook that solely focuses on R&B and hip hop, here’s just a glimpse of the diverse genres and subgenres that showcase the depth of Black music.

Country

Country is picking up speed on SiriusXM Media as the fifth most popular genre on Pandora. Meanwhile, two in five country music listeners are tuning in more on streaming audio than they did a year ago. The foundation of many early country hits were inspired by hymns performed by Black ministers and in churches in the South. As the genre has grown in popularity over the years, its relationship to the Black community was often overlooked and forgotten. Today, mainstream Black artists like Beyoncé are crossing into country music, proving that Black artists can continuously evolve and bend genres. 

No artist embodies genre bending quite like Shaboozey—who first debuted in 2018 and jumpstarted his career with the help of SoundCloud and its rap era. He quickly became well-known for his seamless ability to fuse country, hip hop, and rap and gradually began leaning more into country despite initial obstacles. Shaboozey cemented his spot in the mainstream with his 2024 hit song “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 longer than any other track in history by a solo artist. He also snagged five nominations for the 2025 Grammy Awards and even collaborated with Beyoncé on her first country album “Cowboy Carter.” Artists like Shaboozey and Beyoncé are paving the way and opening doors for other artists of color to enter the country space. Find the latest country hits on Pandora stations Today’s Country and Country, reaching 77M and 10M listeners respectively.

House

House is the oldest genre of electronic music, born in the late 70s and early 80s in the midwest. As a direct descendant of disco, house is characterized by a consistent tempo and repetitive beat with roots in jazz, funk, and blues that bring everyone to the dance floor. 

Kaytranada is a music producer, singer, rapper, and DJ who rose to fame after releasing a series of house/techno inspired mixtapes and remixes on SoundCloud in the 2010s. His unique and critically acclaimed electronic music blends Afrobeats, hip hop, funk, soul, and R&B to create what is called R&B house. His songs, like “Be Your Girl,” brought the electronic house sound to the mainstream, creating viral videos and new radio hits. After the release of his latest album “Ain’t No Damn Way” this year, we saw a +44% increase in spins the week of its debut.

Listen to Kaytranada on SoundCloud.

Amapiano 

As a subgenre of Afrobeats, amapiano originated as South African dance music. Amapiano fuses deep house, kwaito, and Afrobeat elements and features hints of jazz and Zulu rhythms—connecting many African Americans with their heritage. 

Tyla is one of the newest beloved artists in Black music with a sound that blends pop and amapiano, earning her the title of “Queen of Popiano.” The South African artist started her career in 2019, but gained international fame in 2023, reaching TikTok virality and earning a 2024 Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance. Last year, she was one of SiriusXM + Pandora’s Artists to Watch, and she continues to contribute to the rising success of African music. 

Tyla ended 2025 with a bang as her two tracks “Water” and “Push 2 Start” earned the #2 and #3 titles for the top US Afrobeats songs of the year. And for the second year in a row, she was crowned the top Afrobeats artist, the first artist to earn the honor twice. While Afrobeats is historically male-dominated, female artists like Tyla are challenging norms, reshaping the scene, and proving that subcultures are the new mainstream. 

Reach Tyla fans on Pandora stations like Pop Space: Today’s Hits and Amapiano. 

Jazz

Jazz was created in the Black community, but its power eventually took over the mainstream, breaking racial barriers. Over time, the genre became influential to all music as well as to American culture. 

Samara Joy is reclaiming the power of jazz music with the goal of breathing new life into the genre. After releasing her first album in 2021, she’s been compared to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. In 2023, she won the Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards, becoming the first jazz artist to do so in 20 years. And in 2025, she kept the momentum going by winning the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for “A Joyful Holiday.” Samara embraces the classic sounds of jazz, covering many classic hits, proving the genre’s relevance with her growing presence and connecting Black audiences to their roots. 

Listen to our Samara Joy :A-Z Playlist on Pandora.

Alternative

Alternative and rock music are often confused, but alternative is a subgenre, characterized by its unconventional approach and non-conformity to mainstream sounds. Black artists like Fishbone and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine are paving the way for other artists of color to enter the alternative music space. 

Teezo Touchdown is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer who is redefining alternative and indie music. His debut album, “How Do You Sleep At Night?” combines the classic feel of alternative music with the swag of hip hop and the musicality of R&B. Looking to reach Gen Z specifically? Teezo Touchdown is one of the leading artists on SoundCloud among younger generations.

Listen to Teezo Touchdown on SoundCloud.

Continue the Rhythm with SiriusXM Media 

With Black consumers holding $2.1T in spending power, which grew by +183% since 2000, they’re an audience that can’t be overlooked. In preparation for Black History Month, get acquainted with the diversity of Black music and culture by celebrating upcoming Black artists across all music genres.

For the ultimate guide to reaching and resonating with diverse communities, dive into our Multicultural Advertising Playbook. Let’s chat.

Harness the Power of Black Music