Russian musicians returned to the Apple Music charts in post-Soviet countries

In post-Soviet countries, the popularity of Russian musicians has increased after a decline in interest in 2022. In almost all republics at the beginning of December 2023, they occupy more than half of the positions in the top ten most popular in Apple Music. Data analysis for December 2021, 2022 and 2023 was carried out by RBC.

In 2023, 9 out of 10 lines of the charts were occupied by Russian performers in Belarus and Russia itself, 8 in Moldova, 7 each in Armenia, Latvia and Tajikistan, 6 each in Uzbekistan, Estonia, 5 each in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, 4 each in Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, 3 in Ukraine, 2 in Lithuania.

The song “Pyala” by the duet Aigel (soundtrack to the series “The Boy’s Word”) made it into almost all ratings. She took first place in ten countries, second in four. Also in many ratings are the group “My Michelle” and the singer Anna Asti.

In December 2021, songs by Russian musicians were popular in almost all former Soviet republics. Thus, they each occupied nine positions in the top 10 in Moldova and Ukraine. In 2022, demand decreased: in Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan, Russian musicians were not included in the charts; in Kazakhstan and Ukraine there was one Russian artist each in the top 10. More than half of the positions in 2022 were taken by performers from the Russian Federation only in Latvia and Moldova (6 lines each), and in Russia itself (7). Experts interviewed by RBC linked the growing popularity of Russian performers with the decline in the politicization of culture and interest in the series “The Boy’s Word.”

Note that according to the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), the income of music authors at the end of 2022 increased by 26%, which helped them recover to the level before the COVID-19 pandemic. Streaming has become the largest source of income for music creators.

Read more about this in the material “Music has been freed from the virus”.

Leonid Uvarchev