Te reo Māori waiata (songs) are proving their popularity around the world, with Spotify revealing a staggering 75 percent increase in streams of Te Reo songs since August 2020.
This year alone has seen a 38 percent increase in Māori language songs added to the platform, with beloved Kiwi acts like Six60, Stan Walker and Teeks making up the top ten most-streamed Te Reo waiata of the year so far in Aotearoa.
Six60's te reo Māori version of their hit 'Don't Forget Your Roots/Kia Mau Ki Tō Ūkaipō', with over 7 million streams, takes out the number one spot.
Meanwhile, Apple Music is also celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, selecting Te Kaahu (Theia) as their featured Up Next Local artist across Australia and New Zealand as part of an initiative geared towards identifying and showcasing rising talent across Australia and New Zealand.
The streaming service has also launched a Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori playlist featuring influential waiata that have helped propel Te Reo into the mainstream, including Patea Maori Club's iconic tune 'Poi E', Herbs' 'E Papa' and 'Pokarekare Ana'.
Both Apple Music and Spotify are hosting the 2021 Waita Anthems playlist, a collection of te reo Māori waiata offered up from 30 different artists including Hollie Smith, Ria Hall, Paige, Sons of Zion, Tomorrow People, Rei, Anna Coddington and Troy Kingi.
Spotify's top 10 most streamed Māori language songs in Aotearoa in 2021 to date are:
- 'Kia Mau Ki Tō Ūkaipō / Don't Forget Your Roots' - SIX60
- 'Tua / Bigger (feat. Ibanez Maeva)' - Ibanez Maeva, Stan Walker
- 'Ka Mānu' - Bella Kalolo, Maisey Rika, Majic, Ria Hall, Rob Ruha, Seth Haapu, The Witch Dr, Troy Kingi
- 'Kalega' - Rob Ruha, The Witch Dr
- 'Tukituki Te Manawa' - Drax Project
- 'E Kore Rawa E Wehe / Never Be Apart' - TEEKS
- 'Karawhiua' - Katchafire
- 'I Moeroa / Woke Up Late' - Drax Project
- 'Tena Ra Koe / Thank You' - Stan Walker
- 'He Kakano Ahau' - Stan Walker
The Kia kaha te reo Māori! playlist on Apple Music includes:
- 'Poi E' - Patea Maori Club
- 'Aotearoa' (Maori Language Week 2014) [feat. Ria Hall, Troy Kingi & Maisey Rika] -Stan Walker
- 'Pepeha' - SIX60
- 'E Ipo' - Prince Tui Teka
- 'Wairua' - Maimoa (feat. Mereana Teka, Makaira Berry, Puawai Taiapa, Awatea Wihongi, Tawaroa Kawana, Raniera Blake, Pere Wihongi, Metotagivale Schmidt-Peke, Te Awhina Kaiwai-Wanikau, Hoeata Maxwell Blake, Kia Kaaterama Pou & Nathaniel Howe)
- 'The Bridge' - Deane Waretini
- 'A.E.I.O.U. (Akona Te Reo)' - Moana and the Moahunters
- 'E Papa' - Herbs
- 'Maimoatia' - Pūkana Whānau (feat. Nathaniel Howe, Makaira Berry, Raniera Blake, Puawai Taiapa, Pere Wihongi, Awatea Wihongi, Hoeata Maxwell-Blake, Tawaroa Kawana, Meto Tagivale Schmidt-Peke, Katerama Pou, Te Awhina Kaiwai-Winikau & Mereana Teka)
- 'Tangaroa Whakamautai' - Maisey Rika
- 'Kotiro Māori e' -Wairarapa Moana Waiata
- 'E Hine Ē' - TE KAAHU
- 'Pokarekare Ana' - The Kiwi Sound
- 'Whakatō te Kākano' - Mauri
- 'Maumahara Noa Ahau' - Brannigan Kaa
- 'Ka Mānu' - Bella Kalolo, Maisey Rika, Majic
- 'Tahi, Rua, Toru, Wha' - Anika Moa
- '1814' - Whakahonohono Mai
