Spotify Kenya Valentine’s Stats: How Not to Interpret Data
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that’s even remotely true! — Homer Simpson.
Plato disliked senses because he believed that senses easily deceive. So is our resident philosopher, Homer Simpson, after a few pints of good ale. You see, our eyes, ears, nose, and touch gather data, but how we interpret it depends entirely on our thinking. That’s why Plato emphasized reasoning as the superior path to knowledge. He states:
That conceived by opinion with the help of sensation and without reason is always in the process of perishing.
This leads us to Spotify’s Valentine’s Day statistics on Kenyans’ music-listening habits before the day of love.
Let’s break down the stats:
189% Increase in Sad Songs Streams
While this statistic is accurate, it overlooks key insights into how we engage with music. Pop music (or happy music) follows a vastly different “listening profile” compared to sad or gospel music. In 2019, I analyzed the top Kenyan songs on YouTube, tracking views distribution over several months post-release. The data revealed a sharp spike in views for happy music within the first few months, followed by a steep decline, whereas gospel music exhibited the opposite trend, with a slower but more sustained growth over time.
Statistically speaking, 90% of happy music views occur within the first six months of release, whereas gospel music follows the opposite trend. This highlights the role of sad and gospel music in our lives — when misfortune strikes us, our friends, or society, we seek solace in these genres. Additionally, it’s easier to remain in a melancholic mood for an entire week than to sustain a happy one. After all, you’re more likely to drive to work each day with stoic music playing rather than an upbeat tune.
This explains the steady rise in sad music listenership over time. Unlike happy music, which peaks early, sad music continues to grow in popularity regardless of life’s circumstances.
Man Showed an Increase of 107%
Spotify has 375,617 users in Kenya, with 67% being male. So, when more men are streaming sad songs, it’s not necessarily because they’re suffering more breakups — it’s simply because there are more male listeners than female.
The facts are correct, but the interpretation is off!
