Sony Music and its subsidiaries, The Orchard and AWAL, have removed their entire music catalogs from Boomplay, one of Africa's leading music streaming platforms, due to unpaid royalties dating back to 2021.

Boomplay, which boasts 95 million monthly active users, has reportedly failed to pay artist royalties for approximately two years. The platform offers both streaming and download options, with territory-specific payout rates for artists.

The removal affects major artists including Davido, Wizkid, Tems, and Lojay. This development follows growing concerns about royalty payments, with smaller artists also reporting payment issues throughout the year.

Gospel artist Celestine Donkor's husband, Kofi Donkor, publicly addressed the situation on Facebook, claiming they haven't received royalties for over a year. He also mentioned rumors of Boomplay potentially closing its Ghana office, urging immediate withdrawal of funds.

The platform had previously secured deals with all three major labels by 2019 and added Merlin's independent artists in 2021. Boomplay operates on a freemium model, offering both free and premium subscription tiers to users across Africa.

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