CSA Global debuts SA Chart Pulse: a new era for tracking music influence

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In a world where a song can go viral on TikTok, dominate Spotify playlists, trend on YouTube, and still miss traditional radio charts, South Africa’s music scene has long needed a better way to measure cultural impact.

Enter SA Chart Pulse, Mzansi’s first unified ranking system, powered by a Pulse Score that aggregates performance from key platforms every week, offering a clear snapshot of who’s shaping the music conversation.

“The way people engage with music has changed, the charts haven’t,” says Davin Phillips, executive director and partner at CSA Global.

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“Today’s fan might Shazam a track in a club, add it to their Spotify playlist, watch the video on YouTube the next day, and hear it again on the radio on their way home. SA Chart Pulse captures that entire journey and also highlights emerging trends. It’s the clearest snapshot of cultural influence in South Africa right now.”

How it works

Every Friday, SA Chart Pulse assigns each track a Pulse Score, based on audience engagement across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Shazam, Deezer, South African radio and more.

Updated weekly, the chart reveals which artists are truly connecting across platforms, not just topping a single list. The chart is publicly available across CSA Global’s platforms.

Built for labels, marketers, talent agents, media, creators and music lovers, SA Chart Pulse does more than rank, it highlights emerging trends, breakout artists, and songs gaining real momentum across all platforms.

CSA Global has long been at the forefront of pop culture and talent marketing, delivering campaigns that connect the dots between airplay, streaming, live entertainment, and digital fan engagement for some of Africa’s biggest artists and brands.

SA Chart Pulse builds on this legacy of insight-led creative work, combining entertainment, data, and brand strategy into a dynamic new tool that reflects how music influence travels across platforms.

“It’s not just a top 10. It’s a culture barometer, built to track who’s shaping the sound of now’” adds Davin Phillips.