An email I received recently had the following headline:
“It started with a missing model. What police found in the soup pot was unthinkable — and exposed a family feud.”
What an intriguing line. You can’t help but want to click, read, find out what happened. Even if a novelist made it up, it would seem too wild to be believable. But in real life, these things happen. Whatever the story is, it has a hook—and we, the audience, want to know more.
All in the name of entertaining ourselves.
Entertainment Is Big Business
What forms of entertainment are popular today? Is it Netflix, live shows, magazines, music, social media—or all of the above?
The short answer is: yes. All of the above and more. Entertainment in 2025 blends digital convenience with live, immersive experiences. Here’s how global and local trends are shaping what we choose to watch, listen to, and participate in.
Global Entertainment Trends in 2025
• Streaming Platforms (Netflix, etc.)
Streaming remains king. Platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video have passed 1.3 billion global subscriptions, with Netflix alone topping 300 million paid users. New formats like interactive storytelling and AI-curated content keep viewers engaged, though subscription fatigue is real—leading to a rise in ad-supported viewing tiers.
• Social Media
TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube dominate, especially among younger audiences. Short-form video rules, influencers shape pop culture, and memes are real-time entertainment. TikTok in particular is redefining how music is discovered and trends are born.
• Live Events
Post-pandemic, live shows have made a roaring comeback. Concert ticket sales are up 20% from 2019. Mega tours by artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are cultural phenomena, and local pop-up gigs and immersive performances are booming too.
• Gaming & Podcasts
With over 3.2 billion gamers worldwide and more than 4 million active podcasts, these formats offer entertainment tailored to every niche imaginable. Gaming is social, interactive, and often community-driven. Podcasts give us everything from bite-sized crime stories to longform intellectual debates.
• Magazines & Niche Content
While traditional print is struggling, digital newsletters, magazines, and blogs are thriving in smaller, loyal circles. Platforms like Substack give writers and readers a direct relationship, favoring deep storytelling over shallow scrolling.
• Immersive Technologies
Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), esports, and AI-generated content are on the rise. Hybrid experiences—livestreamed concerts, VR meetups, or metaverse art shows—are carving out a new frontier for creative entertainment.
South Africa’s Entertainment Scene in 2025
South Africa’s entertainment landscape reflects both global influences and strong local culture. With a young, connected population and growing access to internet infrastructure, entertainment here is as much about identity and community as it is about escape.
1. Streaming Services
Platforms like Netflix, Showmax, and YouTube dominate screens across both urban and rural areas. Showmax has carved a solid niche by offering local stories at affordable prices. Over 56% of adults in South Africa now use at least one streaming service, powered by faster internet and smart TV uptake.
2. Social Media and Short-Form Video
With 26.7 million active social media users (around 60% of the adult population), South Africans spend nearly 3 hours and 36 minutes a day on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. That’s well above the global average. TikTok challenges, Instagram Reels, and creator-led storytelling are driving trends and conversations, especially among younger audiences.
3. Live Music, Festivals, and Creative Gatherings
Live events are flourishing again—and not just in big cities. South Africa has a rich festival culture that blends music, performance, and creativity.
One standout is AfrikaBurn, South Africa’s regional Burning Man event. Held each year in the Tankwa Karoo, it draws 10,000–11,000 participants for a radically inclusive, self-reliant, art-filled experience. Participation is key: everyone contributes. It’s a temporary city built on values like immediacy, survival, ritual, and community. No sponsors, no VIPs—just shared creation in the desert.
Then there’s the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, Africa’s largest arts showcase, with over 50,000 attendees annually. It offers opera, jazz, drama, literature, visual art, and more. Other highlights include the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, AfrikaBurn, the Canimambo Free Form Music & Arts Festival in Graskop, and Afrikaans cultural fests like Klein Karoo Klassique.
Even digital platforms like Spotify are reflecting this cultural wave. Local genres such as Maskandi have seen a 3,000% spike in playlists, making it South Africa’s fastest-growing genre.
4. Gaming and Esports
South Africa now boasts over 26 million gamers, mostly thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones (99% ownership rate). Mobile gaming is huge, and platforms like Carry1st, a homegrown mobile game publisher, are taking African gaming global. Esports is becoming mainstream too, with brands targeting competitive gaming events. Virtual reality gaming is emerging, but still niche.
5. Cultural and Traditional Events
The country’s rich traditions are alive and well. Events like the Durban July mix horse racing with high fashion, while the Franschhoek Bastille Festival pairs food, wine, and heritage. Performances such as Cape Minstrels, gumboot dancing, marimba, and Zulu drumming remain staples at cultural and corporate events. Literature lovers have festivals like WordFest and Klein Karoo Klassique, promoting South African writing and reading culture.
6. Movies and Cinema
South African cinema is in a rebound. Box office revenues rose by 33.6% in 2023 and are projected to hit $429.2 million by 2030. Local films and international blockbusters share screen time, while platforms like Showmax and YouTube Premium keep music videos, short films, and documentaries in high rotation. Creators like Tyla and films like The Last Ranger are gaining global acclaim.
7. iGaming and Online Gambling
Online betting and casino games are growing quietly but steadily, pending the implementation of new regulations like the Remote Gambling Bill. Innovations in AR and VR are starting to influence this space too, although regulatory uncertainty still holds the industry back somewhat.
So, Where Do You Look for Entertainment?
In a world with more content than ever before, we still gravitate to the things that feel real, personal, or immediate. Whether it’s a strange true-crime story, a festival in the Karoo, a TikTok dance, or a local theatre performance—entertainment fills a human need for connection, wonder, laughter, and curiosity.
As someone in the entertainment business myself—with this blog and the digital platform I’m building—these trends matter. But more importantly, it’s about how we engage, not just what we consume. In a way, entertainment reflects back to us what we care about, what surprises us, and what makes us human.
