Over the last decade, Afrobeats has made significant inroads in the global music industry, from invitations to conquer the biggest stages in the world to cross-cultural collaborations with Western superstars like Beyoncé, Drake and Ed Sheeran. And it has earned institutional recognition.
To commemorate the game changers of the genre, Billboard is ranking the 50 best Afrobeats songs of all time. This list is highlighting the foundational, influential and popular songs within Afrobeats.
Billboard staffers and contributors agreed on the following criteria: stylistic representation of the genre, local popularity, regional expansion, cultural impact and commercial success. Given the geographical makeup of this group of journalists – ranging from the U.S. to the U.K. to Nigeria – these 50 songs represent how Afrobeats gained momentum at home before migrating and making noise in different markets, echoing the rallying cry of “Afrobeats to the world!”
Even though a few heavy-hitters like the heralded “Big 3” – Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy – have contributed numerous defining hits, the max number of songs one artist can have on the list is three, to ensure the breadth of the music is captured as best as possible by making room for more artists.
5. Wizkid feat. Tems, “Essence” (2020)
This hit featured the graceful Tems, and after scoring a remix with Justin Bieber in 2021 — one year after it initially appeared on Wizkid’s Made in Lagos album — “Essence” earned Grammy and Soul Train nominations, and won at the 2022 NAACP Image Awards and BET Awards. Not only is it a prime example of just how good Afrobeats can get, but it also spotlights Wizkid at the height of his artistic prowess.
4. Rema, “Calm Down” (2022)
What sounds on its surface like a mid-tempo love song about meeting a girl at a party is going down in history as one of the most successful Afrobeats crossover songs of all time. “Calm Down,” the second single from Mavin golden boy Rema’s 2022 debut album Rave & Roses, stands out for its catchy hook and simple guitar loop, thanks to producers Andre Vibez and London. When the Selena Gomez remix arrived six months later, it catapulted “Calm Down” into the mainstream pop stratosphere. The remix reached No. 3 on the Hot 100, became the first African artist-led track to hit one billion Spotify streams and won the inaugural best Afrobeats award at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.
3. Flavour, “Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)” (2011)
While the world is much more acquainted with the jubilant party anthem “Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix),” the original track was a contemporary highlife tune featured on Flavour’s 2005 debut album N’abania. Its 2011 reprisal aimed to reimagine the track as a masterclass in cultural fluidity: Derived from Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson’s 1960s highlife classic “Sawale,” and undergirded by a dancehall drum pattern, it honored Flavour’s Igbo heritage while positioning it within an international context. Living up to its intended purpose, “Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)” remains the most global song in Flavour’s discography. Hall parties, weddings and dancehalls alike remain forever indebted.
2. Wizkid, “Ojuelegba” (2014)
In the aftermath of early career hits like “Don’t Dull” and “Pakurumo,” Wizkid’s 2014 sophomore album, Ayo, was a chance for him to solidify his position as one of the best Afrobeats artists of the 2010s – which he achieved and then some. “Ojuelegba” was not only one of the biggest records from Ayo but also of Wizkid’s career. It served as a major point of entry into the Afrobeats world for global music fans, as the genre’s popularity skyrocketed to unprecedented levels in the years that followed. The 2015 remix with Skepta and Drake further elevated the song’s profile, but its success within Afrobeats was already destined and certified.
1. 2Baba, “African Queen” (2004)
When the Nigerian boy band Plantashun Boiz disbanded in 2004, many expected 2Baba (formerly known as 2Face Idibia) to emerge as a star. But few could have expected the sheer scale and impact of his first solo hit “African Queen,” a syrupy ballad that revolutionized Afrobeats and announced the arrival of 2Baba as a solo phenomenon. It was later included in the soundtrack for the Mo’Nique-led 2006 romantic comedy film Phat Girlz. From 2Baba’s tender admiration of African women’s beauty to the striking warmth of the song’s video, “African Queen” is a love letter to a generation of women from the continent
