The Recording Academy recently unveiled its top 10 “Afrobeats evolution songs,” a curated list spotlighting pivotal tracks that have propelled the genre to global recognition and led to the creation of the Best African Music Performance Grammy category.
While celebrating Afrobeats’ dynamic journey, the list notably excludes major international figures like D’banj, Davido, and Burna Boy, instead featuring artists such as Asake, 2Baba, and Wizkid for their foundational contributions.
The Academy clarified that “Afrobeats” (with an ‘s’) is distinct from “Afrobeat” (without an ‘s’), which refers to the jazz and highlife-infused music pioneered by Fela Kuti in the 1970s. Afrobeats, a broader and more fluid term, gained popularity in the early 2010s through British-Ghanaian DJ Abrantee as a catch-all for the new wave of pop-inflected African music.
However, its sonic foundations were laid much earlier, with artists like 2Baba (then 2Face Idibia), Styl-Plus, the Remedies, and Daddy Showkey experimenting with reggae, American R&B, and hip-hop to create infectious hybrids that set the blueprint for the contemporary sound.
The Recording Academy emphasised Afrobeats’ ongoing evolution, noting its incorporation of diverse global influences, from Angolan kuduro to South African house and Caribbean soca. This pervasive global presence and cultural significance were key factors in the Grammys’ decision to introduce the new Best African Music Performance category in 2024.
The 10 Afrobeats evolution songs identified by the Grammys include:
African Queen — 2Baba (2004) A seminal track that cemented 2Baba’s status as a genre pioneer, showcasing African music’s global commercial and cultural potential.
Do Me — P-Square (2007) Instrumental in packaging Nigerian pop for a global, dance-oriented audience, setting new standards for high-production music videos.
Bumper 2 Bumper — Wande Coal (2009) A major pop hit from the Mo’Hits Records era, influencing pop production and highlighting Wande Coal’s vocal versatility.
Pon Pon Pon — Dagrin (2009) Popularised Indigenous-language rap, giving voice to everyday struggles and directly influencing the “streetpop” subgenre and artists like Olamide.
Azonto— Fuse ODG feat. Tiffany Owusu (2014) Crucial for Afrobeats’ international breakthrough in the UK, showcasing Ghanaian dance culture and becoming one of the first Afrobeats songs to hit the UK Top 10.
Ojuelegba — Wizkid (2014) Described as the “master key” for new levels of international awareness, its organic appeal led to remixes by Drake and Skepta, propelling Wizkid’s career and Afrobeats’ crossover into the U.S.
Mad Over You — Runtown (2016) A colossal hit across Africa and the diaspora, its Ghanaian highlife and Alkayida rhythms spurred countless imitations.
Maradona — Niniola (2017) Pioneered Afro-house, expanding Afrobeats’ rhythmic and sonic range and leading to global recognition, including a Beyoncé sample.
Sungba — Asake (2022) With an amapiano-saturated sound, this track, amplified by a Burna Boy remix, established Asake as a major new Afrobeats star, bringing naturalized amapiano to the forefront.
Ozeba — Rema (2024) Signaling a new direction for Nigerian pop, Rema incorporated “mara,” a fast-paced, chant-heavy subgenre, as Afrobeats moved beyond amapiano saturation.
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