Nigerian music, which is also the commercial heart of Afrobeats, is flourishing and overflowing with energy and magnificence. The year is 2021 and the West African country has seen a run of outstanding entries.
We have compiled a list of the top ten Afrobeats songs of 2021.
DJ Tarico & Burna Boy Ft. Preck & Nelson Tivane – Yaba Buluku Remix
Grammy Award winner, Burna Boy, joins the talents of DJ Tarico, Preck, and Nelson Tivane from South Africa for a remix of their hit Amapiano single Yaba Buluku. This track came through buzzing as a club banger and Party smash hit.
Notably, the original tune was already hit in South Africa but an Afrobeats collaboration took it on a higher wave. Who else but Burna Boy to complete the assignment.
Tiwa Savage Ft. Brandy – Somebody’s Son
Yes! Tiwa Savage recorded one of this year’s most popular songs.
Tiwa Savage went on to feature well-known American singer, songwriter, and actress – Brandy on “Somebody’s Son.” The collaboration is a perfect fit and the song an undeniable hit – it also went on to be an internet sensation where music lovers posted elite videos of themselves enjoying the good music.
The song was released as part of her project EP “Water And Garri.” I must say though, Brandy blessed this tune with a particular vocal that is quite catchy. The tune is a masterpiece, and it is one of the EP’s most popular tracks.
Ayra Starr – Bloody Samaritan
Sometime this year, rising artist, Ayra Starr delivered her music lovers this masterpiece sound, dubbed “Bloody Samaritan.”
Bloody Samaritan is a delightful Afropop song with a beautiful rhythm and vocals – empowering lyrics about pursuing one’s dreams despite opponents and other people’s negative opinions, written by Ayra Starr and produced by London.
Ayra Starr definitely stole the show with her song “Bloody Samaritan” in the year 2021. Notably, this song is the lead single from her album “19 & Dangerous.” The song first aired on BBC Radio 1Xtra prior to getting released on streaming services.
The reign of “Bloody Samaritan” was well welcomed. It reached number one on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 50, making Ayra Starr the first female artist to do so with a solo song in the chart’s history. It also reached number 15 on the UK’s Afrobeats Singles Chart.
Jae5 Ft. Rema & Skepta – Dimension
This is one well-crafted tune that really captivated Nigerian music lovers’ attention. I must say, the music production is one decent and beautiful tune from Jae5. The music excites this international hit sound and the befitting style from the featured artists is clear.
Jae5, who has worked with a slew of well-known and brilliant artists all around the world, drew the notice of Mavin Records star, Rema, and UK Grime MC, Skepta to deliver one of the best international collaborations this year, 2021.
Fireboy – Peru
The song “Peru” is another classic with Afrobeats produced by Shizzi and the enticing vocals of Fireboy.
The song is currently in high demand, with numerous streams and downloads on digital streaming services, and it is well worth hearing. This is due to a remake of the song which includes a collaboration with Grammy winner and global superstar, Ed Sheeran.
The remix gives a new spin on the song, making it one of Afrobeats‘ biggest exports this year. Ed Sheeran takes over the second verse with lyrics that are sprinkled with bouncy pidgin and intertwined with Yoruba phrases, which compose the original song’s lyrics.
Notably, some months ago though, Peru was such a buzz that Buju even had to hop on it and delivered a very gracious refix of the tune.
Joeboy – Sip (Alcohol)
Joeboy made good work with his debut album “Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic” earlier in the year. The singer later came through and released one of the most popular Afrobeats tunes in 2021.
The rhythm Tempoe provided in the beat is unarguably infectious, the song went viral and also became an internet sensation.
Joeboy is a musician that typically sings a catchy tune to delight his music admirers. The song “Sip (Alcohol)” is notable for its Afropop flavor.
On the tune “(Sip) Alcohol,” Joeboy began by highlighting the elegance of his achievement thus far and announcing his worry over negativity and neglect.
He hoped for buoyancy over his listeners and outlined how alcohol protects him from life’s tragedies and what may appear to be his worries. Joeboy delivered all of these in a great rhythm and vocal serenity.
Focalistic & Davido Ft. Virgo Deep – Ke Star Remix
This is one of those remixes everyone absolutely loves. Focalistic links up with Davido, the DMW Boss, for the Remix of his 2020 Mega Hit single Ke Star, produced by Virgo Deep. The fusion is one beautiful melody as Amapiano meets Afrobeat.
Davido came through, spicing up the Mega Amapiano hit sound with Afrobeat and Trap vibes. He definitely delivered his top-notch music touch to this tune.
Ke Star remix achieved a record by reaching the Billboard chart in the United States via Triller. Apparently, that is the first time a SA song has ever done so.
Rema – Soundgasm
The Afropop song “Soundgasm” recorded by Mavin-affiliated beatmaker London is one of the biggest tunes out of Nigeria in 2021. London delivered a killer beat and Rema did explicit justice to it. The song draws themes of erotic competence and delight.
Notably, Soundgasm amassed over 10 million YouTube views in only two months, making it his fastest and fourth music video to achieve this level of success. Soundgasm currently has over 28 million views on Youtube.
Wizkid Ft. Tems – Essence
On the track “Essence,” Wizkid and Tems harmonized perfectly over a beautiful set beat and tempo. This song went on to help them achieve greater worldwide popularity while climbing global charts.
Essence went to become a global hit and the song of the summer. Much later, a remix sparked up the bliss of the beautiful music again.
The remix of “Essence“ sees a collaboration with Canadian superstar Justin Bieber, and he blended well and delivered wonderfully. The song reached the top of Billboard chart.
Earlier on, “Essence” bagged two Grammy nominations – “Best Global Music Performance” & “Best Global Music Album.”
Ckay – Love Nwantiti
“Love Nwantiti” was released in 2019 as the second track on his second extended play “Ckay the First”.
The song’s remix was released as a single in 2020 and became a commercial success in Nigeria, West Asia, North Africa, and many European club venues.
CKay‘s main remix with Joeboy and Kuami Eugene was released in most countries, while another version, the North African remix with ElGrande Toto, became a hit in Germany, Italy, Austria, and Denmark.
The song charted in Europe, Australia, Latin America, and New Zealand in 2021, reaching number one in India, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland, and gaining TikTok popularity. It also achieved number one on the UK Indie Singles Chart and number three on the UK Singles Chart. It also charted at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, as well as No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200 and the Canadian Hot 100.
The music video for “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” has already received over 172 million views on Youtube. A performance video for the acoustic version was also uploaded – with 143 million views on Youtube.
On November 4, 2021, a video for the North African remix featuring ElGrande Toto was released; and right now, it has topped 40 million views.
