American music authority Billboard on Tuesday, August 19, released its list of the 50 greatest Afrobeats songs of all time, naming 2Baba’s “African Queen” (2004) as number one.
According to Billboard, the selection was based on stylistic representation of the genre, local popularity, regional expansion, cultural impact, and commercial success. A team of journalists and contributors from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria jointly compiled the ranking.
In explaining the choice of African Queen for the top spot, Billboard described the track as “a syrupy ballad that revolutionized Afrobeats and announced the arrival of 2Baba as a solo phenomenon,” further noting its inclusion in the 2006 Hollywood film Phat Girlz.
Other songs in the top ten include:
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Wizkid’s “Ojuelegba” (2014) at No. 2
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Flavour’s “Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)” (2011) at No. 3
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Rema’s “Calm Down” (2022) at No. 4
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Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence” (2020) at No. 5
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CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” (2019) at No. 6
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D’banj’s “Oliver Twist” (2011) at No. 7
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Davido’s “Fall” (2017) at No. 8
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Burna Boy’s “Ye” (2018) at No. 9
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P-Square’s “Chop My Money (Remix)” featuring Akon (2012) at No. 10
Billboard stated that Afrobeats with an “s” should not be confused with Afrobeat, the 1960s genre pioneered by Fela Kuti. While Afrobeat fused highlife, fuji, jazz and funk with political lyrics, Afrobeats emerged in the 2000s as a more pop-oriented sound blending hip-hop, R&B, dancehall and local languages including Yoruba, Pidgin and English.
The publication also noted its decision to cap the number of entries per artist at three, in order to “capture the breadth of the music” beyond the so-called Big 3; Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy.
Nigeria’s representation in the ranking is significant, with pioneers like Styl-Plus (“Olufunmi,” 2003, No. 11), 9ice (“Gongo Aso,” 2008, No. 12), Yemi Alade (“Johnny,” 2013, No. 15), and Olamide (“Bobo,” 2015, No. 23) included alongside contemporary global stars such as Asake, Ayra Starr, Fireboy DML, and Oxlade.
Billboard launched its U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart in 2022, following the Official U.K. Afrobeats Chart in 2020, in recognition of the genre’s international growth. Institutions such as the Recording Academy, MTV and the American Music Awards have also introduced new categories for Afrobeats in recent years.
In its conclusion, Billboard wrote that the 50 selected tracks “represent how Afrobeats gained momentum at home before migrating and making noise in different markets, echoing the rallying cry of ‘Afrobeats to the world.’”
