There's no
doubt that Nigerian artistes are leading the Afropop music genre in the world.
AFROPOP
according to Rollingstone Magazine "is a catch-all term casting a wide net
over the diverse musical approaches originating and dominating from Africa
which has long been a center of the Black diasporic experience, from which
so much of pop culture borrows"
Here are the ten most popular Afropop Songs and artistes that ruled the
airwaves and streets of Nigeria in 2022:
1. Kizz Daniel’s single “Buga” featuring Tekno is no doubt the most popular
song in Nigeria in 2022. There's no home or street across Nigeria that you'll
not hear the Buga song, even the Buga dance challenge became very popular in
the social media space.
2. “Last Last” by Burna Boy is the 2nd most popular song in 2022. Burna delivers an instant classic Afropop breakup song that will keep us dancing for a long time to come.
3. “Calm Down” by Rema is one of the many standout moments on his debut album, Rave & Roses. With a hypnotic guitar loop and a rhythmic bounce as bedrock, Rema narrates a tale about a romantic connection he has with a girl he first met at a party. The song released on Mavin Records was really another banger!
4. Ayra Starr's hit song "Rush" was well accepted as it ruled the Nigerian airwaves in 2022. Her super and daring fashion sense has added glamour that lifted the young artist to an African superstar status.
5. “Overdose” a Mavin Records all-star’s single produced by Don Jazzy featuring Ayra Starr, Crayon, Ladipoe, Magixx, and Boy Spyce is bright, youthful, and lovelorn, with each artists’ distinct voice shining and melding at once. Amassing over 200 million streams across platforms, the song was a 2022 Nigerian smash hit.
6. Adekunle Gold's "5 Star" made a tremendous impact in the Nigerian airwaves in 2022. After dropping his fourth album, Catch Me If You Can, in February, he toured the U.S. and capped 2022 with a jubilant homecoming show in Lagos on Dec. 18. While onstage in the States, he previewed “5 Star,” which made its way to streaming services in July.
7. On the 7th position is Asake's single “Omo Ope” Arriving at the start of 2022 with this eruptive Olamide-assisted single Asake asserted himself with relatable lyrics and anthemic choruses. The rest as they say is history suffice it to say that the rest of the year would find him dominating with ease, especially after dropping his debut album, Mr. Money With the Vibe.
8. Asake’s song “Joha” became an early fan favorite off the project of his debut album, Mr. Money With the Vibe, armed to the teeth with evocative poetry and memorable melodies. Rollingstone Magazine has observed that "since its release, Asake has continued to collect musical successes including TikTok virality and sold-out shows across the U.K. and U.S. All hail the king of sounds and blues."
9. Lojay's 2021 hit “Monalisa” still dominated the first quarter of 2022.
10. Aṣa's song “Show Me Off” from her fifth studio album released in 2022 was a great song just like the other hypnotizing tracks in the album, all buoyant drums and sunny guitar. According to Rollingstone Magazine “Show Me Off, is a solo showcase, Aṣa’s heavenly falsetto effortless as she sings with the quiet assurance of someone who knows music is their calling."
