Music streaming created a whole new outlook for music consumption in Nigeria. Streaming numbers became a metric for success, especially as DSPs exposed Nigerian music to an international audience who was gradually warming up to it.
Today, Nigerian artists are recording impressive numbers both locally where streaming is gaining momentum and internationally where Nigerian music is fast spreading.
Amidst this rise in digital consumption are some songs that have achieved impressive commercial success. Some of these songs enjoyed tremendous local success while others were international hits. However, what they share in common is a huge chunk of stream that makes them the standout tracks of the streaming era of Nigerian music.
Why 2019?
Some may wonder why this list begins from 2019 when music streaming in Nigeria started earlier than that.
The answer is simple. 2019 was when music streaming truly gained a foothold in Nigerian music. As far as music streaming data in Nigeria is concerned, accurate analysis and collation only dates back as far as 2019. Hence, it’s appropriate to limit the scope of this list to cover the period when verifiable data can be deployed to achieve an accurate representation of the most standout tracks of the streaming era.
An example of 2019 being the start of the streaming era in Nigeria is the famous screenshot of Fireboy DML’s ‘Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps’ occupying the first 13 spots on the Apple Music Top 100 chart for days. This was the first indication of how streaming charts could shape public perception of projects, determine consumption behaviors of listeners and gauge the overall success of music in this era of Nigerian music.
It also happens that the most-streamed Nigerian song till date was released in 2019.
The 20 Standout Tracks of the Streaming Era
These are the 20 standout tracks of the streaming era. This list will be updated every three years before culminating in the decade year-end list.
1. “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” by Ckay
The definition of a global hit. Over 600 million streams on Spotify, Over 500 million combined views on YouTube and countless viral Instagram and TikTok dance videos. Released in 2019 and produced at that time by Tempoe, it did its time on the airwaves becoming a moderate hit in that period. He went on to release a remix with Joeboy & Kwame Eugene in 2020. This led to further commercial successes for the record including popularity in North Africa, the Middle East, and numerous European club venues.
It was an international phenomenon on TikTok, reaching No. 1 in several countries and rising up the charts in Europe, Australia, Latin America, and New Zealand in 2021. Reaching No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, it also topped the UK Indie Singles Chart. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200, No. 26 on the Canadian Hot 100, and No. 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100. On 4 October 2021, it reached a high of No. 30 on the TurnTable Top 50 chart, and by 20 October, 2021, it had climbed all the way to No. 14.
In spite of the fact that the primary remix by CKay featuring Joeboy and Kuami Eugene was released in the majority of nations, the North African remix with El Grande Toto became a hit in Germany, Italy, Austria, and Denmark. The original version by Ckay was number one on the French Singles Chart. Several remixes and countless covers later, it would go on to become the most certified Afrobeats song. This song relaunched CKay’s career and putting him up there as a global superstar and Afrobeats powerhouse – SO.
2. “Peru” by Fireboy DML
On July 20, 2021 Fireboy DML released in anticipation of his follow-up album following a hugely successful Apollo album. While "Peru" peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, it went No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart. By the end of its run, it had spent 22 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, making it Sheeran's third longest charting single behind "Shape of You" and "Bad Habits." As of the time of writing, "Peru" has been streamed over 60 million times on Spotify, making it Fireboy's most popular song ever (the remix with Ed-Sheeran has more than 200 million streams).
What makes “Peru” special is its longevity and cross-cultural success in both Nigeria and international markets. In 2021, “Peru” appeared at No. 8 on the Year-End Top Songs Chart. In 2022, it appeared again in the top ten – this time with its Ed Sheeran remix – at No. 9 on the Year-End Top Songs Chart. This is a feat that no other song has ever achieved since TurnTable began tracking data across the country – SO.
3. “Essence” by Wizkid featuring Tems
On 23rd of February, 2020, Wizkid tweeted “Tems and I created magic” and the rest as they say, is history. At the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for the Best Global Music Performance and won Song of the Year at the 2022 Headies Award.
The two Nigerian musicians create a formidable team in the slick Afrobeats tune, with Wizkid providing a showcase for Tems to display her knockout vocals.Released in the fog of COVID-19 pandemic, there was a real possibility that the song wouldn't have enjoyed the communal airplay space it so richly deserved due to the lockdowns. This proved not to be as it continued its rise atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart throughout the period of the lockdown up until public venues opened up where it enjoyed a flourish peaking during this period on the charts.
A common misconception with “Essence” is the idea that it wasn’t a major hit or significantly popular in Nigeria as it was internationally; this cannot be further from the truth. “Essence” appeared at No. 3 on the 2021 Year-End Chart – which means it was the third biggest song across all platforms in the country during the year. When compared to any other market such as the United States or United Kingdom, the song did not appear in the top 20 of any Year-End chart – SO.
4. “Calm Down” by Rema
Over 325 million Spotify streams for the remix with Selena Gomez and over 250 million streams for the original song. No. 1 Song in Belgium, Netherlands and becoming the first African song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 (Excl. United States Chart). The music video for the original song – directed by Director K – holds the distinction as the most-viewed music video for a Nigerian song ever. It appeared at No. 5 on the 2022 Year-End Top Songs Chart in Nigeria.
A purely vibey and feel-good song, “Calm Down” will go down as the song that puts Rema in the international spotlight. Shutting down shows globally with the tune and a sure crowd pleaser, this song is a legacy song. Imagine a Rema set in one of the biggest arenas in the world and you can be certain that the crowd is screaming ‘Rema, we wanna party’ right before he performs “Calm Down” – SO.
5. “Last Last” by Burna Boy
How often do you see artistes turn personal pain and heartbreak into club bangers? Well, Burna Boy takes it up a notch in the stand-out Afrobeats song of the year 2022. Produced by Chopstix, sampling Toni Braxton’s single “He ain’t Man Enough” with the juxtaposition of club-ready beats as well as immaculate layering birthed of the foremost Afrobeats sounds of all time. “I need Igbo and Shayoooo”…. a bold choice of refrain for an international audience that turned out to be a masterstroke of pure unadulterated genius.
Like everything Burna, the song which puts vulnerability as front & centre also comes with the baggage of braggadocio, an air of entitlement and vocal delivery akin to that of a master potter at the wheel. These complexities have come to be embraced by his fans and the larger international community that enjoys his brand and style of music.
Stage after stage, performance after performance the song would go on to be streamed almost 200 million times on Spotify and bagging him another Grammy nomination. A song that places Burna Boy firmly among the greats of his craft. It is one that would keep him remembered for generations to come – SO.
6. “Buga (Lo Lo Lo)” by Kizz Daniel & Tekno
There aren’t too many songs where the target audience ends up being EVERYONE. Kizz Daniel and Tekno’s “Buga” is one of those songs, so ultra-ubiquitous 7-year olds and 70-year olds are already in the stance of its viral, trademark dance at the ring of its now-iconic opening adlibs, “no sleep, wake up.”
Like many great songs of the post-digital era, it started online and became a fixture in the streets, but even just its online stats are eye-popping: a video with well over 100 million views and a record-breaking run at the top of TurnTable’s weekly aggregate chart. It ended as the overall No. 1 Song of 2022, joint-longest No. 1 song in 2022 and recently won Song of the Year at the SoundCity MVP Awards – DAP.
7. “FEM” by Davido
Davido doesn’t hold his tongue for anyone. The best part is, he doesn’t just react with choice words, his screeds are laid on wax to become culturally impactful bangers. There are no names mentioned on “FEM” but maybe that’s why it became so potent in the first place. A song that was meant to serve as a summons in a beef with one of his peers quickly transformed into a rallying cry for Nigerian youth during the greatest civil rights moment for this generation.
Davido got his message across and a governor was infamously shushed; that’s some range on an Afrobeats song. On the charts, “FEM” became the first song to debut at No. 1 on all platforms in its debut week – a feat no other song has achieved till date. It ranked as the overall No. 2 Song of 2020 despite being released in September – DAP.
8. “Nobody” by Dj Neptune featuring Joeboy & Mr. Eazi
In the mid-months of 2020, a period that was cursed by a global pandemic, DJ Neptune’s “Nobody” was the grooviest blessing to Afrobeats. By virtue of how “big” everything sounded on this song, it seemed destined for the type of greatness that comes from being outside. Magicsticks’ beat is blaring and color-packed, Joeboy’s impassioned croon still demands that you scream along till date, and a usually laidback Mr Eazi can’t help but dial into his protégé’s fervent direction.
For extra proof of its popularity, there are more than a few remixes of “Nobody” and at least one of them is a legitimate hit song in its own right. It ranked at No. 1 on the 2020 Year-End Top Songs Chart and won the ‘Song of the Year’ award at the 2020 Headies Award – DAP.
9. “Godly” by Omah Lay
Four months after his debut EP served as the basis for his 2020 breakout run, Omah Lay returned with What Have We Done, confirming his place a star with lasting power. The commercial lodestar for that EP was “Godly,” a celebration of his rising star and a declaration of his autonomy as a person with public expectations.
“I don’t wanna live my life for you” is an all-time opening lyric line, but instead of being translated a prideful assertion, Omah Lay’s deference to a Higher Power made “Godly” identifiable to many Nigerians and the song rode that sort of wholesome autonomy into double figure weeks at the top of TurnTable’s weekly chart. It still remains the reference for all other No. 1 Songs that came after it as it holds the record for longest No. 1 song ever – a whopping 11 weeks at the top of the chart – DAP.
10. “Sip (Alcohol)” by Joeboy
Afrobeats is littered with songs seeking and extolling the virtues of living a stress-free life. At that, very few of them have the emotionally resonant heft of Joeboy’s “Sip (Alcohol).” Joeboy might have been singing for himself but everyone wants to “reason bad things no more,” nobody wants to remain where there were before, and even if you don’t sip alcohol, the joy of relishing whatever makes you happy is generally unbeatable. In a catalogue packed with hits, “Sip (Alcohol)” is arguably Joeboy’s greatest feat as a solo hit-maker – DAP.
11. “Bandana” by Fireboy DML & Asake
Label mates Fireboy DML and Asake delivered a triumphant ‘Bandana’ in July 2022 which spoke of the light at the other side of the trials and tribulations faced by both artists till that point. In a year characterized by Asake’s dominance, he lent his special voice to an already special artist to create a song that’s as spiritually lifting as it is culturally relevant. ”Bandana” would end the year as the joint longest No. 1 Song of 2022 (7 weeks) and the No. 2 Song on the 2022 Year-End Charts. – NA
12. “Finesse” by Pheelz & BNXN fka Buju
The phenomenon that was ‘Finesse’ can aptly be described as unprecedented. In February 2022, an infectious sound stole the show on Nigerian TikTok, and more than a week before its official release, ‘Finesse’ was sung all over social media, and by its release date, it inevitably took its spot at number one on Nigerian streaming and radio charts.
‘Finesse’ gave Pheelz his first major hit as a recording artist, and flung open the doors of stardom for the 28-year-old. Assisted by BNXN, this hit employed two tactics that characterized multiple hits in 2022, loosely released snippets and crowd backed vocals – NA.
13. “Infinity” by Olamide featuring Omah Lay
The smooth and suave ‘Infinity’ is what happens when brings together Omah Lay’s soft suggestiveness with Olamide’s unending versatility. In under three minutes, the duo chronicle their prowess in sexual escapades, promise their next partner that the things they might’ve heard are true, and invite them to put any doubts to the test. The P.Priime produced track was a standout on Olamide’s eighth studio album ‘Carpe Diem’ released in October 2020 – NA.
14. “High” by Adekunle Gold featuring Davido
When Adekunle Gold and Davido linked up at the tail end of 2021 to release ‘High,’ what came forth was a buoyant club banger that soundtracked a post-lockdown year where Nigerians were looking to take the tempo back up some notches.
In the sea of Nigerian Amapiano fusions, ‘High’ is a record that checks all the boxes expected from a collaboration of two of Nigeria’s biggest stars and stands the test of time. Couched in a double entendre, the simple message of ‘High’ resonated with so many Nigerians and brought some spark back to a period plagued by a global pandemic – NA
15. “Feeling” by Ladipoe & BNXN fka Buju
The title "Feeling" perfectly captures the essence of the song — a bevvy of feelings mostly of triumph, gratitude, and personal satisfaction. One can say that for both artists, LADIPOE and BNXN, it was a foreshadowing of sorts for what was to come following the wide reception of the hit track which included the award for Best Rap Single at the 2022 edition of the Headies – IO.
16. “Jerusalema” by Master KG featuring Nomcebo Zikode & Burna Boy
It will be remiss to look back on the year 2020 without noting "Jerusalema Remix". At a time of complete standstill, South-African record producer Master KG, alongside close collaborator, Nomcebo, and Nigerian singer Burna Boy inspired the world to get up and move. The upbeat, feel-good track, on the one hand, served a sliver of joy amid the uncertainty of the time with the #JerusalemaChallenge. On the other, it set the pace for what would eventually become African music's successful crossover into global music culture via viral moments – IO.
17. “Monalisa” by Lojay & Sarz
When Lojay made a statement with his ‘LV N ATTN’ EP in July 2021, it was heard across the Nigerian industry, as he courted a then-scarce and coveted Wizkid verse on the EP’s title track. However, it was the last track on the project, the highly contagious Amapiano ‘Monalisa’ that stuck with listeners and inserted Lojay’s name in the conversation of the new guard of young Nigerian stars. On ‘Monalisa,’ Lojay manages to exhibit a clinic in lyricism while delivering melodic finesse on a magnificent Sarz-produced Amapiano instrumental – NA.
18. “Abule” by Patoranking
Patoranking’s ability to translate his patois and dancehall dalliances into music relatable to a primarily Nigerian and African audience has served him greatly. On his best and biggest songs, the details to his lyricism are decidedly Nigerian, like “Abule,” a rolling banger that nods at the Konto Music stylings that originated in late ‘90s to early 2000s Ajegunle, the densely packed Lagos mainland hood he references on the song. It’s not every day you hear a reference to an American rap superstar rub up against a hyperlocal slang like “Takasufe,” and Patoranking makes it all sound worthwhile, creating an evergreen party-starter in the process – DAP.
19. “Bad Influence” by Omah Lay
Omah Lay sings about romantic situations like they will simultaneously squeeze and stretch you. It makes sense, especially in a time where finding and staying in love is more complex than ever. “Bad Influence” is one of the singer’s earliest offerings, even earlier than his first big single “You,” and it got renewed attention via his acclaimed debut EP, Get LayD.
Greatly benefitting from the lockdown, a time that tested and heightened the complexity of human connectivity, Omah Lay’s laments of being jilted became company for those in their feels. “Bad Influence” was meant to be a deep cut—evidenced by its lack of a music video—but it quickly grew into a fan favourite, anointing the singer as the patron saint of affecting melancholy – DAP.
20. “Bounce” by Ruger
Before “Bounce” blew up, Ruger was an artiste that mostly inspired intrigue. From what we know now, the Jonzing World signee is a specially talented artist, with the wonderful ability to pack one or multiple catchphrases—lyric and melodic—into groovy hit songs. “Bounce your body or I will bounce you out” is one of those examples, a line that found a corner of Afrobeats and settled into ubiquity. The build-up was slow, partly because multiple songs off his debut EP, The First Wave, could’ve become a commercial behemoth, but as soon as “Bounce” got the single treatment, it became inescapable – DAP.
These 1-20 ranking of the songs on the list is not ordered.
Contributors: Ify Obi, Dennis Ade-Peter, Nasir Ahmed Achile, Onyekweli Samuel Onyedikachi, Ayomide Oriowo, Adeayo Adebiyi.