It has been a stellar year for African music across the globe. With the recent announcement from The Recording Academy on the nominees for the 2024 Grammy Awards, Africa joined the artists in celebrating their spots in what the Academy called &#8220;history”.



In a statement released in November, one of three newly- added categories for the 2024 Grammys is the Best African Music Performance award. It is being hailed a breakthrough acknowledging the commercial and cultural prowess of African music.



&#8220;Giving African music its own category would highlight and celebrate the diversity and richness of Africa,&#8221; Shawn Thwaites, project manager at The Recording Academy, said in a roundtable about the new category. &#8220;This is a great step forward!&#8221;



Africa’s Grammy nominees for 2024 include Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Davido and Musa Keys, Asake and Olamide, all for Best African Music Performance, and Trevor Noah for Best Comedy Album. As FORBES AFRICA, we decided to compile our own list of the biggest African hits of 2023 that got the world on its feet. With the help of the numbers on social media, trends, Spotify listens and YouTube views, the list has been whittled down to the following artists who have scaled global heights. Although some of the music was released before 2023, it seems they are still trending.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Song</td><td>Artist</td><td>Country</td><td>Spotify Listens</td><td>YouTube Views</td><td>Total</td><td>YT Release Date</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>CALM DOWN</td><td>Rema feat Selena Gomez</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>1,112,827,855</td><td>706,057,845</td><td>1,818,885,700</td><td>Sep-22</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>PEOPLE</td><td>Libianca</td><td>Cameroon</td><td>498,353,247</td><td>218,903,109</td><td>717,256,356</td><td>Jan-23</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>RUSH</td><td>Ayra Starr</td><td>Benin</td><td>281,167,683</td><td>264,455,804</td><td>545,623,487</td><td>Sep-22</td><td>2024 Grammy nominee for Best African Music Performance</td></tr><tr><td>PERU</td><td>Fireboy DML &amp; Ed Sheeran</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>283,657,974</td><td>189,399,170</td><td>473057144</td><td>Dec-21</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>WATER</td><td>Tyla</td><td>South Africa</td><td>155,090,107</td><td>39,605,600</td><td>194,695,707</td><td>Oct-23</td><td>2024 Grammy nominee for Best African Music Performance</td></tr><tr><td>UNAVAILABLE</td><td>Davido feat Musa Keys</td><td>Nigeria-South Africa</td><td>98,950,916</td><td>72,345,505</td><td>171,296,421</td><td>Apr-23</td><td>2024 Grammy nominee for Best African Music Performance</td></tr><tr><td>CITY BOYS</td><td>Burna Boy</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>61,573,500</td><td>23,431,043</td><td>85,004,543</td><td>Sep-23</td><td>2024 Grammy nominee for Best African Music Performance</td></tr><tr><td>MNIKE</td><td>Tyler ICU</td><td>South Africa</td><td>31,970,236</td><td>27,545,449</td><td>59,515,685</td><td>Apr-23</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>LONELY AT THE TOP</td><td>Asake</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>35,859,656</td><td>22,932,185</td><td>58,791,841</td><td>Aug-23</td><td>2024 Grammy nominee for Best African Music Performance with Olamide, &#8220;Amapiano”</td></tr><tr><td>HAMBA JUBA</td><td>Lady Amar, Cici, Murumba Pitch and JL SA</td><td>South Africa</td><td>13,336,755</td><td>14,165,502</td><td>27,502,257</td><td>Apr-23</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>ME AND U</td><td>Tems</td><td>Nigeria</td><td>16,206,894</td><td>7,270,381</td><td>23,477,275</td><td>Oct-23</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">*The list is but a small representation of the enormous potential and success of Africa&#8217;s musicians ** All data is as of November 12 2023</figcaption></figure>

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The Biggest And Best Music In Africa (As Per The Numbers)

The achievement has garnered acclaim from industry insiders, including entertainers, who praise this triumph as a testament to the international success and growing influence of Afrobeats.



At the 2023 Billboard Music Awards held on Sunday, Nigerian sensation Rema and global pop icon Selena Gomez secured the Top Afrobeats Song award for Calm Down, while another Nigerian talent Burna Boy emerged as the Top Afrobeats Artist.



Calm Down soared to the number 3 position on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Rema&#8217;s debut on the chart and adding to Gomez&#8217;s tally of top 10 hits.



Spurred by the release of his seventh studio album, I Told Them, Burna Boy set a new record in September by becoming the first African artist to debut two songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart within a single calendar year, with Sittin’ On Top Of The World featuring rapper 21 Savage making its debut at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Last Last, one of his chart-topping singles, catapulted Burna Boy to his first number 1 position on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart, making him a trailblazer as only the fifth artist to lead the list last year.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GettyImages-1677330587-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-59844" style="width:688px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GettyImages-1677330587-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GettyImages-1677330587-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GettyImages-1677330587-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GettyImages-1677330587-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GettyImages-1677330587-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NEWARK, NEW JERSEY &#8211; SEPTEMBER 12: Rema attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>


The Billboard Music Awards introduced new categories this year, including Top Afrobeats Artist and Top Afrobeats Song, recognizing the genre&#8217;s growing influence in the global music landscape. Afrobeats, a contemporary genre, blends traditional African rhythms with modern styles like highlife, hip hop, and dancehall. The genre&#8217;s evolution traces back to Afrobeat, pioneered by the late Nigerian legend Fela Kuti.



The global embrace of Afrobeats is evident in the expansion of awards categories at major ceremonies. The MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), the Grammys, and the American Music Awards have all introduced categories recognizing outstanding achievements in Afrobeats.



Rema&#8217;s success with Calm Down extends beyond the Billboard Music Awards. The track previously earned accolades at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) for Best Afrobeats Song, MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) for Best Afrobeats, and Trace Awards for Song of the Year and Best Global African Artist in the same year.



During the acceptance speeches at the Billboard Music Awards, Gomez expressed gratitude to Rema for choosing her to be part of the remarkable song, while Rema celebrated the victory as a symbol of unity and the global dominance of Afrobeats. Both artists acknowledged their fans and collaborators for their unwavering support.



Accepting the Billboard award, Gomez said, “Thank you guys so, so much for this award. This is honestly Rema’s doing. He chose me to be a part of such an incredible song. So I want to thank him and thank all of you for streaming and listening and I wish we could be there. But thank you!”



“This honor for Calm Down is a celebration of unity and the global domination of Afrobeats. I want to say a big shoutout to Selena Gomez, Mavin Records, Josie Ward as well as the amazing fans who supported us all the way to this point. I want to say a big thank you to Billboard — I’m very grateful. All the way from Nigeria, Rema. One love,” said Rema.



Burna Boy, accepting the top Afrobeats artist award, said: &#8220;Thank you, everyone. I appreciate you. Big up, Billboard Music Awards. Big up to everyone involved. This is dedicated to Africa and every artist coming out of Africa now, you get me. This is for you and yeah, man, the future’s bright. You guys are gonna see the vision. This is just the tip of the iceberg but you’re gonna see the whole vision soon. Salute, love.&#8221;



Expressing elation at the triumph of Burna Boy and Rema, Nigerian artist Onyebuchi Steven, popularly known as Gorimakpa, acknowledges the significance of this achievement in solidifying Nigeria&#8217;s dominance in the global music arena.



&#8220;As Afrobeats continues to assert its influence on the global music scene, the success of Burna Boy and Rema at the Billboard Music Awards serves as a milestone, reinforcing Nigeria&#8217;s position as a powerhouse in the world of music,&#8221; Gorimakpa tells FORBES AFRICA.



The artist highlights the role of the internet in this triumph, emphasizing the impact of social media and digital streaming platforms in propelling Nigerian music to international acclaim. &#8220;The success of Burna Boy and Rema serves as a testament to the global appeal of Afrobeats, encouraging artists to leverage digital platforms and connect with a diverse audience worldwide.&#8221;



He further expresses optimism about the impact this recognition will have on the future of Nigerian music. &#8220;I believe that this achievement will further inspire and motivate the next generation of Nigerian artists to continue pushing boundaries and make their mark on the international stage.&#8221;



Nigerian event host and compere Sadiq Ola Adebimpe, popularly known as Sceed Barms, adds to FORBES AFRICA: &#8220;It&#8217;s evident that the world is listening, and the numbers songs by our artists attract on the digital streaming platforms are not only from this part of the world [Nigeria]. Burna Boy and Rema have become the most-streamed artists in Nigeria on Spotify this year, and winning these awards is a great reward for their tireless efforts in advancing Afrobeats.



&#8220;What this means for the Nigerian music industry is that our artists are truly making us proud, both at home and beyond. The continuous growth of Afrobeats is a testament to the dedication of our artists, who serve as the forefront soldiers, tirelessly contributing to the industry and the genre.&#8221;

Burna Boy Performs At Rogers Arena

‘Reinforcing Nigeria’s Position As Music Powerhouse’: Rema And Burna Boy Win Big At Billboard Awards

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SOUND STRATEGIES: The Innovators Going Global With African Music

Members of this year’s list of under 30s have one thing in common: A NEW COVID-INDUCED AGENDA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. So what would a historic pandemic year throw up? ground-breaking entrepreneurs and thinkers. Our 2021 class of under 30s are just that: INFLUENTIAL CREATIVES, IMAGINATIVE BUSINESS OWNERS, INNOVATIVE TECHIES, AND GIFTED SPORTS STARS. Celebrating seven years of the FORBES AFRICA 30 UNDER 30 LIST, these achievers prove that now more than ever,&nbsp; they are crucial to the AFRICAN GROWTH STORY.



<h4 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-the-under-30-team">THE UNDER 30 TEAM</h4>



Words: Karen Mwendera, Chanel Retief, Simone Umraw Art Director: Lucy Nkosi Photographer: Motlabana Monnakgotla Retouching: Newkatz Studio Styling: Keabetswe Mafora; Outfits supplied by: Spero Villioti, Viviers Studio, Sisi the Collection, GertJohan Coetzee, Port of LNG, Amen Concepts, Europa Art Studio: Light Station Studio, Johannesburg | Hair &amp; Makeup: SnehhOnline Beauty



FORBES AFRICA finds out how some of the members of the CLASS of 2021 reacted when they found out that they made the most coveted list in Africa!



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EXTERNAL JUDGES: THE CATEGORY EXPERTS WHOSE ROLE WAS TO SURVEY ALL THE FINALISTS OF THE 2021 30 UNDER 30 LIST, RANK THEM AND PROVIDE COMMENTARY ON EACH CANDIDATE.



BUSINESS: Nigerian businesswoman Uche Pedro, the founder, and CEO of BellaNaija, a media-tech brand known for its entertainment and lifestyle content. She has been in the business game for over 15 years, collecting numerous local and international accolades along the way including making the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA 50 Most Powerful Women list in 2020.



TECHNOLOGY: Olugbenga Agboola, the cofounder and CEO of Flutterwave, an African fintech firm building digital payments infrastructure. He has contributed to the development of fintech solutions at several tech companies and financial institutions such as PayPal, Standard Bank, among others. Flutterwave recently raised $170 million, giving it ‘unicorn’ status with a value of over $1 billion.



CREATIVES: Dr John Kani, a South African actor, author, director, and playwright known for his roles in Marvel movies Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther as well as The Lion King. In addition, Kani is also the Founder of the Market Theatre LaboratoryAcademy, chair of the Apartheid Museum South Africa, patron and Ambassador of the Market Theatre, and Trustee for the WWFNedbank Green Trust.



SPORTS: Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira, a Zimbabwean-born professional rugby player who plays for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby and previously for the South African national team and the Sharks in Super Rugby. With 117 caps, he is the most capped prop in South African history and the third most-capped Springbok of all time. He is also a 2019 Rugby World Cup winner. He owns a security company in South Africa and The Beast Foundation.



AUDIT PARTNER: FORBES AFRICA partnered again with SNG Grant Thornton to vet the business and financial statements of the candidates. This involved understanding the landscape, the profitability, growth and most of all, the scalability of each business.



For the full list download the digital copy <a href="https://shop.forbesafrica.com/product/single-digital-issue-30-under-30-june-july-2021/">here</a>

Tag: Rema

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

The Biggest And Best Music In Africa (As Per The Numbers)

‘Reinforcing Nigeria’s Position As Music Powerhouse’: Rema And Burna Boy Win Big At Billboard Awards

SOUND STRATEGIES: The Innovators Going Global With African Music

Forbes Africa #30Under30 List: CLASS OF 2021 Change-Makers In A Historic Year