Burna Boy, Oxlade, Asake, others dominate Rolling Stone top 40 Afropop list

Nigerian music stars have dominated the Rolling Stone top 40 Afropop list.

Burna Boy, Rema, and Wizkid from Nigeria, Black Sherif from Ghana, and Kabza De Small and Uncle Waffles from South Africa all made Rolling Stone’s first list of the best Afropop tracks.

The US publication revealed the list on Wednesday, noting that it “scans West, East, and Southern Africa for singles that defined seasons, scenes, moods, and movements all over.” The list this year spans contemporary sonic pulses from the continent, including Afrobeats, amapiano, and gengetone as well as more Western sounds like R&B and hip hop.

“This year, pop from Africa reached new heights globally, building on the growing global renown that has attended Afrobeats and amapiano” Rolling Stone said of its inaugural list of Afropop’s top songs. “Rather than recognising global impact alone, this list also serves as a celebration of what mattered to folks in the cars, clubs, and subcultures on the continent.”

With more than 20 slots devoted to Afrobeats musicians, the compilation confirms Nigeria as the continent’s top producer of popular music. Six of the top 10 slots are occupied by celebrities including Burna Boy, Oxlade, Asake, Ayra Starr, Pheelz, South Africans Daliwonga, Uncle Waffles, and Kabza De Small, as well as Ghanaian hip-hop artist Black Sherif.

Along with Marioo from Tanzania, the list also included the Kenyan artists Buruklyn Boyz and Unco Jingjong.

See full Rolling Stone top 40 Afropop list of 2022 below:

1. Burna Boy, ‘Last Last’
2. Oxlade, ‘Kulosa’
3. Asake feat Burna Boy, ‘Sungba’ remix
4. Ayra Starr, ‘Rush’
5. Pheelz feat BNXN, ‘Finesse’
6. Daliwonga feat. Mellow and Sleazy, and M.J, ‘Abo Mvelo’
7. Black Sherif, ‘Kweku the Traveller’
8. Uncle Waffles feat. Tony Duardo, Sino Msolo, and BoiBizza,‘Tanzania’
9. Mavins (Crayon, Ayra Starr, LADIPOE, Magixx, and Boy Spyce), ‘Overloading (OVERDOSE)’
10. Kabza De Small feat. Msaki, ‘Khusela’
11. Unco JingJong, ‘Dancehalling’ 
12. Asake, ‘Joha’
13. Kizz Daniel and Tekno, ‘Buga (Lo Lo Lo)’
14. Aṣa, ‘Show Me Off’
15. Victony and Tempoe, ‘Soweto’
16. Young Jonn, ‘Xtra Cool’ 
17. Buruklyn Boyz, ‘Pree’ 
18. Camidoh feat. Mayorkun, King Promise, and Darkoo, ‘Sugarcane (Remix)’
19. CKay feat. Davido, Focalistic, and Abidoza, ‘WATAWI’
20. Fireboy DML and Asake, ‘Bandana’
21. Blaqbonez, ‘Back in Uni’
22. K.O feat. Young Stunna and Blxckie, ‘SETE’
23. Wizkid feat. Ayra Starr, ‘2 Sugar’
24. Rema, ‘Calm Down’
25. Wakadinali, ‘Mc Mca’
26. Ruger, ‘Girlfriend’
27. Crayon, ‘Ijo (Laba Laba)’
28. Omah Lay, ‘Woman’
29. Amaarae, ‘A Body, A Coffin’
30. Venom and Shishiliza feat. Yumbs, Raspy, Blxckie, Riky Rick, and Tshego, ‘Sondela’
31. NATIVE Sound System feat. MOJO AF, PsychoYP, Fresh L, Zamir), ‘Pim Pam’
32. Adekunle Gold, ‘5 Star’
33. Somadina, ‘Citrus Tears’
34. AKA feat. Nasty C, ‘Lemons (Lemonade)’
35. Cruel Santino, ‘Final Champion’
36. Davido, ‘Stand Strong’
37. Nomfundo Moh, ‘Soft Life’
38. 9umba, TOSS, and Mdoovar feat. Sir Trill, Sino Msolo, Lady Du, Young Stunna, and Slade, ‘uMlando’
39. Jovial x Marioo, ‘Mi Amor’
40. Lojay, DJ Maphorisa, and Kabza De Small, ‘Canada’