Nigerian music is a vibrant tapestry woven from a rich history and diverse cultural influences. From its humble beginnings in folk traditions to its current status as a global phenomenon, Nigerian music has continuously evolved, captivating audiences with its unique sounds and infectious rhythms.
Little of the country's music history prior to European contact has been preserved. Styles of folk music are related to the over 250 ethnic groups in the country, each with their own techniques, instruments, and songs. The largest ethnic groups are the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. Traditional music from Nigeria and throughout Africa is often functional; in other words, it is performed to mark a ritual such as the wedding or funeral and not to achieve artistic goals.
The earliest styles of Nigerian popular music often referred to as Naija Music were palm-wine music and highlife, which spread in the 1920s among Nigeria and nearby countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. In Nigeria, juju music was created. By the start of the 20th century, Yoruba music had incorporated brass instruments, written notation, Islamic percussion and new Brazilian techniques, resulting in the Lagos-born palm-wine style.
Here we go, in no particular order, you can suggest who plays centre forward, sweeper, maestro, left wing back or goalkeeper in the comments.
The Classics: A Foundation of Nigerian Sound
In the gold rush and cash grab for (the oddly-named) Afrobeats, articles, think- pieces, lists and content dedicated to Nigerian music before this explosion barely exist. It seems premium attention is only placed on the music movement that sprang up around a decade ago. The first album released by a Nigerian was in 1925. That’s almost a century away from Burna Boy’s Grammy nod in 2019.
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Here are some foundational tracks that have shaped the Nigerian music landscape:
- Sweet Mother - Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz (1976): If you do not play this song at an African party that includes mothers, the deejay is on a loooooooong thing.
- Wait For Me - King Sunny Ade & Onyeka Onwenu (1989): Talking about kings and queens, 2 legends of Nigerian music combined on this classic. If you are Nigerian and you do not know this song, na wa o!
- Lady - Fela & Africa 70 (1972): Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti is probably the most famous Nigerian artiste, ever, to this day. This song celebrates African women in many ways. Let me save you the Google Search - Fela had 28 wives. Nigeria has 36 states. They all adore Fela's music.
Fela's career has legend written all over it. I visited the New Afrika Shrine sometime in 2011, during my very first trip to Naija. Fela has inspired so many African musicians. Wizkid & Burna Boy both went to another level when they started channeling "Abami Eda".
There seems to be a gaping hole, a curation dearth of our music legends. Where are the tantalizing tales? The musical myths? Where is the fabric, the tapestry that weaves through the decades and connects Tekno to Bright Chimezie or Davido to Shina Peters?
Fela Kuti: A Nigerian music icon and pioneer of Afrobeat.
The Rise of Afrobeats: A New Era
When Asa's first album came out, it sounded new, different, and unlike Nigerian music that we knew. I named her as 1 of the top 10 African female vocalists. She leads in her field.
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Afrobeats emerged in the 2000s as a popular style of West African music that employs polyrhythms and syncopation and draws inspiration from hip-hop, R&B, dancehall and more while incorporating romantic, celebratory and sociopolitical lyrics sung in Yoruba, Nigerian Pidgin and English.
Here are some defining tracks that have propelled Afrobeats to global recognition:
- Oliver Twist - D'Banj (2012): D'Banj was unleashed by Don Jazzy, and we were asking for more. Oliver Twist is the standout track from Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo. Kanye (during those times and not the one of these times) was in the music video. This is the song that got Afrobeats on the way to being hugely popular in Europe and the world.
- Chop My Money - P-Square ft Akon & May-D (2011): They proved commercial success for African music on the continent and in African spaces. One P-Square song has to feature in this list. This is the ultimate party song for arguably the best group of music entertainers ever from Africa. You have to do the kick when it gets to Pushaa! They're a vibe. P-Square's songs helped me learn more Igbo.
- Essence - Wizkid ft Tems (2020): Wizkid has been one of the biggest Nigerian music superstars, ever since he said "Holla At Your Boi". Ojuelegba is an all0time classic too. However, he had a helping hand from Tems to get into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. It was the first Nigerian song to achieve this.
- Ye - Burna Boy (2018): Burna Boy burned down those bridges with Ye. We need to find a video of Barack Obama himself singing along. Burna became a true African Giant. He likes to party paa, all over the continent.
- Fall - Davido (2018): Davido has featured on way too many songs, with musicians from too many African countries. He deserves his accolades. Money Fall On You took Davido to another level. He is easily 1 of the 3 biggest Nigerian musicians now, this has been the case for many years now, since he said "Girl, your behind is a killer".
- Calm Down - Rema ft Selena Gomez (2022): I couldn't believe it. Well, not until he was invited to perform at the Ballon D'Or ceremony at least. Another banger! Selena Gomez made this song more popular, but do you know that there are Nigerians in her Mexican hometown? There are more YouTube views for this song than there are Nigerians. I bet you did not know that.
The day I realised how way too big Burna was, was one fine day in 2018 in Kenya. I was debating where to go chill in Nairobi but people were talking about this Burna Boy concert. I knew Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, but I didn't know him like that. Respect!
Before Rema got to those heights, there was a whizzkid of Nigerian music. Wizkid has been one of the biggest Nigerian music superstars, ever since he said "Holla At Your Boi".
Davido has featured on way too many songs, with musicians from too many African countries. He deserves his accolades. Circa 2018 especially. He is easily 1 of the 3 biggest Nigerian musicians now, this has been the case for many years now, since he said "Girl, your behind is a killer".
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Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid: The "Big 3" of Afrobeats, leading the genre's global expansion.
Beyond the Hits: Exploring Other Genres
While Afrobeats dominates the global stage, other genres continue to thrive within Nigeria, showcasing the country's musical diversity.
- Juju: Juju music remains one of the most popular genres in Nigeria throughout the 20th century.
- Highlife: Ghanaian highlife became popular in the early 1950s.
- Apala: Apala is a style of vocal and percussive Muslim Yoruba music.
- Fuji: The late 1960s saw the appearance of the first fuji bands.
I know the song is about prostitutes (you didn't know) but it is truly one of the greats. It seriously travelled across Nigeria's borders to many other African (and beyond) countries. I cannot take hearing this song in Addis Ababa out of my head. Flavour (N'abania) has been one of the top Nigerian acts for years, the odogwu himself.
Bukola Elemide appeared out of the blue. When Asa's first album came out, it sounded new, different, and unlike Nigerian music that we knew. And she lived in ..... wait for it.... France! But that is also why her music became such a hit! I saw her perform in San Francisco circa 2009, and the diversity of the crowd proved that she's on top of her game and a global superstar.
I have met Innocent Idibia 3 times in my life - Accra, Boston and Oakland. 2Baba is a very nice guy in person, and he is Young, Famous and African. There were 2 African songs that were normally played during the 6 hours of clubbing. Premier Gaou and African Queen. Legendary. Tuface is a legend. I especially like thanks to the patriotic songs he made.
King Sunny Adé is a Nigerian musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and pioneer of modern world music.
The Future of Nigerian Music
With the continued rise of Afrobeats and the constant innovation within the Nigerian music scene, the future looks bright. Nigerian artists are pushing boundaries, collaborating with international stars, and captivating audiences worldwide.
Nigeria has 36 states. They all adore Fela's music.
These songs should also be embedded in pop culture, influence lexicon and reflect cultural attitudes. In the gold rush and cash grab for (the oddly-named) Afrobeats, articles, think- pieces, lists and content dedicated to Nigerian music before this explosion barely exist. It seems premium attention is only placed on the music movement that sprang up around a decade ago.
I decided to compile this list because of two reasons; there is no such list on the Internet with cultural context that I know of, and secondly- to educate young Nigerians on this country’s music history. With the knowledge I have of Nigerian music (little, I must admit) I have compiled a list of 25 Nigerian classic songs that I feel are worthy enough to be classified under this list.
What makes a song truly great? Forget hype, chart success or sales. A great song must transcend time, convey strong emotions, shift culture and resonate with a large number of people.
Nigeria's musical landscape is a vibrant and ever-evolving tapestry, with each generation building upon the foundations laid by their predecessors. From the traditional sounds of juju and highlife to the contemporary beats of Afrobeats, Nigerian music continues to captivate and inspire audiences both at home and abroad.
