The Afrobeats genre and influence have grown in popularity in the United States of America, thanks to artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Tems, and Davido. Wizkid & Tems’ “Essence,” Burna Boy’s “Ye,” CKay’s “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah),” and Fireboy DML’s “Peru” are among the genre’s most popular singles this decade. This genre has been popularized by international celebrities such as Beyoncé, Drake, Madonna, and others.
Grammys 2021: Burna Boy and Wizkid Make Africa Proud
That’s why, for the first time in the United States, Billboard and Afro Nation have collaborated to develop an Afrobeats chart.
The announcement was disclosed in a blog post by the biggest US entertainment publication. Afrobeats music will be charted for the first time on March 29th.
CKay earns a BRIT Certified Silver Plaque with “Love Nwantiti”
Billboard wants to compile a list of the 50 most popular Afrobeats music in the United States using a weighted algorithm. It will feature official streaming on major audio and video music services’ subscription and ad-supported tiers, as well as download sales from major music retailers.
View this post on Instagram
The project is a response to the expanding popularity of Afrobeats in the global music scene, according to Obi Asika, the project’s founder, in a press statement.
The last decade has seen Afrobeats explode into a worldwide phenomenon, influencing culture and fashion across the globe and I am humbled to have made a contribution to growing the genre alongside many talented, passionate people. There is still so much more potential within the scene and the community that has grown around it and I believe it is vital that with Billboard we now have a U.S. chart that reflects this growth and provides a platform for emerging artists from every continent to showcase their talent to new audiences.
Wizkid ‘Essence ‘ Remix Make It To No.9 On Billboard 100
“Billboard is excited to collaborate with Afro Nation on the launch of the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart,” added Billboard’s SVP of Charts and Development, Silvio Pietroluongo. “As with much of the world, Afrobeats has grown tremendously as a genre in America and we are proud to showcase the top songs and artists with this new weekly ranking.”