Official Afrobeats Chart: NSG, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage make inaugural list

The East London group shot to the top of the chart with ‘Grandad', which is followed by Darkoo’s ‘Kryptonite,’ Wizkid’s ‘Smile,’ and Burna Boy’s ‘Wonderful’. NSG completed the top 5 with ‘Lupita’ which – like ‘Grandad’ – is off the group's latest album Roots.

Other entries include new singles from Rema, Juls, KiDi, Tiwa Savage, Mr Eazi, Simi and Adekunle Gold.

According to the Official Charts Company, whose data informs which songs make the list, the new top 20 chart is one that “shines a spotlight on Afrobeats artists enjoying success in the UK, where the scene has been thriving for the best part of a decade.”

Based on the company's 2019 figures, Afrobeats practitioners cumulatively spent 86 weeks on the Official Chart Top 40, indicating a significant expansion in the genre's reception internationally. 

"This fast-growing genre is having an increasingly powerful impact on the music landscape right now, both in the UK and further afield, through artists including the likes of NSG, J Hus and Burna Boy,” Official Charts Company CEO Martin Talbot said.

To compile the list, the company drew from UK sales and streaming data from more than 9 000 outlets, together with physical sales, audio and video streams, and downloads.

Since its announcement last week, news of the chart – initiated by popular festival Afro Nation – has been received with open arms by members of Africa’s pop community and the diaspora.

Speaking on behalf of MOVES Recordings, Kofi ‘Funkz’ Kyei celebrated the development as a milestone for the now globally accepted genre.

“It has been amazing to witness over the past decade the sheer growth in African music being welcomed by the UK and the international market. A scene that defines a culture, a people and countless generations, its music has sound-tracked underground culture for years, being the go-to sound in clubs, parties and communities in a way that’s shaped our very culture," he said.

The Official Afrobeats Chart will be updated Sundays via the Official UK Afrobeats Chart playlist on Spotify, while the full chart will be made public on the company's website.