African Artists like Burna Boy, Davido amongst others are making headway in pushing Afrobeat globally.
UK Official Chart company recently launched the first-ever UK Afrobeat singles chart. The chart is expected to highlight the top 20 Afrobeat artists with the biggest sounds in the past 12 months in the UK.
British rapper, J Hus tops the first chart and Burna Boy follows in second place with his 2018 hit song, “Ye” as his hottest song in the UK according to the chart.
Other Nigerians artists on the chart include Davido, Mr Eazi, Tekno, Naira Marley, Rema, Wizkid, and several other African artists are also represented on the chart.
The inaugural chart will be unveiled in a special The Official UK Afrobeats Show on BBC Radio 1Xtra on Sunday, July 26, featuring a range of hosts and artists from around the world. According to Mark Strippel, Head of Programmes at BBC Radio 1Xtra, the Afrobeats chart was “long overdue.”
“1Xtra has been committed to championing the Afrobeats scene since our formation and we’re excited to support the launch of the first-ever UK Afrobeats Chart,” he said.
Speaking on the chart, Kofi ‘Funkz’ Kyei of MOVES Recordings, part of the team that created the new chart said,
“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 soundtracked underground culture for years, being the go-to sound in clubs, parties, and communities in a way that’s shaped our very culture.
“For too long, Afrobeats artists have had to work tirelessly to get their voices heard and now African music/Afrobeats is finally being seen as a leading sound that global superstars turn to on a regular basis.
“The Official UK Afrobeats Chart will help open up the culture to new audiences, giving emerging artists the opportunity to be heard whilst celebrating the sound of a continent that has gone global. Its importance can’t be measured and I look forward to celebrating the biggest and best tracks each and every week
