In celebration of Afrobeats growth, Mp3bullet presents a list of multi-platinum-certified Nigerian songs in the USA.
The phrase ‘Afrobeats to the World’ primarily served as a vision and a testament to the potential of the genre and the talents of the artists driving its momentum.
This phrase has not only propelled but yielded positive recognition of the sound, acknowledging its global impact and acceptance to a wide range of audiences.
The artists spearheading this transformative wave consistently fill arenas in distant lands, captivating audiences who, thanks to the universal appeal of Afrobeats, momentarily share a common language and experience.
The RIAA has been awarding gold and platinum certifications to musical works in the US since 1958. A platinum certification is granted upon reaching 1 million equivalent streams.
Here is a list of Nigerian songs that have been certified multi-platinum in the United States.
-
💿 Love Nwantiti — 8X Platinum 💜✨
CKay’s “Love Nwantiti,” which gained widespread acclaim on TikTok in 2021, has emerged as a standout ambassador of Afrobeat, elevating Nigerian music to unprecedented heights. Originally featured on CKay’s EP “CKay The First” in 2019, this chart-topping single has now achieved an impressive RIAA 8-time platinum certification, solidifying its status as one of Nigeria’s most successful exports to the United States.
Since its release, the track has inspired numerous remixes by various artists, including Joeboy from Nigeria, Kuami Eugene from Ghana, Moroccan rapper ElGrandeToto, and US artist De La Ghetto.
The song has achieved significant milestones, including reaching two-time platinum status in September 2022 and four-time platinum status in January 2023. Now, in March 2024, it has attained an extraordinary eight-time platinum certification, marking a remarkable achievement for both CKay and Nigerian music on the global stage.
The continuous success of “Love Nwantiti” underscores its pivotal role in garnering international recognition for Afrobeats. With each platinum certification, the song solidifies its status as a cultural phenomenon and paves the way for Nigerian music’s global expansion.
As it approaches the highly coveted 10-time platinum milestone, “Love Nwantiti” stands poised to make history as Afrobeats’ first RIAA diamond-certified song, a testament to its enduring impact and enduring popularity.
-
💿 Essence — 4X Platinum 🦅🕊️
“Essence” by Nigerian singer Wizkid, featuring Tems, has achieved an impressive 4x Platinum certification in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association of America, signifying sales and streams equivalent to 4,000,000 units. This accolade further solidifies the song’s status as one of the standout tracks in the Afrobeats genre, garnering international acclaim.
Released as the fourth single from Wizkid’s fourth studio album “Made in Lagos” on October 30, 2020, “Essence” attained its 4x Platinum certification on February 14, 2024. The song has reached significant milestones, including achieving two-time platinum status in March 2022, three-time platinum in November 2022, and four-time platinum in February 2024, marking a remarkable achievement for both Wizkid, Tems, and Nigerian music on the global stage.
“Essence” was essential in helping Tems gain fame across the globe. After contributing to the song, Tems made history as the first female Nigerian artist to premiere a single on the Billboard Hot 100, and she was also the first to debut at number one with Future’s “Wait For U.” She also became the first female musician from Nigeria to win a Grammy as a result of this achievement.
-
💿 Calm Down — 4X Platinum 🦇
Rema’s song “Calm Down” continues to gain popularity, earning a record 4x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating sales of over 4 million equivalent units in the United States. “Calm Down” was originally released as one of the lead singles in 2022, ahead of Rema’s debut album “Raves & Roses,” and it has continually experienced enormous financial success.
Rema’s sensational hit track, featuring Selena Gomez on the remix, has been hailed as the biggest African single of 2023 and the second biggest global single of the same year.
The song has reached several significant milestones, including its first platinum certification in February 2023, two-time platinum status in May 2023, and three-time platinum status in August 2023. Now, in February 2024, “Calm Down” achieves an extraordinary four-time platinum certification, marking a remarkable achievement for both Rema and Nigerian music on the global stage.
The continued success of “Calm Down” underscores its pivotal role in garnering international recognition for Afrobeats. With each platinum certification, the song solidifies its status as a cultural phenomenon and further propels the expansion of Nigerian music on a global scale.
