American music magazine, Billboard has unveiled its first-ever list of the 50 Best Afrobeats Songs of All Time, with Nigerian stars dominating the rankings.

The list of the best Afrobeats songs of all time, released in stages and concluded on August 19, honours the genre’s pioneers, hitmakers, and modern global stars.

Afrobeats, distinct from Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat of the 1960s, is a hybrid genre that fuses highlife, hip-hop, R\&B, dancehall, and traditional African rhythms.

Emerging in the 2000s, it has grown into Nigeria’s biggest cultural export, inspiring global collaborations and creating a fresh soundtrack for the African diaspora.

Billboard explained that the list was based on cultural impact, stylistic representation, and commercial performance, with a maximum of three songs allowed per artist, saying the ranking is not just about popularity but about impact, but they represent Afrobeats’ foundation.

Editors and contributors from Nigeria, the United States, and the United Kingdom participated in curating the ranking.

At number one is 2Face Idibia’s classic hit, “African Queen,” which Billboard described as a defining track that helped project Afrobeats onto the international stage.

Wizkid emerged as the only artist with two songs in the top 10. His breakout anthem “Ojuelegba” secured the second spot, while his global smash “Essence” featuring Tems landed at number five.

Other tracks rounding out the top five include Flavour’s “Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)” at number three, and Rema’s worldwide hit “Calm Down” in fourth place.

The rest of the top 10 includes CKay’s “Love Nwantiti”, D’banj’s “Oliver Twist”, Davido’s “Fall”, Burna Boy’s “Ye”, and P-Square’s “Chop My Money (Remix)” featuring Akon. (Nigerian Tribune)