Nigeria’s music industry is booming with top artists and musicians dominating the charts in 2021. Some of the biggest names according to the most-streamed Nigerian artists on Spotify were WizKid, Burna Boy, Davido, Olamide, Fireboy DML, Buju, Tiwa Savage, Rema, and Tems. These artists had successful years in the industry, with their albums and concerts topping charts and selling out. Highlights of their success include WizKid’s Essence, Burna Boy’s Kilometre and Question, Davido’s A Better Time, Olamide’s Infinity, Fireboy DML’s Peru and Buju’s Never Stopped. These talented musicians continue to inspire fans with their unique sounds and world-class music.
Nigeria’s music industry is experiencing an unprecedented boom, with some of the biggest names in music dominating charts nationwide. In this blog, we look at the top artists who made waves in Nigerian music last year. These artists have sold out concerts and released albums that topped the charts, with fans eagerly anticipating new music.
Here is a list of the top Nigerian musicians of 2021, compiled based on data provided by Spotify for the most-streamed Nigerian artists on the platform:
1. WizKid
2. Burna Boy
3. Davido
4. Olamide
5. Fireboy DML
6. Buju
7. Tiwa Savage
8. Rema
9. Tems
Let’s take a closer look at each artist:
1. WizKid – a Nigerian singer and songwriter who has had another hugely successful year in 2021. His biggest hit “Essence” featuring Tems was listed as No. 1 by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 50 Best Songs of 2021.
2. Burna Boy – a top African artist who has had an excellent year in 2021 with hits like “Kilometre” and “Question.” Both songs topped Spotify playlists and were streamed over a million times on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
3. Davido – an award-winning Afropop artist who has inspired many with his music and traveled the world to bring the African sound to other parts of the world. His hit songs “A Better Time” and catalog collaborations topped major charts across continents where Afropop is popular.
4. Olamide – a rapper with a unique style that blends rap with afro-pop. His biggest hit in 2021 was “Infinity” in collaboration with Omah Lay.
5. Fireboy DML – a top rapper in Nigeria who has built his success on his unique style of hip hop. His biggest hit was “Peru,” which topped charts for weeks on end across Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
6. Buju – a popular singer in Nigeria who continues to win awards worldwide for his music, which spans genres from Afropop to RnB. His biggest hit in 2021 was “Never Stopped,” which received millions of streams on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube.
7. Tiwa Savage – one of Nigeria’s most successful singers, whose biggest hit was “Somebody’s Son,” a collaboration with Brandy that topped charts for weeks on end throughout 2021.
8. Rema – a promising musician in Nigeria who has a growing international following. His biggest hit of 2021 was “Soundgasm,” which topped charts on different platforms and was produced by a brilliant beatmaker in London.
9. Tems – another promising Nigerian musician with a growing international following. She had a great year in 2021, building on her success from previous years. Tems earned two US top 40 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 with collaborations with Drake, including “Fountains.”
In conclusion, Nigerian music is taking the world by storm, and these top artists are leading the way. Expect to hear more from them in the coming years.