Nigerian music star Burna Boy ranks number one on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Chart, showing his impact on the global stage.
Fellow Nigerian acts Rema, Tems, Wizkid and others also dominated the list released this week.
The annual charts track the top Afrobeats songs and artists in the U.S. based on metrics like streaming, airplay and social media engagement. Burna Boy’s mixture of Afrobeats, dancehall and global pop moved him to No. 1 for the year.
READ ALSO: Rema wins first-ever best Afrobeats award at MTV VMAs before Davido, Burnaboy, Wizkid
Rema’s sleeper hit “Calm Down” nabbed the top slot on the Afrobeats Songs chart, aided by a remix featuring pop star Selena Gomez.
The song also made history on Billboard’s all-genre year-end charts. Tems, featured on Wizkid’s global smash “Essence,” ranked high across multiple categories as well.
The charts’ African music expert Andrew Dansby noted that “Wizkid and Burna Boy have led the charge stateside…but much of the activity in 2022 came from Rema, Tems and rising talents like Asake.” He added that women were also “integral to the American breakthrough of Afrobeats.”
As Afrobeats sound gains traction globally, Billboard’s year-end charts demonstrate Nigeria’s recording stars are at the forefront of expanding its popularity in the large U.S. market. The achievements point to even greater crossover potential ahead.
