Nigeria’s music industry is booming, with top artists and musicians taking the charts by storm. In this blog, we take a look at some of the biggest names in Nigerian music last year.
These artists included well-known names with successful years in the music industry, their albums topped the charts and concerts that were sold out, with fans eagerly awaiting new music to come out.
Here is the list of the biggest names in Nigerian music last year. Our list was prepared following the data provided by Spotify for the most-streamed Nigerian artists on the platform.
Nigeria’s top artists last year 2021:
- WizKid
- Burna Boy
- Davido
- Olamide
- Fireboy DML
- Buju
- Tiwa Savage
- Rema
- Tems
Let’s share more details about these artists:
1. WizKid
Wizkid is one of Nigeria’s biggest musicians, his music has topped the charts and he has performed at sold-out concerts.
The Nigerian singer and songwriter have had another hugely successful year, with his music streaming on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Wizkid’s biggest hit in 2021 was Essence, featuring Tems. The hit song is also listed as No. 1 by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 50 Best Songs of 2021.
2. Burna Boy
Burna Boy is one of the biggest artists in Africa today. He’s had an array of brilliant songs and has never stopped enforcing his trademark sound since he first came onto our screens.
The Nigerian singer, songwriter, and rapper has had a great year in 2021 with hit songs like Kilometre, and Question. Which topped Spotify playlists and was streamed over a million times on Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube.
3. Davido
The Nigerian Award-winning Afropop artist has inspired many with his music, he’s traveled the world to inspire other artists and bring the African sound to other parts of the world.
DaVido had another great year in 2021, topping major charts across continents where Afropop is popular. Davido took the largest share of points on TurnTable Top 50 in 2021 with his hit songs “A better Time” and catalog collaborations.
4. Olamide
Olamide’s music cannot be boxed into one category, he’s known for his unique style which blends rap with afro-pop. He’s been a part of the rap scene for a long time, both as a solo artist and in groups.
The Nigerian rapper had another great year in 2021, with his music streaming well around the world. His biggest hit was Infinity in collabo with Omah Lay. This song was produced by P.Priime.
The music star, Olamide also made waves at the end of the year with another hit track with Portable and Pocolee. Titled “Zazoo Zehh” it’s an upbeat tone perfect for parties or when you want some fun in your life!
5. Fireboy DML
There is no doubt that African music fans are crazy for rap, RnB, and hip-hop sound, Nigerian rapper was one of the biggest names in 2021. Fireboy DML is one of Nigeria’s top rappers, he continues to make his mark on the Nigerian music industry with his unique style of hip hop.
The Nigerian rapper had a great year in 2021, building on his success from the previous years. His biggest hit was “Peru”. This song topped charts for weeks on end across Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
6. Buju
Buju is one of Nigeria’s most popular singers, he had another great year with his music streaming around the world. The singer continues to inspire many with his unique style which has kept him relevant in the Nigerian music industry for years.
The Nigerian singer had a great year in 2021, he continues to win awards around the world for his music which spans genres from Afropop to RnB. Buju’s biggest hit of the year was “Never Stopped”, it topped charts on Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube receiving millions of streams.
He is Nigeria’s newest music star and was born and raised in Lagos State but later moved to Ogun with his family. He started singing at the age of 12 for fun before going on to sign a recording contract. He was born in 1998 but later relocated to Ogun State by his parents. He is currently 24 years old as of this post-2022.
Buju’s music combines elements from both traditional Nigerian songs and American rap lyrics which has helped him grow his fanbase and amass a lot of followers on Soundcloud.
7. Tiwa Savage
Tiwa is one of Nigeria’s most successful singers, her music has topped charts for years and she is among the Nigerian artists, who have performed at Wembley Stadium. She continues to inspire many with her world-class music that captures hearts all over Africa.
The Nigerian singer had another great year in 2021. Tiwa Savage continues to be popular in both Nigeria and around the world, she’s one of Nigeria’s biggest musicians who inspires many with her music. Tiwa had a string of hit songs that topped charts throughout Africa, Europe, and America.
Her biggest hit was “Somebody’s Son” which is a collaboration with Brandy. This song topped charts for weeks on end throughout 2021.
8. Rema
Rema is one of the most promising musicians in Nigeria, he has a growing international following. Rema’s talent was also recognized internationally when he released the hit song “Iron Man” that was on Barack Obama’s 2019 summer playlist.
Rema continues to inspire his fans with his sweet voice and unique lyrics. The young Nigerian singer had another great year in 2021, building on his success from previous years.
Rema’s biggest hit of the year was “Soundgasm”, the song was one of the top tracks on different platforms. This song was produced by a brilliant beatmaker in London and it’s the official single of Rema, following the hit Don Jazzy produced.
The young musician has been on a roll for years and we expect more from him this year too.
9. Tems
Tems is another promising Nigerian musician, she has a growing international following and continues to inspire her fans with good music. Temilade Openiyi is a singer from Nigeria who has been known by her stage name, Tems. In 2021 she earned two US top 40 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 with collaborations with Drake including “Fountains”.
Tems had a great year in 2021, continuing to inspire many with her music which has helped her build a big fanbase worldwide.
