Audio streaming and media service provider, Spotify has launched a new video that gives a historical account of the rich journey of Afrobeats, celebrating its evolution and impact from the 2000s to the 2020s.
According to the streaming platform, the genre has never stood still; instead it has shifted, stretched, and reinvented itself with every decade, borrowing, blending, and breaking rules to become one of the world’s most dynamic sounds.
From smooth harmonies in the early 2000s to the swagger-filled hits of the 2010s and today’s fearless experiments blending street pop, Fuji, Amapiano, drill, and even prayer chants, the genre has evolved era by era, track by track, new sounds and dedication.
In early 2000s, Style Plus and 2Baba gave us Lagos and the Atlanta flair, by the late 2000s, the sound was louder as Olu Maintain, M.I Abaga, Wande Coal, Wizkid made it unapologetically Nigerian. In 2010s, Mr Eazi’s Ponpon softened the pulse with grooves, as Davido does his thing with Aye and others. Don Jazzy and Olamide were busy building Afrobeats labels.
Between 2016 and 2018, streaming platforms cracked things open, Alte arrived in a bold style, shifting the culture. 2019 and 2020 brought fusions as Fireboy DML, Rema and Teni, Davido, Wizkid, Burnaboy took Afrobeats global with their unique flair.
The Afrobeats tempo explodes as Oma Lay, Ckay and Tems gave listeners something more intriguing. Amapiano crossed over from South Africa and by 2021, Afropiano became the new mutineer.
In 2023, the street took over, as Asake and Seyi Vibez infused Fuji into the beats. 2024 embraces freedom as artistes sampled classics mixed with traditional prayers with Burna Boy lean into nostalgia, Ayomaf lean into Afro-Adura.
Fast forward to 2025, anything goes as Rema infuses sounds, Arya Starr deep in pop vibes and Fola lean into slow jam. Today, we see fearless experiments that mix street pop, Fuji, Amapiano, drill, and even prayer chants, signalling that Afrobeats is a living, breathing story of culture, sound, identity, and rhythm.
The short film traces Afrobeats’ rise from local dance floors to global arenas, celebrating the artists, movements, and every era and moment that shaped the sound along the way. This isn’t just a timeline; it’s a tribute to the creativity that has made Afrobeats a cultural export, a global force, and the heartbeat of a generation.
Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, said: “The story of Afrobeats is one of constant innovation and incredible growth. We wanted to capture that journey in a way that truly honours its past while highlighting its place as a genre with limitless potential. This animated video is a testament to the artists and fans who have made Afrobeats what it is today.”
Spotify
