No doubt, 2023 was a remarkable year for Nigerian music. The year was remarkable with ground breaking hits and breakout of extraordinary talents. From Afrobeat to Amapiano, the industry showcased its diversity and creativity, producing songs that resonated not only within the borders of the country, but also on the global stage. The Guardian takes a look at some of the songs and artistes that made wave in 2023.

Lonely At The Top – Asake
Singer Ahmed Ololade, better known as Asake’s Lonely at the Top from his sophomore album, Work of Art, was Song of the Year for most music buffs. The mid-tempo track delves into the solitude and skepticism that often accompany success.
Asake’s compelling narrative struck a chord with listeners, propelling it to clinch the top position of the ‘Most Streamed Artiste’, while his song, Lonely At The Top, enjoyed unprecedented 12-week reign atop TurnTable Top 100, making it an anthem that echoes the sentiments of many navigating the highs of life. The song was also Spotify Nigeria’s top song of 2023. His other club bangers – 2:30 and Amapiano also dominated the list of the most streamed tracks for the year.

Ojapiano – Kcee
Released in June, Kcee’s Ojapiano, an amazing sub-genre of Afrobeats, seamlessly blends the traditional Igbo flute (Ọ̀já) with the South African infectious beats of Amapiano, a hybrid of deep house, jazz, and lounge music characterised by synths and wide percussive basslines that emerged in South Africa in the mid-2010s.
Aptly named Ojapiano, the fusion is a testament to Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo, also known as Bad Man Kcee’s (BMK’s) creativity and dedication to pushing the boundaries of music. The fusion of sounds catapulted the single to the top of TurnTable’s Top 100 Songs of 2023, garnering massive success across social media and streaming platforms.

Unavailable – Davido ft. Musa Keys
Known for his unique voice and style of music, David Adedeji Adeleke, well known as Davido’s Unavailable, featuring South African producer, Musa Keys, was another standout record of 2023.
The track, which is from Davido’s fourth album, Timeless, captivates with its infectious dance moves, dominating both airwaves and social media platforms. Released on March 31, 2023, the song peaked at No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart for five weeks and reached No. 3 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.
It earned recognition as the most streamed Afrobeat song on Spotify, even earning praise as one of former US President Barack Obama’s favourite tracks. The song is nominated at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for Best African Music Performance.

Feel – Davido
Another song from the Nigerian musicians that rock the airwaves on radio, TV and the clubs, even at parties in 2023 was Feel, a track also from Timeless. The song’s widespread traction both locally and internationally solidifies its place as one of Spotify Nigeria’s top songs of 2023. It showcases Davido’s versatility and ability to create music that resonates with a broad audience.

Me & U – Tems
Afrobeats sensation, Temilade Openiyi, professionally known as Tems, ruled the airwaves with her Me & U, one of her two releases in 2023, and the song earned a spot on former US President Barack Obama’s list of favourite Music of the Year.
As her first solo body of work since the acclaimed If Orange Was a Place EP in 2021, Me & U showcases Tems’ distinctive style and lyrical prowess.
The emotional pop-R&B song hit talks about the unique connection that two people can have when they are in love, and the lyrics are replete with images of romance.

Party No Dey Stop – Adekunle Gold ft. Zinoleesky
Adekunle Almoruf Kosoko, known professionally as Adekunle Gold or AG Baby, is no longer a rookie when it comes to music making in Nigeria, as he has etched his name in the minds of fans and music lovers with his unique style.
In his 2023 mega hit, Party No Dey Stop, featuring Oniyide Azeez, popularly known as Zinoleesky, he explores the big-boy lifestyle with themes of celebrity, cruise, and flex. The song adds a touch of highlife to the mix, showcasing Adekunle Gold’s versatility as an artiste.
The Okay crooner dropped the fans favourite shortly sealing a recording deal with Def Jam Recordings (Def Jam), an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group.

Gwagwalada – BNXN, Ft Kizz Daniel, Seyi Vibez
Gwagwalada is a masterpiece by singer Daniel Etiese Benson, professionally known as BNXN, with collaborative supports from Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe, well known as Kizz Daniel and Balogun Afolabi Oluwaloseyi better known as Seyi Vibez, embodying the spirit of celebration and enjoyment.
The song is a fusion of a unique blend of reggae, dancehall, R&B elements and Amapiano log drums with lyrics that capture the artistes’ superstar lifestyle.

Big Baller – Flavour
Legendary indigenous highlife music artiste and 2Nite Music Group kingpin, Chinedu Okoli, better known as Flavour, did not fail to represent as he made a comeback, brightened the music industry with a well-enchanted record titled, Big Baller (Agba Baller).
The song received massive streaming and downloads on all digital streaming platforms (DSP) like Audiomack, Apple Music, Youtube Music, Tidal, and Amazon. The inventive beat is a fusion of Indian musical culture elements, a result of continental fusion that is both thrilling and ground breaking.
The outcome of an exotic, pulsating soundscape in an artful blend, array of percussive and melodic elements including Nigerian drum and traditional Indian instruments showcased the skillful and technical sound expertise of the sound engineer.