The Nigerian music industry has been saved by these 10 Nigerian albums released in 2024 as these albums have had us all at the edge of our seats, more than our favourite horror movies.

Afrobeat is taking on a wave that has not been seen before in the history of the Nigerian and African music industries. With the emergence of Gen-Z artists filling the space with new sounds, lyrics, and songs that transcend beyond all ages and borders, dare we say Afrobeat is at its peak?

2024 has seen multiple artists challenge themselves, striving to be better than their past albums. With the release of a new album this year, these artists have proven they have what it takes to promote the Afrobeats culture here and abroad.

This year, we have had to dance, create silly challenges, cry, and reminisce, along with the albums and singles released. The Nigerian music industry still has much to offer Nigerians and the world.

However, for now, these artists have done things that require recognition and rounds of applause. So, to congratulate these ten artists for doing a good job keeping the Afrobeat culture alive, here are our top 10 banging Afrobeat albums released in 2024 so far.

1. Shallipopi

Shallipopi released his sophomore album, “Shakespopi”, in April 2024. With just nine tracks spanning a total of 25 minutes, Shallipopi was able to sway the crowd to move to his Benin-boy sound as he showed everyone how to have a good time despite the challenges we are all facing in 2024. The album recorded 1.59 million streams on its first day of release on Spotify. Though criticised, its singles are being played at parties and events across Nigeria.

2. Victony

Victony definitely took a “Risk” with his new album “Stubborn’. The Nigerian artist got us all hooked with his vocals in his 14-track album. He featured Shallipopi, SAINt JHN, Teezy Touchdown, Asake, Shorae Moore, and KTIZO. The song “Risk” became a TikTok sound as Nigerian content creators danced to the music, creating several challenges off of it. With hit singles like “Everything,” “Stubborn,” and “Risk,” the album sat on our list of “10 Nigerian albums that got us all talking in 2024.”

3. Tiwa Savage

Tiwa Savage continues to show that she is the queen of Afrobeat for a reason, as she constantly does something unorthodox in the Nigerian music industry. In 2024, Tiwa Savage released an original soundtrack album in addition to her movie, “Water and Garri.” The 10-track album featured her former Mavins Record artists, Reekado Banks, Ayra Starr, and other A-list singers like Olamide, Asa, The Cavemen, Young John, Black Sherif, and more.

4. Ayra Starr

Ayra Starr dropped her sophomore album, “The Year I Turned 21”, and took us on a teary-eyed journey with her tracks as she employed her sonorous vocals to deliver her emotions in her songs effectively. Ayra Starr is a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian music industry, as she has been featured in multiple songs across continents, which few Nigerian artists could dream of reaching. Her album featured Coco Jones, Anitta, Asake, Giveon, Seyi Vibez, and Milar. The album has received over 500 million streams on Spotify, which shows the singer is doing magnificently well with her artistry in the industry.

5. Rema

No one can deny the star power that Rema has had in the music industry since his song “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez went global; the artist has recorded some personal achievements, seating him as one of the most prolific Gen-Z artists in the Nigerian entertainment industry currently. His new album, “HEIS,” has got us all talking, stomping our feet and chanting along as his songs play almost everywhere. The album is an experiment and a form of homage to his Benin roots. The 27-minute album has amazing bangers like “Ozeba,” “Azaman,” “YAYO,” and “March Am.” Rema enlisted the help of rapper ODUMODUBLVCK on a track, making him the only featured artist in his album.

6. Asake

‘Mr Money With The Vibe’ is the artist everyone wants to work with in the music industry, as there is no bad song featuring Asake. The singer released his third album, “Lungu Boy,” and he has since put us all in a trance with songs like “Fuji Vibe” and “Active.” Asake is undoubtedly a hitmaker and is presently ranked among the best and trending Nigerian musicians. In his 2024 album, Asake mainly featured foreign artists like Travis Scott, Central Cee, Stormzy, Ludmilla, and our very own Wizkid.

7. Tems

The gorgeous and ethereal R&B princess Tems finally blessed us with her debut studio album, “Born In The Wild,” after keeping it from her fans worldwide. With songs like “Burning,” “Love Me Jeje,” and “Wickedest,” there was no escaping Tems’ lyrical trap. The album debuted on the US iTunes chart and has since then done heavy numbers in the streaming world. Tems featured Asake and J. Cole in her 54-minute album.

8. Olamide

Olamide proved that despite his years in the music industry, he still knows how to make Nigerians put on their dancing shoes, get on their feet, and bust some moves on the dancefloor. With just seven tracks in “Ikigai Vol. 1,” Olamide enlisted the help of the YBNL artists Asake and Fireboy, along with Young John, Pheelz, and Sabri on his album, producing multiple bangers in his 22-minute album.

9. Fireboy DML

Fireboy took us all back to his Loverboy roots with his new album “adedamola,” featuring Lagbaja, Lojay, Seun Kuti, Jon Batiste, and DJ Spinall. The 14-track album is Fireboy’s fourth album in five years, which is a testament to his penmanship and ability to consistently produce hits if given little time and a book. Fireboy DML’s album is filled with romance as he serenades his listeners with vocals bound to lift our spirits.

10. Young John

With two successful EPs in his name, Young John took to the studio to drop his debut album titled “Jiggy Forever.” The Chocolate City artist featured Kizz Daniel, Seyi Vibez, Blaqbonez, Sean Paul, Zlatan, Don Jazzy, and Ya Levis on the 16-track album, receiving over 115 million streams on Spotify.