Africa Now 2023

Though the original version of the song was released in 2022, Rema’s remix to “Calm Down”—with an assist from American singer Selena Gomez—made the Afropop star’s laidback single into a global hit in 2023, earning Rema a career-first Billboard Hot 100 top-10 hit. The song became the highest-charting song ever by a Nigerian lead artist on Billboard’s charts, even surpassing Wizkid, Tems, and Justin Bieber’s retooled “Essence,” which peaked at No. 9. The song also made the Apple Music Up Next alum the first African artist to be certified three times platinum in the US. The track’s irresistibly good vibes are mirrored in this roundup of the biggest songs of the year from across the continent—from Afrobeats hits like Omah Lay’s “reason” and fusions like Asake’s “Lonely at the Top” and Davido and Musa Keys’ “UNAVAILABLE” to seismic amapiano tracks like Tyler ICU and Tumelo.za's “Mnike” and hypnotic bops from Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Uncle Waffles, ODUMODUBLVCK, Seyi Vibez, Bien, AKA, and more. Hear a 2023 essential you might have missed? Add it to your library.