Africa Now 2022

Thanks to his eclectic blend of contemporary street culture, indigenous Fuji sounds, Yoruba lyrics and infectious “crowd vocals”, Nigerian street-pop star Asake emerged as 2022’s biggest breakout star. His debut album Mr. Money With The Vibe broke the record for the biggest opening day for an African album in Apple Music history, and reached No. 1 on the Top Albums Chart in 31 countries worldwide. Asake’s fusion of South African amapiano stylings and classic call-and-response Afrobeats patterns made hits like “Sungba” and “Organise” relatable across the continent and led a wave of amapiano-infused hits from T.I BLAZE, Lil Kesh, Zinoleesky and MohBad. It’s a phenomenon that captures the lush entirety of the Pan-Africanist ideal, represented on this roundup of the biggest songs of the year from across the continent—from Nigerian legend Burna Boy’s megahit “Last Last” to Pheelz and BNXN fka Buju’s “Finesse” to Ghanaian hip-hop star Black Sherif’s “Kwaku the Traveller”, Fireboy DML and Ed Sheeran’s “Peru” and Joeboy’s “Sip (Alcohol)”. Hear a 2022 essential you might have missed? Add it to your library.