Afrobeats has officially secured its place as Africa’s biggest cultural export. In a landmark announcement, Billboard staff unveiled their definitive “50 Best Afrobeats Songs of All Time” list, ranking classics and modern hits that have defined the genre’s past two decades.

At the top of the list sits 2Baba’s evergreen “African Queen” (2004), hailed as a timeless anthem of love and identity. Close behind is Flavour’s “Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)” (2011) and Wizkid’s “Ojuelegba” (2014), cementing Afrobeats’ global legacy.

The Full Billboard Top 50 Afrobeats Songs of All Time

Here’s the complete countdown from #50 to #1:

#50 to #41

#50 – Ijoya — Weird MC (2006) 🇳🇬
#49 – Tonight — Nonso Amadi (2016) 🇳🇬
#48 – Dem Mama — Timaya (2005) 🇳🇬
#47 – Raise Da Roof — Jazzman Olofin & Adewale Ayuba (2004) 🇳🇬
#46 – Soweto — Victony & Tempoe (2022) 🇳🇬
#45 – Yahooze — Olu Maintain (2007) 🇳🇬
#44 – Oleku — Ice Prince & Brymo (2010) 🇳🇬
#43 – Buga — Kizz Daniel & Tekno (2022) 🇳🇬
#42 – People — Libianca (2022) 🇨🇲
#41 – Peace Be Unto You (PBUY) — Asake (2022) 🇳🇬

#40 to #31

#40 – UNAVAILABLE — Davido ft. Musa Keys (2023) 🇳🇬🇿🇦
#39 – Shake Body — Skales (2014) 🇳🇬
#38 – Monalisa — Lojay & Sarz (2022) 🇳🇬
#37 – KU LO SA — Oxlade (2022) 🇳🇬
#36 – Kontrol — Maleek Berry (2016) 🇳🇬
#35 – Pana — Tekno (2016) 🇳🇬
#34 – Personally — P-Square (2013) 🇳🇬
#33 – Mad Over You — Runtown (2016) 🇳🇬
#32 – Dorobucci — Mavins (2014) 🇳🇬
#31 – Rush — Ayra Starr (2022) 🇳🇬

#30 to #21

#30 – Killin Dem — Burna Boy ft. Zlatan (2019) 🇳🇬
#29 – Sad Girlz Luv Money — Amaarae & Moliy (2020) 🇬🇭
#28 – Peru — Fireboy DML (2021) 🇳🇬
#27 – Iskaba — Wande Coal & DJ Tunez (2016) 🇳🇬
#26 – Skin Tight — Mr Eazi ft. Efya (2015) 🇳🇬🇬🇭
#25 – Pakurumo — Wizkid (2011) 🇳🇬
#24 – Drogba (Joanna) — Afro B (2018) 🇬🇧
#23 – Bobo — Olamide (2015) 🇳🇬
#22 – Last Last — Burna Boy (2022) 🇳🇬
#21 – Eminado — Tiwa Savage ft. Don Jazzy (2013) 🇳🇬

#20 to #11

#20 – Fada Fada — Phyno ft. Olamide (2016) 🇳🇬
#19 – Adonai — Sarkodie ft. Castro (2014) 🇬🇭
#18 – Azonto — Fuse ODG ft. Itz Tiffany (2013) 🇬🇭
#17 – Bumper to Bumper — Wande Coal (2008) 🇳🇬
#16 – Fall in Love — D’Banj (2008) 🇳🇬
#15 – Johnny — Yemi Alade (2013) 🇳🇬
#14 – Dami Duro — Davido (2011) 🇳🇬
#13 – Kiss Your Hand — R2Bees ft. Wande Coal (2009) 🇳🇬🇬🇭
#12 – Gongo Aso — 9ice (2008) 🇳🇬
#11 – Olufunmi — Styl-Plus (2003) 🇳🇬

Top 10 — #10 to #1

#10 – Chop My Money (Remix) — P-Square ft. Akon & May D (2012) 🇳🇬
#9 – Ye — Burna Boy (2018) 🇳🇬
#8 – Fall — Davido (2017) 🇳🇬
#7 – Oliver Twist — D’banj (2011) 🇳🇬
#6 – Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah) — CKay (2019) 🇳🇬
#5 – Essence — Wizkid ft. Tems (2020) 🇳🇬
#4 – Calm Down — Rema (2022) 🇳🇬
#3 – Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix) — Flavour (2011) 🇳🇬
#2 – Ojuelegba — Wizkid (2014) 🇳🇬
#1 – African Queen — 2Baba (2004) 🇳🇬

Spotlight on Afrobeats Giants

Wizkid – The Global Connector

Wizkid’s influence is undeniable. With four songs on the list (Pakurumo, Essence, Ojuelegba, and Love Nwantiti remix collaborations), he represents the modern face of Afrobeats. Essence became the first Nigerian song in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, while Ojuelegba gave Afrobeats its earliest international co-sign from Drake and Skepta. Wizkid’s magic lies in blending local storytelling with international finesse.

Davido – The Hitmaker

Davido also dominates the chart with anthems like Dami Duro, Fall, and UNAVAILABLE. His 2017 single Fall remains the longest-charting Nigerian pop song in U.S. Billboard history, even earning platinum certification. With UNAVAILABLE, Davido introduced South African amapiano to a global audience, proving his ear for innovation.

Burna Boy – The African Giant

Burna Boy appears three times, with Killin Dem, Ye, and Last Last. Each one represents a different era of his artistry:

Ye became an accidental global hit when Kanye West released an album of the same name in 2018.
Last Last (built on a Toni Braxton sample) became a heartbreak anthem worldwide in 2022.
Killin Dem showcased his fusion of street culture and mainstream energy.

Burna Boy’s recognition on this list proves why he’s often called Afrobeats’ first true stadium-filling superstar.

African Queen – The Crown Jewel (#1)

Billboard’s crowning of “African Queen” as the greatest Afrobeats song is fitting. Released in 2004, 2Baba’s acoustic ballad became Africa’s love anthem, crossing borders and featuring in Hollywood film Phat Girlz. Beyond its success, it redefined how African music could be presented to the world — soft, poetic, and universal.

Ashawo – A Street Anthem Turned Global (#3)

Flavour’s Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix) at number three reflects the beauty of Afrobeats’ reinvention. Borrowing from Igbo highlife roots, Flavour reimagined a local folk chant into a pulsating global anthem. It captured street humor, nightlife energy, and traditional pride in one unforgettable hit.

Why This List Matters

This Billboard ranking is a cultural milestone. It documents Afrobeats’ journey from underground Lagos studios to Grammy stages and global streaming charts. It honors pioneers like Weird MC and Styl-Plus, while celebrating the superstars — Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, and 2Baba — who put Afrobeats on the world map.

Above all, it proves that Afrobeats is not just music; it is Africa’s most powerful cultural export.

Also Read:Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ remix tops Spotify’s Top 10 Afrobeats song of All Time

With African Queen at number one, Ojuelegba at number two, and Ashawo Remix at number three, Billboard’s list reminds us that Afrobeats is about timeless storytelling, street anthems, and global reinvention. The genre has conquered borders — and its future remains even brighter.