Albums are endeavours that define an artiste’s discography. They help to shape their level of impact and determine their place in the world of music. It’s these projects that fans and stans worship and adore with all their grandeur, transforming them into classics and great cultural influences.
In the words of author, editor, and educator, Arushi Raj, she asserts “I think beyond the superficial accolades, at its core, fans stream and buy albums and merchs, because they want to show that they acknowledge the hard work of the artists and their staff. The stream count, album sales and awards are tangible proof that the idols’ music is good. That they are popular. That they are better.”
Albums are essential to any conversation in the music industry and form the portfolio of any artiste. There are five albums which are pushing the narrative of Afrobeats evangelism to the world and it is worthy to acknowledge these outstanding bodies of work.
1. Made In Lagos
This is Nigerian singer Wizkid’s fourth studio album. Starboy Entertainment and RCA Records released it on October 30, 2020. Burna Boy, Skepta, H.E.R., Ella Mai, Tay Iwar, Projexx, Tems, Damian Marley, and Terri all make appearances on the album, which was executive produced by P2J. The deluxe edition was made available on August 27, 2021. It also features Buju and Justin Bieber as special guests. Wizkid embarked on the Made in Lagos Tour to promote the album (2021–2022). The album was nominated for Best Global Music Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
.@wizkidayo’s “Made in Lagos: Deluxe Edition” has surpassed 500 million streams on Spotify. 🦅
— WIZKID SOURCE (@WizkidSource) September 24, 2022
Stream here: https://t.co/ruxEoRexRc pic.twitter.com/9vbo82eBOy
On April 9, 2021, “Essence,” featuring Tems, was released as the album’s fourth single. A remix of the song featuring Canadian singer Justin Bieber was released on August 13, 2021. The song became the highest-charting single by an African act on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number nine. “Essence” was the first Nigerian song to chart on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. The song was nominated for Best Global Music Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
On this day last year, Wizkid released a deluxe edition to the classic “Made in Lagos”.
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) August 27, 2022
🏆 Earned a Grammy nomination (Best Global Music Album)
📊 Peaked at a then-record #28 on Billboard 200
🤩 Spent just a week outside the NG Apple Top 10 since then
WHAT A DELUXE! pic.twitter.com/ZewCZxqxBJ
IT’S HERE!!!! 📀🖤🇳🇬🦅https://t.co/pQnF1wIR79 pic.twitter.com/bxL8BnkYW1
— WIZKID SOURCE (@WizkidSource) August 29, 2022
The album has sold over 500,000 units in the United States and has been certified Gold. The first Nigerian album to achieve such a feat. Wizkid’s ‘Made In Lagos’ added another massive feather to its richly decorated cap, this time breaking an African record on the Billboard World Album Chart. It is the first African album to top Billboard’s world album chart for 100 weeks. This feat was accomplished during the chart week of October 15th, 2022.
🚨JUST IN: Wizkid’s “Made in Lagos” becomes the first ever album by an African act to spend 100 WEEKS on the Billboard World Albums Chart.
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) October 11, 2022
HISTORY. 🇳🇬🦅 pic.twitter.com/gAKcT0wWAD
.@wizkidayo’s “Made in Lagos” sits at #11(=) on this week’s Billboard World Albums Chart.
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) October 18, 2022
— It peaked at #1 for 7 weeks and has spent a record 101 WEEKS total on the chart. pic.twitter.com/0r5zQsV2XX
2. Twice As Tall
This is Nigerian singer Burna Boy’s fifth studio album. Spaceship Entertainment, Bad Habit, Atlantic Records, and Warner Music released it on August 14, 2020. Burna Boy, American singer and songwriter Diddy, and Mama Burna Bose Ogulu served as executive producers on the album, which was recorded in 2020. The album contains Afrobeats, Afrobeat, dancehall, pop, and hip-hop. It was primarily produced by Telz, with contributions from Rexxie, Timbaland, and DJDS, among others.
Youssou N’Dour, Naughty by Nature, Sauti Sol, Chris Martin, and Stormzy all make appearances on the album. The lead single, “Wonderful,” was released on June 26, 2020. Twice as Tall won Best Global Music Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards ceremony. The album is among the most streamed albums on Apple music.
2 years ago today, @BurnaBoy released “Twice as Tall” 🦍
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) August 14, 2022
— It earned the Grammy award for “Global Music Album”, peaked at #1 on the World Albums chart, #54 on the Billboard 200 and #11 in the UK.
An Instant Classic! 🦍💨 pic.twitter.com/CMDbTbI3Wd
3. African Giant
This is Burna Boy’s fourth studio album. Spaceship Entertainment, Bad Habit, Atlantic Records, and Warner Music released the album on July 26, 2019. The album contains Afrobeats, Afrobeat, dancehall, pop, and hip-hop. It was primarily produced by Kel-P, with contributions from Benjamz, Dre Skull, and Skrillex, among others. Jorja Smith, Jeremih, Damian Marley, Zlatan Ibile, Angelique Kidjo, Serani, M.anifest, YG, and Future all make appearances on the album. The album was supported by eight singles, including “On the Low,” which won Viewers’ Choice at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, “Killin Dem,” which won Song of the Year at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, and “Anybody,” which Burna Boy performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
3 year ago, Burna Boy released "African Giant"
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) July 26, 2022
➡ one of the most streamed African Albums in history with over 1.5 BILLION streams across all credits.
🏆 Grammy nominated for Best World Music Album
➡ Peaked at #104 on the #Billboard200
A PROPER CLASSIC 📀 pic.twitter.com/zwCNlOWHI6
Music critics generally praised the album, calling it cohesive and praising Burna Boy for not diluting his sound. Several publications, including Billboard, Complex, and Pitchfork, included it on their year-end lists. African Giant was nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards and won Album of the Year at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards. The African Giant Returns tour, which began in Toronto in August 2019, provided support.
JUST IN: @burnaboy’s “African Giant” hits 600 MILLION streams on Spotify.
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) October 18, 2022
— It becomes the first ever African album to hit the mark. pic.twitter.com/qS4cwtW8Rr
4. Love Damini
This is Burna Boy’s sixth studio album. Atlantic Records released it on July 8, 2022. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, J Hus, Vict0ny, Popcaan, Blxst, Kehlani, Ed Sheeran, J Balvin, and Khalid all make appearances on the album. It was accompanied by two singles, “Kilometre” and “Last Last.” The album is titled after Burna Boy’s legal first name and is the follow-up to his previous release, Twice as Tall (2020).
.@burnaboy’s “Love, Damini” remains at #6(-2) on this week’s Billboard World Albums chart.
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) October 18, 2022
— It peaked at #2 and has spent 15 weeks on the chart. pic.twitter.com/Nnrgqaqk25
Love Damini became the first album in history to receive 200 MILLION streams on Boomplay. Making it the best-selling album on the music platform of all time. It set this record only three months after its release.
🚨JUST IN: @burnaboy’s #LoveDamini hits 200 MILLION streams on Boomplay.
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) September 29, 2022
— It is the first album to hit the milestone and the best selling album of all time on Boomplay. pic.twitter.com/SlLLT54DnM
Love, Damini has spent 13 weeks at the top of the Official UK Albums chart. It is now the longest charting (13 weeks) and highest-peaking (#2) album by an African act in the UK’s history.
🚨Burna Boy’s “Love Damini” is now the highest peaking(#2) and longest charting (13 wks) album by an African act in the UK. 🇬🇧👏🏽
— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) October 7, 2022
HUGE! pic.twitter.com/TvJHcukz85
5. A Good Time
This is Nigerian singer Davido’s second studio album. Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), RCA Records, and Sony Music released it on November 22, 2019. Chris Brown, Summer Walker, Gunna, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Dremo, Peruzzi, Popcaan, Zlatan, Yonda, Wurld, and Naira Marley all make appearances on the album. To produce the album, Davido enlisted the help of Speroach Beatz, Tekno, Shizzi, Kiddominant, P2J, London on da Track, Fresh vdm, Seyi, Teekay Witty (Oloruntosin Emmanuel Kinyomi), Ray Keys, and Vstix.
Davido announced a North American tour in support of the album in December 2019; the tour was set to begin in the winter and end in the spring of 2020. Davido cancelled the tour in March 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
BRITs have certified the album as a Breakthrough album. This category, according to the BRITs, is intended to support new or recently established artists. Albums are eligible for this certification when it becomes the first title by an artist to sell more than 30,000 copies.
These albums are setting the pace in this journey of Afrobeats evangelism to the world. Redefining and shaping the narratives of African music and culture. I believe this is an exciting time to be alive and to witness the glory of this sound of life.