The average Nigerian music consumer is buying
10. Dremo “Codename (Vol 1)”
| > 5.34 Million Streams
Released: Jul 20,
Dremo might be a small rap fish inside Davido’s pop music pond but in 2018, he still managed to make a significant splash. The rapper released his debut project Codename (Vol.1). The LP was helped by features from some of the most sought-after artists of 2018, a handful of which also happen to be Dremo’s label mates.
9. DJ Neptune “Greatness” | > 5.5 Million Streams
Released: May 25, 2018 / Record Label: Neptune Records / Singles: “Wait” (ft. Kizz Daniel), “My World” (ft. Maleek Berry), “Why” (ft. Runtown), “Shawa Shawa” (ft. Larry
Veteran DJ, DJ Neptune finally released his first full body of work: Greatness. Neptune says his aim was to make an album of 15 unskippable tracks. A couple of those songs lit up the charts in
8. Adekunle Gold “About 30” | > 7 Million Streams
Released: May 25, 2018 / Record Label: Afro Urban Records / EMPIRE / Singles: “Ire”, “Fame”, “Surrenda”, “Damn, Delilah”
Adekunle Gold survived the dreaded sophomore slump but it was a close call. Critics were divided about the quality of the singer’s second offering. There was also a significant difference between the
7. YBNL “YBNL Mafia Family”| > 14 Million Streams
Released: Dec 14, 2018 / Record Label: YBNL Nation / Singles: “Motigbana” (ft. Olamide), “Poverty Die” (ft. Olamide)
Speaking of Adekunle’s former label, Olamide revamped YBNL in 2018. He added a couple of new faces to a roster that, since Adekunle Gold and Lil Kesh left, has failed to produce another star act. Olamide sacrificed his customary solo-album-every-year to present the YBNL recruits with fresh opportunities to shine, but he didn’t give up his place at the top end of the charts.
6. DJ Spinall “Iyanu” | > 18 Million Streams
Released: Oct 26,
DJ Spinall is arguably the #1 DJ in the country right now. The ‘fearless’ DJ has now released 4 albums in 4 years. And those albums have produced at least one of the highest-charting songs in the respective years they were released. That’s why DJ Spinall’s star-studded albums are now practically a shoo-in for the most streamed projects every year.
5. Mercy Chinwo ‘The Cross: My Gaze” | > 23.2 Million Streams
Released: February 30,
The only woman on this list also happens to be the only gospel artist on this list. Mercy Chinwo had an amazing 2018. Her hit single “Excess Love” became a legitimate nationwide hit and became a fixture in praise and worship in many churches. Already an established actress, Mercy is beginning to fulfil the promise she showed when she won Nigerian Idol in 2012.
4. Kizz Daniel “No Bad Songz” | > 23.8 Million Streams
Released: Nov 30, 2018 / Record Label: Flyboy Inc / Singles: “4DAYZ”, “One Ticket” (ft. Davido), “No Do”
Last year, Kizz Daniel managed to escape what seemed to be a personally successful but creatively restrictive environment at G Worldwide Entertainment. Free to work with whomever he pleased and free from having to shout-out Emperor Geezy on every track, the pop star produced some of the biggest songs of the year. But he still managed to save enough firepower for his sophomore project.
3. Burna Boy “Outside” | > 24 Million Streams
Released: Jan 26, 2018 / Record Label: Spaceship Entertainment/Atlantic / Singles: “Ye”, “Heaven’s Gate” (ft. Lily Allen), “Rock Your Body”, “Devil In California”
Burna Boy is one of the last artists to get a big Alaba pay day; he reportedly received N10m in 2013 for his debut album L.I.F.E. With the success of his third album Outside however, the singer is showing his value in the streaming era too. This longevity is probably one of the reasons why Burna now sees himself as an “African Giant” whose name must be written in big fonts at all times.
2. Mayorkun “The Mayor of Lagos” | > 32 Million Streams
Released: Nov 16,
Davido didn’t release an album in 2018, allowing his lieutenant, Mayorkun, ample space to shine. The DMW singer released his debut album TMoL late last year. However, in the 2 years prior, he had already built a discography off of smash hits. Those hit singles not only masked the artistic shortcomings of TMoL but allowed the album to land so high on the streaming charts.
1. Mr Eazi “Life Is Eazi; Lagos To London (Volume 2)” | > 82 Million Streams
Released: Nov 9, 2018 / Record Label: Banku Music / Singles: “Surrender” (ft. Simi), “Pour Me Water”, “London Town” (ft. Giggs), “Chicken Curry” (ft. Sneakbo), “Miss You Bad” (ft. Burna Boy)
Last year, Mr Eazi declared that his music catalogue was now worth a whopping $1m. At the time, it seemed like an empty boast. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that, in the new frontier of music streaming, Mr Eazi is head and shoulders above his peers. Not only did he have the most streamed project last year, but he was also the most listened to Nigerian on Spotify; all this without a smash hit in 2018.
The Other 10
11. Mr 2Kay “Elevated” | > 5.31 Million Streams
12. Skales “Mr Love” | > 2.5 Million Streams
13. LAX “Rasaking” | > 1.7 Million Streams
14. Humblesmith “Osinachi” | > 1.4 Million Streams
15. CDQ “Ibile Mugabe” | > 1.2 Million Streams
16. Brymo “Oso (Wizard)” | > 800k Streams
17. MI Abaga “Yxng Dxnzl” | > 600k Streams
18. MI Abaga “Rendezvous” | > 500k Streams
19. PrettyBoyDO “Everything Pretty” | > 400k Streams
20. Odunsi “rare” | > 200k Streams
Notable Absentees
9ice “GOAT”, Waje “Red Velvet”, Show Dem Camp “Palmwine Music (Volume 2)”, Boogie “Nouveau Niveau”, Peruzzi “Heartwork”