2016 was a really great year for African music. The world finally started paying attention and our superstars stepped up to the plate to deliver authentic and original music that climbed the charts like wildfire. However, there are a select few songs that we literally could not stop listening to. You know the ones – you hear them at every wedding, in every club and on the radio stations – over and over again but you don’t mind because you literally love the song with all your heart and don’t mind hearing it, literally all the time.

1. Final (Baba Nla) –  Wizkid

This has definitely been the year of Wizkid and we would’ve loved to put up every single song of his but then it would’ve become the Wizkid list instead. So here we have his collabo with Legendury Beatz that had us dancing all year.

2. Skintight – Mr Eazi ft Efya

Definitely the breakthrough song of the year, Mr Eazi with the help of Ghanaian songstress Efya made our 2016 pop with this amazing afrobeat song. Fine, even though it was released in 2015 it really blew up in 2016 and we stand by our calling it the breakthrough song of the year.

3. Pana – Tekno

“Folake give me love o” All you need to hear are those five words and just watch as people begin to scatter the floor anywhere, in their cars, homes, offices, classrooms, the club you name it. Tekno gave us the jam of all jams this year and even though the video was mad random we will never get tired of it.

4. Fada Fada – Phyno ft Olamide

The way people go mad for this song is really something to see. Phyno and Olamide came through with this anthem that turns everyone into an Igbo speaker every time it comes on.

5. Kolewerk – Koker

Chocolate City artiste Koker gave us a great tune with his smash hit Kolewerk.

6. Mama – Kiss Daniel

Every time this song comes on and we hear Kiss Daniels voice, we always get the feels. Beautiful vocals, danceable, touching AF video. Definitely in our Top 10.

7. One Dance – Drake ft Wizkid & Kayla

When this collab happened we finally realised Wizkid was officially blown, like out of the stratosphere blown. Regardless of the haters doing their usual hating thing this song went ahead to break tons of records like getting over a billion streams on spotify and for those who didn’t know, Wiz also  has production credits on the song as well. There’s no video for this one but it still had to be on the list.

8. Omo Alhaji – Ycee

Most quoted lyric might as well go to this song with a mad catchy beat it got tons of replays and airtime in 2016.

9. Who You Epp Remix – Olamide ft Wande Coal & Phyno

2016 was definitely the year for music lyrics turned slang and the remix of the already massive Who You Epp made it more popular than we thought it could be. We might not really know what it means and our parents might even look at us funny whaen we say it but we love it.

10. Mad Over You – Run Town

After balling out with his hit track “Gallardo” in he first ever African Adidas Ambassador, Runtown made his mark two months to the end of 2016 with this catchy, feel good tune that gets everyone moving. It was so good even Mr Eazi had to hop on the wave and drop his own dope cover. Listen below.

11. Champagne Showers – Terry Apala

Terry Apala is breaking musical barriers with his, what we like to call Fuji or better yet Apala trap. With his music, he has successfully begun to revive interest in Apala music a kind of Yoruba music which was already slowly being forgotten by blending it with the infectious trap beats making for a banger. This song is mad but be careful this video is NSFW or for any location with family.

12. Soldier – Falz ft Simi

Falz and Simi have had a great year, and no list would be complete without both being on it. Enjoy.

There you have it, 2016 has been musically lit and we cannot wait to see what comes with 2017!