Nigeria at 64: Apple Music celebrates Independence Day with Oshe Naija

Streaming giants, Apple Music are celebrating Nigeria’s Independence Day with Oshe Naija (meaning Thanks Nigeria in Yoruba).

The Oshe Naija initiative from Apple Music is a month-long campaign that will pay tribute to several regions that have significantly shaped the soundscape of Nigerian music and primed it for a worldwide audience.

From the bustling streets of Lagos to the serene landscapes of Enugu, each region has contributed its unique musical heritage to the nation's rich tapestry of sounds.

The Oshe Naija collection will feature 8 exclusively curated playlists by Afro- fusion superstar Omah Lay (Port Harcourt), Hip Hop force ODUMODUBLVCK (Abuja), maverick rapper Shallipopi (Benin City), Afro-R&B doyenne Qing Madi (Benin City), genre-bending singer-songwriter Seyi Vibez (Lagos), legendary Afro-pop singer-songwriter 2Baba (Jos), sure-fire rapper Jeriq (Enugu) and trailblazing up-coming singer Bloody Civilian (Abuja).

It will also house Artist Essentials, Top Albums, Essential Albums, Naija Video Hits, and Naija Risers.

There will also be a genre spotlight on Afrobeats, Alte, Street Music, Hip Hop, Afro-fusion and Gospel, as well as a focus on indie labels like DMW, Mavin Records, Starboy, YBNL Nation and LoveWorld Records.

Apple Music has also revealed the names of the all-time Top Nigerian Artists, Top Nigerian Songs and Top Nigerian Albums across the service worldwide, as well as the Top Nigerian artists on Shazam to celebrate the immense achievement of Nigeria’s musicians.

Who are the top Nigerian Artists on Apple Music?

1. Burna Boy

2. Wizkid

3. Davido

4. Rema

5. Asake

6. Tems

7. Omah Lay

8. Fireboy DML

9. Bnxn

10. Olamide

The top Nigerian songs on Apple Music

1. "Calm Down" - Rema & Selena Gomez

2. "Last Last” - Burna Boy

3. "Essence" - Wizkid feat. Tems

4. "Free Mind” - Tems

5. “Ye” - Burna Boy

6. “Location" - Burna Boy

7. "Calm Down" - Rema

8. “Rush" - Arya Starr

9. "On the Low” - Burna Boy

10. "Come Closer” - Wizkid feat. Drake

Top Nigerian Albums on Apple Music

1. Made In Lagos - Wizkid

2. Love, Damini - Burna Boy

3. African Giant - Burna Boy

4. For Broken Ears - Tems

5. I Told Them... - Burna Boy

6. Twice As Tall - Burna Boy

7. Mr. Money With The Vibe - Asake

8. Timeless - Davido

9. Work Of Art - Asake

10. Boy Alone - Omah Lay

Nigerian Artists with the highest Shazam count

1. Wizkid

2. Burna Boy

3. Rema

4. Davido

5. CKay

Discover Oshe Naija here.

“Gyration and Highlife music was very popular for a time in Rivers State, made by percussion and pots, something we loved. I don’t know if it was unique to Rivers but it was our thing, so was singing in pidgin English. Music out of Rivers State has always been different, compared to other parts of Nigeria. It’s hard to find artists that sound alike. Lately we’re seeing that diversity impact genre and more artists from PH coming up. It’s great to see.” - Omah Lay

“Musically, Abuja is a hub for Rap music. Drums are always present, strings, and even in my music you can still hear all those elements. Heavy influences from Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa traditional sounds also are unique to Abuja, you also find a strong presence of pidgin English and in lyrics, which adds a unique flair to the music. Musicians in Abuja are always open to experimenting with new sounds, play with everything. There are elements that are yet to be discovered.” - ODUMODUBLVCK

“I was born and raised in Benin City, Edo State but my Dad is from Delta State. I will describe Benin City where I grew up as a State rich in culture, arts, food and local traditional music. Rema is from Benin City and Rema is part of the new wave young sound of Afrobeats. The new sound of Afrobeat is highly influenced by pidgin english. The sound is vibrant, fun, happy and has a very young appeal.” - Qing Madi

“There's something about Benin Pidgin English and this unique tonal difference that you can easily catch when people from Benin sing. It feels natural to me, but some fans say I talk on records instead of singing. But honestly, that's just how we do it in Benin. I think people are finding our style more relatable now, and that’s so cool! I’m really happy and grateful to be part of these times where we can just be ourselves and be able to go mainstream. It’s awesome seeing more artists being true to how their environment has shaped them and getting creative with it.” - Shallipopi

“The Yoruba heritage is known for its great music, especially drums and lyrics. In my sound, you can tell I really like to have people on the dance floor having a good time, but I also educate their minds while I create enjoyable tunes, because literally that’s what music is about, enjoyable learning.” - Seyi Vibez

“My State, Benue state in Nigeria, has its own local drum called Okanga and a local flute called Ukpe which are essential to our music productions and performances. Our music is heavily percussion-driven hence the importance of those instruments. I’m a testimony to the sounds from my state. I pride myself as one of the pioneers of the contemporary Afrobeats the world is enjoying right now. Being called Godfather of Afrobeats affirmed how impactful and influential my Music is to my generation and the one after me.” - 2Baba

“In Taraba we have a lot of synchronisation in our art which means that it’s usually done as a community. Music is done as a group, there’s a lot of clapping of hands, beating of chest, stomping of feet, handmade drums and handmade tiny bangle looking things and we have our own colourful culture and it’s attached with festivity. As far as the wider Nigerian music scene goes, I feel like it’s really just MI Abaga, Jesse Jagz, and myself holding it down for Taraba state. I’m honestly the only artist that I personally know from Taraba state that’s a female and I’m also probably the only artist that I know that is a producer as well, so yeah.” - Bloody Civilian

About Apple Music

Apple loves music. Apple revolutionized the music experience with iPod and iTunes. Today, the award-winning Apple Music celebrates musicians, songwriters, producers, and fans with a catalog of over 100 million songs, expertly curated playlists, and the best artist interviews, conversations, and global premieres with Apple Music Radio.

With original content from the most respected and beloved people in music, autoplay, time-synced lyrics, lossless audio, and immersive sound powered by Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Apple Music offers the world’s best listening experience, helping listeners discover new music and enjoy their favorites while empowering the global artist community.

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