The most-streamed Afrobeats songs of the week: April 23 to April 29
Afrobeats continues to hold firm as one of the most reliably streamed genres on the planet, and the week of April 23 to April 29 offered fresh evidence of that.
From Lagos to London to the diaspora spread across the US, the numbers moved with the kind of quiet authority that the genre's biggest advocates have long insisted upon.
It was a week that rewarded melodic ambition. The records that climbed highest were not necessarily the loudest or the most aggressive but the most sonically assured, songs built to be replayed. And with a major joint project on the horizon, the timing felt like more than a coincidence.
Here are the seven most-streamed Afrobeats songs released in the week of April 23 to April 29.
1. Back Outside — BNXN & Sarz (5,573,063 streams)
The week's most compelling story in Afrobeats streaming belongs to BNXN and Sarz, whose collaboration pulled in a dominant 5.57 million streams to lead the chart. Produced by Sarz himself, the record interpolates Amadou and Mariam's 1990 Malian classic and wears its melodic ambition proudly, a warm-up act for the duo's forthcoming five-track joint project The Game Needs Us, arriving May 11. The bulk of those numbers came from home, with Nigeria accounting for 64.2% of streams, while the US contributed 8.7% and the UK chipped in 4.5.
2. Ara (600M) — Bella Shmurda & Olamide (2,360,664 streams)
Reviving one of the more fruitful creative partnerships in recent Nigerian music, Ara (600M) came in second with 2.36 million streams. Their last joint effort was Triumphant back in 2020, and the reunion, produced by Eskeez, gives fans plenty of reason to hope it won't be another five-year wait.
3. Fine $hit — FOLA (2,307,293 streams)
FOLA's entry arguably offered the week's most sonically immersive listening experience. Produced by Magicsticks, Dave Nunes and Puffys, it is the kind of record that rewards headphones: warm, unhurried and texturally rich. Nigeria drove 71.8% of its 2.31 million streams, with the US at 8.4% and the UK at four.
4. Attack — Ayo Maff (1,616,151 streams)
Co-produced by Stepstation and Juju the Pen, Attack earned 1.62 million streams on the strength of a mid-tempo groove built largely in Yoruba. It sits squarely in the street-pop tradition without straining for anything beyond its own ease, which in the right hands is more than enough.
5. Zion — Teni & Olamide (1,567,178 streams)
Released through Sugar Mummy Records via Gamma Africa and produced by DeeYasso, with co-production from Semzi and Eskeez, Zion rounded out the top five with 1.57 million streams. It leaned into the soulful, melodic end of the Afrobeats spectrum, with Nigeria accounting for 62% of its plays. It is the kind of record that feels like it was made on a Sunday afternoon and means to stay with you past Monday.
6. Tobi — Priesst (369,515 streams)
Taken from his Kurima Too EP and produced by Aykbeats, Tobi accumulated 369,515 streams on the back of a groovy rhythm and lyrics that edge into gospel and aspirational territory without losing the dancefloor.
7. Press Button — Tekno (319,816 streams)
Tekno returned with Press Button, produced by Willis, logging 319,816 streams. It is the sort of sleek, assured club record that reminds you why, when Tekno is locked in, very few can match him for pure sonic pleasure.
