In the past decade, much of Nigerian music has, internationally, fallen into the "Afrobeats to the World" tag. While this may mean we're steady gaining ground in foreign markets, the enduring quality of our sound lies in the Nigerian experience.
Many songs have reflected this. Either directly through social commentary ("Double Wahala") or through love odes spiced by celebrity ("Fall"), or appropriating a viral dance ("Wo!"), Nigeria has proven to be an inspiration to its artistes, with many having made special songs out of the collective experience we all share.
Songs of the Decade 2010 - 2019
#TheDecadeList, stretching back to 2010, celebrates the biggest – not necessarily most commercially-acclaimed – songs of the last decade (which ended 2019).
The criteria considered for this list include:
- CULTURAL IMPACT: How much the song effected conversation, and its impact within the industry and outside.
- QUALITY: Bearing in mind that "quality" is subjective, this was settled on by the consensus of our team.
- POPULARITY: How received is/was a song? How wide a demography does it cut across? What is its commercial pull? Charts, views, and all that.
- LONGEVITY: This refers to replay value. Is a 7-year song song still pulling streams and getting played at events? In pop culture phrasing– has the song aged well?
With the above points in mind, we put forward #TheDecadeList, curated by our team of music experts here at NotJustOk.com, to lend our voice, to recognize these 50 Nigerian songs released in the last decade.
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50. JAYWON – THIS YEAR [2012]
An appreciative number. Jaywon's song was massive as it was released in December 2012, and on the cusp of a new year, it quickly became an annual prayer to many Nigerians.
49. MR. EAZI ft. EFYA – SKIN TIGHT [2015]
One of the biggest songs from Mr. Eazi's early career where he patented the Banku sound. "Skin Tight" still remains a cult classic to this day.
48. 2BABA ft. PERUZZI – AMAKA [2018]
Responsible for Peruzzi's breakout, "Amaka" also came at a crucial period for 2Baba who, though his powers were waning, reminded us he could still hold his own. The song quickly caught fire, with many a man relating to its story about a 'promise and fail' character. It became one of the biggest songs of 2018.
47. WIZKID ft. DRAKE – COME CLOSER [2017]
After the remix of "Ojuelegba," more international artistes built relationships with Afrobeats power players, and powerful songs were born. One of such is "Come Closer," an Afro Dancehall song between Wizkid and Drake.
46. FLAVOUR – ADA ADA [2012]
For a long time, Flavour's eccentric proclamation of a lady's beauty was the unofficial wedding song across South Eastern states. It remains a classic, seeing as it practically birthed a sub-genre within the Afro Highlife genre.
45. STARBOY ft. WIZKID & L.A.X – CARO [2013]
The Afropop-spiced song, carried by the Starboy duo proved to be an immense success. It rose to become one of the more-resonant hit songs at the time of its release.
44. NAIRA MARLEY – SOAPY [2019]
Naira Marley provoked the country with "Soapy," a sexually-inciting affair which came with an even more provocative dance step. But in time, people's anger turned to confusion, and from there, Naira Marley set tent, thriving in unusual ways and spaces.
43. NINIOLA – MARADONA [2017]
That this song earns royalties from Beyoncé is quite the flex. Back home, "Maradona" was the song which introduced Niniola's racy Afro House sound to many Nigerians.
42. MALEEK BERRY – KONTROL [2016]
Maleek Berry's singing prowess went under the radar for much of the decade, but when he got into his zone, very few could match his ability to make a great song. "Kontrol" is no doubt a great song and its commercial and critical impact showed that.
41. WANDE COAL & DJ TUNEZ – ISKABA [2016]
This song reiterated Wande Coal's mastery of Afro Pop elements. Undoubtedly an epic release, "Iskaba" would go on to rock dance floors in a way not many songs can.
40. KISS DANIEL – MAMA [2016]
The former G Worldwide artiste staked his claim in the industry with his sugary Pop songs. Following up on "Woju" and "Laye", "Mama" was a fan favorite, and was being played in just about anywhere one could think of.
39. SMALL DOCTOR – PENALTY [2016]
The streets massively supported this song – it was, after all, made for them. Small Doctor's upbeat song was the toast of popular culture and, more than any other song by the Street Pop act, "Penalty" introduced his unique and playful Fuji-influenced sound to the country and beyond.
38. DR SID ft. DON JAZZY – SURULERE [2013]
So huge was this song that it bagged features/remixes from Wizkid, Phyno and, at some point, Tiwa Savage on it. So huge was it that, for a time, it was the only song which could break out from one's lips unknowingly.
37. SKALES – SHAKE BODY [2014]
Responsible for re-introducing Skales to a Pop audience, "Shake Body" proved Skales' mettle as once more, he was "Mukulu" Skales, but with less lyricism and more dance.
36. ORITSE FEMI – DOUBLE WAHALA [2013]
Dedicated to Fela Kuti, the song ran like wild fire through harmattan, bringing new devotees to the gospel of Oritse Femi. To the older fans, the song's success was only proper for such a talent.
35. DUNCAN MIGHTY – PORTHARCOURT BOY [2010]
The Niger-Delta song was Duncan Mighty's proper introduction to mainstream audiences. For close to a decade prior, he'd been wowing locals in the South East and South-South markets with his fresh sound and sharp voice which carried his often-didactic lyrics.
34. TIWA SAVAGE ft. WIZKID – MA LO [2017]
Tiwa and Wiz's musical chemistry should have resulted in a joint project but "Ma Lo" is enough consolation for now. The Afro Pop number features all the sultry and sassy that makes both artistes tick.
In truth, one could make a case for Tiwa having 1 or 2 more singles among the 50 Nigerian Songs of the Decade, with hits like "Eminado", "My Darlin" and "Kele Kele Love" narrowly missing out on #TheDecadeList.
33. HARRYSONG ft. OLAMIDE, IYANYA, KCEE & OREZI – REGGAE BLUES [2015]
This upbeat song became an anthem and it is easy to see why. With such eclectic production and wonderful verses (and that epic hook!) from top tier artistes in the Afro Pop genre, the song could've only become a hit.
32. YCEE ft. MALEEK BERRY – JUICE [2017]
"Juice" featured the sultry rapper-singer vibe that YCEE is known for. Paired with Berry's eccentric musicality, its success was only expected. "Juice" also did a lot for its creators outside the country where its sound drew comparison with that of Bryson Tiller, an artiste known to evoke the cool and sensual in his songs.
31. DAVIDO – SKELEWU [2013]
The dance-affiliated song was one of Davido's first excursions into the American market. A successful one, it would attain critical and commercial acclaim from Nigeria to LA, Johannesburg to London.
30. MAVIN – DOROBUCCI [2014]
The all-label posse cut was made popular in Nigeria by the Mo'Hits crew. When they broke up, Don Jazzy's Mavin stars had to follow tradition. That led to "Dorobucci" whose influence at the time was so widespread that your favorite adult most likely added "Doro" as a prefix to his/her name.
29. OLAMIDE – WO! [2017]
"Wo" showed the extent of Olamide's power. The bouncy rap song had just about every speaker to itself, and played on the lips as natural as a second language.
28. P SQUARE – PERSONALLY [2013]
When Michael Jackson died, iconic twin duo P Square made "Personally" and dedicated it to their major artistic influence. The song employed the melodic rhythms of Afropop and its video featured a lot of Jackson-esque aethestics, making it so irresistible a dedication that it caught the attention of Jermaine, Michael Jackson's brother. He would later feature on a P Square song.
27. LIL KESH ft. OLAMIDE & DAVIDO – SHOKI (Remix) [2014]
After Lil Kesh was snagged by YBNL, he released a remix to his biggest song. And with standout verses from Davido and Olamide, "Shoki" became even bigger.
26. STARBOY ft. TERRI RYN, CEEZA MILLI, SPOTLESS & WIZKID – SOCO [2018]
The Starboy posse cut was one of the catchiest songs of its time. It did well in introducing us to the lesser known trio Terri, Ceeza Milli, and Spotless, all of which delivered good verses to complement Wizkid's simple, yet effective hook.
25. BURNA BOY & ZLATAN IBILE – KILLIN DEM [2018]
This song was one of the greatest proponents of the Zanku vibe, and Zlatan and Burna Boy milked the tireless classic for all its worth.
24. DAVIDO – AYE [2014]
Arguably Davido's greatest love song, "Aye" came before the 30 Billion brag. With its lyrics distant from the opulence show Davido is known for nowadays, it infused a credible feeling to the song and its visuals, which had Davido cast as a madly-in-love farmer.
23. PATORANKING ft. TIWA SAVAGE – GIRLIE O (Remix) [2014]
When Tiwa Savage featured on Pato's breakout song, its prospect was only going to get bigger. The Afro Dancehall song was accepted like never before then, as many proclaimed love for their better halves via its lyrics.
22. TEKNO – DURO [2015]
"Duro" began Tekno's long run of one-word Afro Pop anthems. Like the other songs which followed, "Duro" featured Tekno's preferred elements as a producer and artiste: catchy verses, a simple hook, and a danceable beat.
21. SEAN TIZZLE – SHO LEE [2013]
More than rising to become a breakout, "Sho Lee" demonstrated Sean Tizzle's effortless ability to craft a sweet record.
20. WIZKID – AZONTO [2012]
At the peak of his powers, Wiz took a viral Ghanaian dance and made it into a fun and very Nigerian-sounding Pop song.
19. 2FACE IDIBIA – ONLY ME [2010]
2face's philosophical musings do not go unnoticed. "Only Me" came at a period where he was (reportedly) in a rift with a Super Eagles star. He brings his expressive songwriting to a teachable song, preaching that truly, as Donne said, no man is an island.
#Random: if we had to put out #TheDecadeList for each of the last 3 decades, 2baba would have at least once song on every list. That's crazy!
18. BURNA BOY – YE [2018]
When Kanye West enthusiasts stumbled on Burna Boy's "Ye," they found something even better: a powerhouse of Afrobeats. They rallied behind the music and the man. But they weren't the first: Nigerians had been aware of Burna's special talent. "Ye" only took that international. And it's been fulfilling since then.
17. PHYNO ft. OLAMIDE – FADA FADA [2016]
The indigenous rapper duo had been friends for a while. They've consolidated on that by making fire music. "Fada Fada" was largely successful. It burst heads and earned oouus. Phyno seemed to be mastering the Afro Highlife sound. Olamide sang in Igbo. God was appraised. Perfect combo.
16. KCEE – LIMPOPO [2012]
Exploring a mix of sounds, Kcee's song thrived even in its repetition. Powerful production, purposeful songwriting and the adequate vibe. For a while, "Limpopo" was all the continent could dance to; with its inclusive sound, it brought down borders and rocked everywhere.
15. KOREDE BELLO – GODWIN [2015]
A song which was accepted by everyone. It was a gospel song with the reach of a mainstream artiste. "Godwin" is Korede's biggest song, and with good reason.
14. TIMAYA – BUM BUM [2012]
Soon enough, Timaya left much of his sociopolitical songwriting behind, as he began to explore a path in the more commercially-viable Dancehall. He's made some gems from the raw sound of drums and "Bum Bum" is favorably placed. Like many of his songs, it interrogates a woman's body parts. On its remix, he featured Jamaican Dancehall legend Sean Paul.
13. FLAVOUR – NWA BABY (ASHAWO Remix) [2011]
Flavour, in the early years of the decade, was deep in with the Highlife sound, and most of his songs had sex as its domineering backdrop. "Nwa Baby" is delivered in serenading Igbo as Flavour croons about a girl he wants a night out with.
12. IYANYA – KUKERE [2011]
A massive song, "Kukere" saw Iyanya pairing his sex appeal with excitable drum patterns. "Kukere" was received with much gusto, as people fell in love with its accompanying Etighi dance steps.
11. DAVIDO – IF [2017]
At a crucial time in his career, Davido was getting more comfortable with airy Afropop songs. Most of them went on to become fan favorites. Tekno-produced "IF" received much love from Nigerians and foreigners –with most people enamored by its cheesy lyrics and the now iconic 30 Billion brag. Due to its local and international acclaim, one could argue that "IF" should be higher up #TheDecadeList.
10. P SQUARE ft. AKON & MAY D – CHOP MY MONEY [2012]
With feature verses from Akon and protége May D, P Square proved to be light years ahead of their time, crafting an Afro Pop banger that still rocks till this day. Per commercial impact, the song, like "Beautiful Onyinye," strengthened the P Square brand internationally.
9. TEKNO – PANA [2016]
"Pana" was another chart down Tekno's Afropop path. Its vibe was deliberately slow (and sultry) creating the perfect back drop for Tekno's sensual lyric.
8. OLAMIDE – BOBO [2015]
Olamide's "Bobo" was the biggest song at the time. Everywhere one went, one heard the Young John-produced banger and it called the body to dance Shakiti Bobo. And what a dance it was.
7. RUNTOWN – MAD OVER YOU [2016]
From Ghana to Nigeria to everywhere else, Runtown's warm love song spread, as people were taken by everything which made the song. The lyrics, the production, and the unique Soundgod melody.
6. YEMI ALADE – JOHNNY [2013]
Yemi Alade's "Johnny" was the song which propelled the talent award winner to continental fame. A typical Yemi song, "Johnny" is unapologetic, energetic and locally-influenced. With over 100 million views on YouTube, the video remains one of the most viewed Nigerian videos on the platform.
5. SINACH – WAY MAKER [2015]
Often hailed as Nigeria's biggest crossover song, Sinach's worship anthem has been sung by just about every International church choir, even in America. With her massive numbers on YouTube, Sinach has been one artiste who's well tapped into the gold mine which is gospel music.
4. ICE PRINCE ft. BRYMO – OLEKU [2010]
Arguably the biggest Nigerian rap song of all time. "Oleku" saw Chocolate City artistes Ice Prince and Brymo join forces to deliver epic verses and an epic hook over an epic Jesse Jagz production. When the song came out (and for a long time afterwards), it was being played everywhere and it set the careers of the artistes which made it.
3. D'BANJ – OLIVER TWIST [2011]
Proclaiming his love for popular women in entertainment, D'banj was surely an Oliver Twist. The song played into his repute as a ladies man. With Kanye West featuring in its video, it would also become one of the first crossover efforts from a contemporary Nigerian artiste.
2. DAVIDO – FALL [2017]
Davido's "Fall" is a purposeful delve into the American market, with Nigeria being –naturally– conquered. As the longest charting Nigerian Pop song in Billboard history, and the most watched Nigerian video of all time on YouTube, "Fall" finds itself in elite company alongside the biggest Nigerian songs of all time.
1. WIZKID – OJUELEGBA [2014]
At a time when Wizkid was poised to break into major international markets, he released "Ojuelegba," a song which recorded his rainy days, the times of strife. The Legendary Beatz production was, at once, vibrant and laid-back. Everybody wanted to record over its beat: from Sarkodie to Drake to Skepta. The latter duo being on its remix would help in pushing the Wizkid gospel internationally and "Ojuelegba" would become one of the first contemporary attempts on the "Afrobeats to the World" crossover agenda. "Ojuelegba," more than just being a dope song, opened doors. And all these it achieved organically.
"Ojuelegba" by Wizkid IS the Nigerian Song of the Decade!
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