Exploring Music Genres: Afrobeats

Afrobeats is an African music genre that blends global genres like dancehall, R&B, electronic music, and hip-hop with West African rhythms. Since the music genre’s emergence, it has grown into one of the most influential global pop sounds.

From the 1960s to 1970s, traditional West African rhythms, Highlife, and Fuji music dominated popular music in Nigeria and Ghana. Afrobeat was developed by mixing funk, jazz, and African rhythms. From the 1980s to 1990s, African musicians began mixing reggae, hip-hop, and dancehall with traditional sounds, while new technology and cassette tapes helped spread the music across cities. The fusion of genres created the early foundations of the modern Afrobeats sound. During the early 2000s, the term Afrobeats began to be used for this new West African pop style. Artists continued to mix styles, combining modern electronic beats with African rhythms. The 2010s saw significant growth in popularity for the genre. The emergence of streaming services and social media spread the genre across the globe, and Afrobeats songs began to appear on international music charts. Today, Afrobeats has become one of the most influential global music genres. 

The production of Afrobeats is rhythm-focused, with layered percussion and strong groove. Music tracks are often built using drum machines and digital beat-making software, with syncopated drum patterns and repeating rhythmic loops being common. Kick drums and basslines are heavily used to drive the rhythm. Producers will often layer electronic sounds, traditional rhythms, and synths together. Afrobeats typically uses three types of musical instruments: percussion, electronic instruments and melodic instruments. This category consists of hand percussion, talking drums, shakers, and congas. Electronic instruments used in Afrobeats are digital samplers, synthesisers, and drum machines. Finally, the melodic instruments are keyboards, bass guitar, and electric guitar riffs. The vocals are smooth and melodic, mixed with rap-style verses, with artists often switching between Nigerian Pidgin, English, Yoruba, or other African languages. Common lyrical themes  include success, everyday life, love, and celebration. 

Many artists have left a distinct mark on the Afrobeats genre. Wizkid, a Nigerian singer and songwriter, is one of the most successful Afrobeats artists globally. He helped introduce the genre to international listeners through major chart hits and collaborations. In October 2020, Wizkid released the song “Essence,” which was one of the first Afrobeats songs to become a major global hit. Davido is a Nigerian-American singer, producer, and song writer. He played a key role in the rise of modern Afrobeats during the 2010s and is known for his energetic party music and huge number of international streams. He released “Fall” in 2017, one of the longest-charting Nigerian pop songs in the United States. Rema, a Nigerian singer-songwriter and rapper, represents the new generation of Afrobeats artists. His 2022 single “Calm Down” became one of the most streamed Afrobeats songs ever. 

Afrobeats has grown into a major global music genre, and over time has spread beyond Africa. The music genre represents a powerful example of how local music traditions can evolve while maintaining their identity.