So far, the year 2023 has given music lovers a quantifiable and delectable amount of Afrobeats projects. While we danced uncontrollably and marinated deeply in the body of work of some of the genre’s finest trailblazers, we were equally treated to noteworthy debuts by fierce and amazing newcomers who brought their unique delivery to the Afrobeats movement.
From Kayode to Davido, from Oladapo to Asake, here are 20 of our best Afrobeats albums of 2023 so far.
Asake – Work of Art
It is no news that Ahmed Ololade popularly known as Asake has taken the music industry by storm. After a successful debut in 2022- in the form of ‘Mr. Money With the Vibe,’ the 28-year-old hitmaker further extended his amazing run with his sophomore outing titled ‘Work of Art’. Undoubtedly, Asake’s ‘Work of Art’ stifles the ‘sophomore curse’ in a laudable form. The critically acclaimed album is consistent with Asake’s sonic quality- with chart-topping songs like ‘Sunshine’, ‘Lonely at the Top’, and ‘Mogbe’ making the body of work a fan favorite.
Lojay – Gangster Romantic
Lojay has one of the sweetest falsettos in Afrobeats coupled with a killer pen game that goes out of this world. The singer possesses a soft vocal tone that is distinct enough to rival the most skilled Cherubim. Why take our word for it, when you could listen to his amazing debut ‘Gangster Romantic’ for confirmation?
Lady Donli – Pan African Rockstar
Abuja-raised Lady Donli is a true maverick who plays by her own rules. In ‘Pan African Rockstar’, Lady Donli is in her element once again. Imagine a Lady Donli record devoid of experimental jolts and sonic fusions, what fun is it? The 27-year-old Sophomore album is a breath of fresh air yet poised with quintessential rhythms.
Crayon – Trench to Triumph
Trench to Triumph is a coming-of-age story for Crayon. The singer’s debut record is long overdue and does not fail in hammering his underlooked qualities, such as his impressive songwriting, vocal control, and melodic formations.
Dotti The Deity – For You Knew Me
Dotti The Deity’s debut oeuvre is consistent with its theme- Romantic Love. ‘For You Knew Me’ is neo-folk music that tells love stories which reveal the singer’s distinct personalities ranging from melancholic to phlegmatic to hopeless romantic.
Burna Boy – I Told Them
‘I Told Them’ by Burna Boy is probably one of the most controversial Afrobeats projects of the year, and this is no thanks to the preceding brouhaha that surrounded the album release in which Burna Boy had denigrated Afrobeats in an interview with American media personality, Zane Lowe. However, not even Burna’s reckless statements were formidable enough to sabotage the positive reception of the Portharcourt singer’s seventh body of work.
Nonso Amadi – When it Blooms
Nonso Amadi once ruled radio airplay with his soft ballad ‘Tonight’, and was unceremoniously crowned as Afrobeats lover boy for a while. However, the singer went on an intermittent hiatus that made fans almost amnesiac about his slow jive crooning days. Come 2023, Nonso Amadi will remind music listeners and fans alike of the substance that he possesses through his brilliant and classic oeuvre ‘When It Blooms’.
Oladapo – In Case I Never Love Again (ICINLA)
Oladapo’s ‘In Case I Never Love Again’ is one of the most well-put-together Afrobeats body of works that was released in 2023. The ten-track album reveals some of Oladapo’s best vocal registers, vulnerable storytelling, and world-class productions that portray intentions to compete with the “Big Boys”.
Davido – Timeless
Davido’s ‘Timeless’ is a glorious comeback that portrays distinctive themes and melodies with an elite rollout to go with. The award-winning project contains hit tracks such as ‘Unavailable’, and ‘Feel’. ‘Timeless’ is a befitting resurgence from one of Afrobeats all timers.
Joeboy – Body & Soul
Joeboy has always been a firm preacher of love, and his sophomore album ‘Body & Soul’ is no outlier. The project is decorated with remarkable features with the likes of Bnxn, Odumodublvck, Ckay, Oxlade, and International rapper, Ludacris.
Tekno – The More the Better
The More the Better is Tekno’s excellent clapback at the negative buzz surrounding his impact and whether he had lost the mojo that once made him one of the most captivating and sought-after conveyors of Afrobeats. With outstanding music productions and delivery, Tekno’s sophomore album is top-notch and deserves to be on this list.
Omah Lay – Boy Alone (Deluxe)
Omah Lay’s ‘Boy Alone (Deluxe)’ is just as beautiful as its predecessor. The Twenty-track record features fresh singles such as ‘Reason’, and ‘Imagine’. Omah lay still revels in his artistic freedom, delivering a deluxe body of work that is just as rich and as frank as the original copy.
Kayode – Still Figuring Life
Kayode’s husky timbre permeates all over his debut project and it is refreshing. On ‘Still Figuring Life,’ over magnetic sonic niches, Kayode is versatile, bold, and inquisitive. The ‘Live Forever’ crooner has all the qualities of a superstar and his debut record accentuates his promising talent.
Mohbad – Blessed
Before the untimely death of Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, he released an amazing body of work titled ‘Blessed’. The oeuvre served as Mohbad’s sophomore and last album. With tracks like ‘Ask About Me,’ ‘Pariwo,’ and ‘Sabi,’ the singer’s final recording merits this list.
Monaky – Patient Zero
Fast-rising Benin-bred Monaky dropped a riveting body of work in the form of ‘Patient Zero’. The body of work was able to receive laudable acclaim from several Music critics, and blogs who hailed his artistic vision and distinctive baritone.
Ruger – Ru The World
Afrobeats is splintered with singers who like to cosplay as Bad Boys, and most times, they fall out of character. Ruger on the other hand is the perfect example of “what you see is what you get”. The Afro-dancehall youngster is as brilliant, raw, audacious, and hedonistic as ever in his debut body of work.
Adekunle Gold – Tequilla Ever After
AG Baby is a man with many names and styles. Each year, he keeps proving his tenacious resistance to conformity through his art. His latest album, Tequilla Ever After is probably his most outsourced body of work yet and we dig it.
Seyi Vibez – Thy Kingdom Come
Finally, Seyi Vibez gets the recognition that his talent deserves and there is no stopping him. The street pop singer surprised fans when he released back-to-back full-body projects (Vibe Till Thy Kingdom Come & Thy Kingdom Come) in June. Both albums were immaculate, but the latter came with a packing punch that laid external mumble to rest.
Korede Bello – Beauty & Bliss
Since exiting Mavin Records in 2021, Korede Bello has taken the mantle of handling his music career, gracefully assuming the position of a lone wolf in a fast-evolving music industry while simultaneously catering to the sonic needs of his devoted fan base. His recent project attests to his holistic growth not just as an artist, but as a human being.
Bloody Civilian – Anger Management
Although technically, Bloody Civilian’s Anger Management shouldn’t be ranked on this list because the body of work is an EP and not a full-length project, we however couldn’t resist including the fast-rising singer’s brilliant EP on this list. Anger Management is a top-notch oeuvre that is strong enough to go head-to-head with any full-length debut that came out this year.
