It’s been a year of some good album releases for Afrobeats, with chart-topping works from the top guns in the mainstream and the burgeoning talents dropping cool party starters. But this doesn’t mean that just any album released this year is worth your time or ears.
As we gradually approach the end of 2024, we鈥檝e dug through the piles of the year鈥檚 music releases to find the best albums it has offered.
鈥淗EIS鈥 鈥 Rema
Rema鈥檚 second album, 鈥淗EIS鈥, is a hyperfast music packaged for night-long parties and swarming raves. Rema uses the album to pay tribute to his Edo roots. The title translates to 鈥渘umber one鈥. 鈥淗EIS鈥 has been met with criticisms that question Rema鈥檚 artistic integrity and unexpected sound disruption. However, it remains one of the most experimental and daring music we鈥檝e heard this year.
鈥渁dedamola鈥 鈥 Fireboy DML
Fireboy DML throws his playboy persona out the window and welcomes the lover boy back on 鈥渁dedamola鈥, his self-titled latest album. The project pays tribute to his inspirations like Lagbaja and Wande Coal. Also, shout-out to the wicked babe who made him sing his heart out on hell and back.
鈥淭he Year I Turned 21鈥 鈥 Ayra Starr
Ayra Starr鈥檚 鈥淭he Year I Turned 21 (TYIT21)鈥 album is a coming-of-age project. She sings about personal longing and celebrity pressure. It won’t make you feel like a 21-year-old, but you鈥檒l remember your youthful exuberance.
鈥淪tubborn鈥 鈥 Victony
鈥淪tubborn鈥 is Victony鈥檚 semi-autobiography album. Perhaps the title refers to a trait he was known for as a kid or his resilience in the face of adversity, like the life-altering car accident he had. From his low moments to accomplishments to love experiences, Victony finds a plethora of messages to deliver on his debut album.
鈥淢orayo鈥 鈥 Wizkid
Prior to 鈥淢orayo鈥, Wizkid sang about finding his purpose on Asake鈥檚 MMS. On his latest album, the Afrobeats superstar celebrates his late mother. Maybe that’s his purpose and it’s the biblical and traditional expectation to honour parents. While that may be the premise of 鈥淢orayo鈥, it’s a coat over the sweet songs, most of which are surface-deep. If you’re in search of a state-of-grief, I-can鈥檛-want-to-leave-without-you, tear-jerking music, this isn’t it. But a good-time with sexy and gyrating tunes? A blast is guaranteed.
鈥淢aster of Ballads鈥 鈥 Dwin, the Stoic
Heartbreak survivor鈥檚 testimonies, finished lover yearnings and different emotional frequencies define Dwin, the Stoic鈥檚 sophomore solo album, 鈥淢aster of Ballads.鈥 Naked and comfortable in its composition and lyricism, the music warmly welcomes the emotional and slowly takes off the hard-guy mask to accommodate open-hearted vulnerability. That is, it’s made for self-love, romance, heartbreak, grief, rebound and all the affairs and fair shares of relationships. Dwin may call himself a stoic, but he knows how to sing about almost all feelings, including yours, too much.
鈥淒earest Madam Pt. 1鈥 鈥 DOTTi the Deity
Real lovers should assemble here for 鈥淢adam Dearest Pt. 1鈥. The album鈥檚 a sequence of melodious yearnings and affectionate lyrics harmonised for the pleasure of hopeless romantics.
鈥淗omeless鈥 鈥 Llona
If you’re looking for emotive music that covers loneliness, rejection and depression, Llona鈥檚 鈥淗omeless鈥 is for you. If you feel as described, the album鈥檚 the music that knows your story. Its lyricism shines best when it unclads emotions; it leaves the listeners no choice but to face their demons. 鈥淗omeless鈥 is realism and escapism at the same time.
鈥淟ungu Boy鈥 鈥 Asake
Asake shifted from Amapiano production and went after other sound experiments on his third album, 鈥淟ungu Boy鈥. He found new pockets to showcase fresh flows and take his music to global space. 鈥淟ungu Boy鈥 is not his best work, but it proves he鈥檚 not operating in a box.
鈥淧ress Play鈥 鈥 Niniola
It’s been a decade since Niniola entered the Nigerian music scene. In terms of her dedication to her sound and its improvement, she remains one of the most consistent artists. Her new album 鈥淧ress Play鈥, like her previous works, clearly explores sophisticated debauchery and enjoyment. It wouldn’t be totally wrong to call Niniola a refined version of juju singer Saint Janet.
