By Patrick Ezema, Chibuzo Emmanuel, Shalom Tewobola and Alex Omenye
So much music is released over the course of one year that a compilation of the year’s best songs feels a herculean, nigh impossible task. From Afropop grooves to Amapiano bangers to Alté experiments to RnB ballads, the reach and range of Nigerian music has never been wider, and thus the effort needed to discover new music has never been greater. For the same reason, this list has never been more important. From the multitude of new music releases this year, here is Culture Custodian’s definitive ranking of the best ten songs of 2024, as chosen by our editorial team.
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10. Salt – Dai Verse
Salt begins and ends with uplifting voice recordings from his mother, but the song itself lands on a somber note, as Dai Verse seeks God’s permission before exiting the harsh, unrewarding world of music. Relying on just the right amount of Amapiano elements, Salt is bouncier and more entertaining than its themes suggest, and Dai Verse’s ability to find that balance makes Salt a standout in a crowded Afropop market. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, songwriting and production, displaying at the very least that Dai Verse has what it takes to succeed in the industry if he would only hold on for a little longer.
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9. Slow – Wizkid
Since the release of Made in Lagos, Wizkid has established himself as a formidable purveyor of sensual RnB ballads. A haze of palpable sensuality hovers around Slow, furnished by Wizkid and Cardot’s tender, wispy singing, and the delicately poignant production. But most of the song finds the pair deftly probing the all-too-familiar early stage of a romantic relationship, where intentions are treated with suspicion and the excitement of freshly budding romance is tinged with apprehension about getting sucked too quickly into its whirlwind. “No ride or die, better love me or leave me,” Cardot intones on the song’s overture, while Wizkid’s verse finds him playing the reassuring lover, countering Cardot’s skittish disposition with a melange of outsized promises of fidelity and effusive compliments. This interesting push-and-pull, this oscillation between anxiety and reassurance, plays out tenderly as the track unfurls. It’s precisely this brilliance in writing and musical composition, heightened by vacillation between literal and metaphorical—sex and love take turns in the spotlight—that makes this track one of the best of the year.
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8. Burning – Tems
Burning is a deeply personal reflection, born from the overwhelming emotions of her meteoric rise to fame. Woven through delicate piano notes and feathery acoustic guitar strings, the song becomes an intimate journey into the artist’s inner world. It culminates in a profound moment of self-affirmation, with Tems declaring her unwavering belief in herself.
Tems is a global superstar—a status she has long embodied, and her latest album Born in the Wild (featuring Burning) simply reminds us of her unparalleled artistry. Unlike the increasingly predictable landscape of Afrobeats and Amapiano (which is fast fading away), Tems continues to carve a distinctive path with her soothing R&B sound.
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7. Marhaba – Kizz Daniel
The Arabic word “marhaba” is a term that is commonly used in Northern Africa and the Middle East, and is translatable in English as “welcome/hello”. This term resonated with Kizz Daniel during his sojourn in North Africa and the Middle East, and became the inspiration for his single of same title, combining influences of Northern African musical traditions and Afrobeats. A feel-good song with catchy rhythm and ad libs, the song is produced by Ramii and Suhel Nafar and showcases Kizz Daniel’s signature sound patterns. Released together with another single, We Must, as part of his “Vado at 10” global world tour in celebration of his 10th anniversary as a musical icon, the song is an attempt at intermixing cultures while breaking regional boundaries.
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6. All I Want – Simi
In a world where romantic love is often inseparable from material gestures, all Simi wants is to be loved properly, fought for and cherished. All I Want, a single off her fifth studio album, Lost And Found, is not only one of the year’s finest but one of her best, because it excels at showcasing everything Simi is best known and loved for: her uniquely birdsweet voice, applied to a romantic storyline, over groovy Afropop beats. The scene in Nigeria is shifting; Simi no longer occupies the position she once did, but All I Want proves she can still have as much a say in mainstream Afropop today as she did five years ago.
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5. Commas – Ayra Starr
A list of the top songs in 2024 would be incomplete without Ayra Starr’s Commas. This slow, feel-good track explores the artist’s philosophy of living life on her own terms, choosing positive energy, and staying focused on her goals. The word “commas” serves as a clever metaphor for life’s achievements—money, fame, and personal success. In the song’s press release, Starr articulates her vision: “People should listen and feel confident, knowing they can increase the ‘commas’ in anything they do in life.”
Released ahead of her latest album, TYIT21, Commas has quickly become a cultural phenomenon, amassing nearly 100 million streams on Spotify. With its catchy lyrics and infectious vibe, the track solidifies Ayra Starr’s status as a true sabi girl of pop culture, demonstrating her ability to blend meaningful messaging with irresistible musical appeal.
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4. Instagram – Seyi Vibez and Vibez Inc.
What happens when fire and ice mix? Science suggests they collapse into a watery mess. On Instagram, however, Seyi Vibez and his 17-year old signee, Muyeez, combine to deliver synergistic, mesmeric results. Muyeez’s silky flow starkly counters with Vibez’s signature gruff delivery, and the two find common ground exchanging lines and completing each other’s sentences over The Beat Murderer’s mellow Afropop production. The beauty in their contrasts makes Instagram not only one of the best collaborations of the year, but also one of the best songs.
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3. Après Minuit – Wizkid
The twin forces of love and romance are among the most powerful in the world. History is strewn with accounts of nations squaring off in the name of love, men and women giving in to primal tendencies as they chase the thrill of romance, otherwise lawful citizens rejecting the rules of society in favor of forbidden love. The embers of love and romance similarly consumes the world of the arts. Artists, from Shakespeare to Beyoncé, have explored this facet of the human spirit with deft hands, creating art with the ability to stimulate every corner of the soul. This fascination and ceaseless plumbing of the subject has however somewhat rendered it cliche in today’s age. But Après Minuit offers a fresh perspective into what is perhaps the most explored subject of human inquiry. In the song, Wizkid and Tiakola paint a portrait of romance set against the backdrop of glamour. The pair take turns between passionate pleas and cheeky aphorisms as they enjoin their muses to accept their propositions of romance.
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2. No Games – Fave
Retreats offer a perfect space for introspection, and it was during one such getaway in Uganda, that Nigerian singer-songwriter FAVE crafted the sultry No Games. Produced by Chef Bxrry and Niphkeys, the track radiates FAVE’s fierce energy and confidence. With bold lyrics like “Can’t you see I’m fire, I’m goated, I’m all that you need…,” FAVE’s music draws heavily from personal experiences, delving into the highs and lows of toxic love—a theme that deeply resonates with her ever-growing fanbase. Renowned for her versatile sound that spans Dancehall, Afropop, and Afrobeats, FAVE rejects conventional labels, letting her poetic lyrics flow organically from raw ideas.
No Games stands out as one of our top tracks of the year, and we eagerly await what FAVE has in store for 2025.
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1. HEIS – Rema
“Black Bentayga, smoking a reefer, Remy too ginger, Remy get temper” are the words that open the titular track of Rema’s sophomore album, and they are words that abstract his vision for the project and himself. Heis is bold, inventive, and humorous at times, like the album it lies in, and Rema does not attempt to hide his outsized persona: “Afrobeats prince, emi ni Simba.” P.priime handles production, assisted by Rema himself, and their employ of everything from Swahilian backup singers to Northern Nigerian production gives Heis a nonpareil identity amidst the country’s current offerings. There can be no better song to state your credentials for the Nigerian music elite than one that shows just how exceptional you are.
