The rise of Afrobeats as a genre and its global influence is being celebrated with its very own Official Chart in the UK. The Top 20 of the biggest songs in Afropop music will be based on streaming data and sales. The List also includes artists from various sub-genres that have seen unique success in the UK.

Inaugural chart topper, Gambian-British rapper J-Hus, and his hit song, “Must Be”, soon gave way to NSG, who claim their first Number 1 on the first ever Official Afrobeats Chart with “Grandad”, only to have another of their tracks, “Lupita”, take to the number one position. The chart will be driven by the power of fans.

“For too long, Afrobeats artists have had to work tirelessly to get their voices heard and now African music/Afrobeats is finally being seen as a leading sound that global superstars turn to on a regular basis,” said Kofi ‘Funkz’ Kyei of MOVES Recordings, who was part of the team who created the very first list.

“The Official UK Afrobeats Chart will help open up the culture to new audiences, giving emerging artists the opportunity to be heard whilst celebrating the sound of a continent that has gone global. Its importance can’t be measured and I look forward to celebrating the biggest and best tracks each and every week!”

Afrobeats and its further permutations has risen to global stature with artists not only selling out international arenas and tours, but also creating African super stars. Its cultural impact is moving beyond just a trend as even Global Super Stars like Beyonce are inspired to incorporate the genre into their artistic offerings as showcased in her latest project “Black is KING”. It’s all further testimony to African urban relevance taking its place on the world stage, this time not as a curiosity, but as a leader in global culture.