In what has become an annual tradition that the whole world looks forward to, the former president of the United States, Barack Obama, has dropped yet another list of his best songs, books, and movies from the year. We’ll look at a quick rundown of African songs that made this year’s list.
Not unlike previous years, some notable African musicians made it to his list again. In the past, we’ve seen African acts such as Wizkid and Tems gain recognition, and this year, we have a few representatives as well.
Burna Boy – Last Last
With the way this song held the entire world hostage, I would’ve been very surprised if the former POTUS hadn’t added it to his playlist. Burna Boy’s Last Last was released in May 2022 and became an immediate hit.
Just two days after its release, Burna Boy performed the song at the 2022 Billboard music awards. The heartbreak song resonated with millions around the world and made it to Billboard charts and certifications across Canada, France, Switzerland, and many other locations around the world.
Now, that’s how you know you’ve made a hit song.
Ayra Starr – Rush
This song was already a crowd-pleaser even before it was released. When Don Jazzy posted the teaser that had Ayra Starr singing in a pool with an overflowing cup, we knew it was going to be a hit. When the song was finally released, we were not at all disappointed.
Even though the song was released in late September, when the year had already started to wind down, it still made it to Barack Obama’s list. Who can blame him? A song that tells off the haters when they see you shine is certainly a hit.
Rema – Calm Down
Finally, we have the third African song to make it to Barack Obama’s top 2022 list. Calm Down is one of the hit songs from Rema’s debut album, “Rave & Roses,” which was released in February 2022. It took no time for the song to become a worldwide hit across several Billboard charts around the world.
Months later, Rema gave us a Calm Down remix with Selena Gomez, which made it to the number one position on the Billboard US World Digital Song Sales and US Afrobeats Songs. This is yet another proof that African music and Afrobeats have now become one of the most sought-after music genres across the world.
What a time to be African!
