With Wizkid’s release of Morayo, it has become evident that 2024 is a year of albums in Nigeria. The number of albums released this year, as well as their quality speaks volumes about the volume of talents in Nigeria.
In a year when there have been more controversies than anything, most of the controversies on social media can as well be attributed to the albums released by the favorite Nigerian artistes of different individuals.
From arguments on the numbers being pulled by these albums, to accusations of streaming farms dominance, or even to claims of an artiste not being able to change style, it has been a year of intriguing conversations.
For some artists, 2024 was the year they dropped their debut albums and made a breakthrough in the Nigerian Music industry, and even in the Global music industry. For others, their albums in 2024 cemented their spot as a genius artiste, as well as a master of different captivating sounds.
Challenges on TikTok, cover videos on Instagram, hate watching and trolling on X (Formerly known as Twitter), the album wave caught almost everybody in Nigeria, old and young.
So, in celebration of these musical geniuses, we have decided to curate a list of the 10 most prominent projects dropped in Nigeria in 2024. This list is in no particular order, as trying to rank these albums would give headaches to even the most seasoned music Connoisseur.
Let’s get into it:
1. Wizkid: Being the latest and the most trending currently, Wizkid has surely got his album on everyone’s lips and minds. After initially teasing the artwork, and releasing two singles off the album, he finally dropped the album in November 2024. Just like any other great album, it has been received with mixed reviews; for some listeners like Daniel Regha of X fame, the album is overhyped and not worth a second listen. For others, the album is a complete masterpiece showcasing Wizkid’s timeless artistry. The album comprises 16 tracks with appearances from Asake, Brent Faiyaz, Tiakola, Jazmine Sullivan & Anaïse.
Source: Spotify
2. Olamide: After establishing himself as a top music executive with the success of artistes under his Yahoo Boy No Laptop (YBNL) record label, most people expected that Olamide would not go through the stress of releasing albums again. However, with the release of ‘Unruly‘ last year, he has been proving people wrong.
With the release of ‘Ikigai / 生き甲斐 (Vol. 1),’ Olamide truly embodies the saying of aging like fine wine. The 22-minute album featured appearances from Pheelz, Young John, Fireboy, Sabri, Asake and Fireboy DML, all adding to the melodious enhancements in the album.
Source: Bellanaija
3. Rema: When Rema finally performed at the Ogbemudia stadium in Benin this year, it was a complete testament to how the brilliant artiste has thrived in the Global arena despite humble beginnings. From the streets of Benin to the stage of Balon D’Or, he has established himself as no pushover in the Nigerian Music industry. And what better way to prove it than with an album?
With OdumoduBlvck being the only feature, Rema sent shockwaves across different platforms when he released ‘HEIS,’ an experimental album that incorporates elements of his Benin culture. Tracks like ‘Ozeba‘ and ‘Azaman‘ have gone viral, especially on TikTok, further showcasing the modernity of Rema’s artistry.
Source: Mavins Records
4. Ayra Starr: The first female on the list, and rightfully so. Ayra Starr released ‘The Year I Turned 21‘ in May 2024. She had earlier announced the title as well as revealing the artwork on the 2nd of May 2024, leaving fans hyped up for the project. A single off the album, “Rhythm and Blues” had been released in September 2023 and its enjoyability set the stage for the album, before its release. Ayra Star enlisted artistes such as Asake, Anitta, Coco Jones, Giveon, Seyi Vibez, Rvssian, and Rauw Alejandro, to deliver a wonderful album.
The Year I Turned 21 serves as the follow-up to her previous album, 19 & Dangerous, which was released in 2021 and as proof of Ayra Starr’s brilliance, the album debuted at number one in Nigeria.
Source: The Guardian NG
5. Asake: The second YBNL artiste on the list, and not the last, a reflection of Olamide’s outstanding work as the CEO. Asake has already solidified his reputation as a master at making albums with his previously released albums, ‘Mr. Money With The Vibe’ & ‘Work of Art‘ enjoying stellar reviews from music critics across the globe. So little surprised was expected when he released ‘Lungu Boy.’
However, in this album, Asake set the standards higher. The album contains 15 tracks with appearances from Wizkid, Central Cee, Travis Scott, and Ludmilla, and Stormzy alongside production from Sak Pase, Sarz P.Priime, Magicsticks, as well as Mike Dean. Shocking fans with the incorporation of Neo Fuji genre, the album took everyone by surprise positively.
Source: Premium Times Nigeria
6. Wizard Chan: 2024 will always be remembered as the year Wizard Chan cemented his spot in the Nigerian Music industry. After initially releasing “The Messenger” an EP consisting of 9 tracks, he then dropped “Time Traveler” much later; an album comprising 8 Songs with a total duration of 20 minutes.
The album is one that has listeners spellbound with his insightful lyrics, as well as the incorporation of high life and reggae elements. Wizard Chan is definitely popularizing the Alte Genre in Nigeria.
Source: Deezer
7. Tems: After testing the waters of projects with two EPs, Temilade popularly known as Tems, finally decided to drop an album. With guest appearances from Asake and popular American Rapper, J Cole, Tems invested a lot of time and efforts on the project. Aptly titled ‘Born in the Wild,’ the 54-minute album was released in June 2024, and it peaked at fifty-six in the US, becoming the highest peak for an album by a Nigerian female artist. The album also received a nomination for Best Global Music Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.
Source: Pitchfork
8. Shallipoppi: Self-acclaimed Pluto presido and Benin Boys crooner, Shallipoppi already had the ears of the street on lock with his previous album, ‘Presido La Pluto.’ Then, he decided to take it a step higher this year with the release of ‘Shakespopi.’ Consisting of nine tracks, the album was released in April 2024 to mixed reviews. While some criticized it for its lack of critical content, others praised it for releasing something the streets could relate to. Nonetheless, the album emphasizes the fact that Shallipoppi is here to stay.
9. Fireboy: When Fireboy released ‘Tears, Laughter and Goosebumps,‘ in 2019, it was evident from his sound and in-depth lyrics that this was an artiste who had come to stay and with the release of ‘Adedamola,’ -named after himself – in August 2024, it is now undisputed that Fireboy is here to stay. The audacity of the album is reflected in the artistes he enlisted for the album. A careful blend of old-school and modernity had him featuring Lagbaja & Seun Kuti, as well as DJ Spinall & Lojay. His place on this list as the third YBNL artiste is proof of the ingenuity in that record label. Proof? On 30 August 2024, the album was voted favorite new music release of the past week in a Billboard poll.
Source: Apple Music
10. Don Jazzy: The only non-artiste on this list as well as the only collaborative project on this list. After testing their sonic compatibility on different records, Don Jazzy and Johnny Drille decided to team up, under the Mavins Record label to release ‘Hard Guy Confessions,’ a six-track EP that talks about the feelings of guys after a breakup. Known for his creative genius, Don Jazzy has added this EP to an almost inexhaustible list of stellar projects under his belt.
Source: Apple
Bonus: For albums released that didn’t make it to the top 10 due to heavy competition.
1. Young John—Jiggy Forever
2. Fave—Dutty Love
3. Aguero Banks—The Hero (Ọnyịkọ)
4. Phyno – Full Time Job
5. Kizz Daniel—TZA (Thankz Alot)
6. Seyi Vibes—Loseyi Professor
7. Ayo Maff — Maffian
