GLOBAL STYLE

Afrobeats drum patterns.

Rolling percussion, a shuffled hat and kicks that float off the grid, from West African pop to South Africa's amapiano log drums.

70 grooves
1976–2023
5 landmarks

The Afrobeats timeline

17 of 17 grooves

1976
Landmark
Zombie Open Zombie in a new tab
Fela Kuti & Africa 70
Tony Allen's Afrobeat drumming: interlocking hi-hat, kick and snare driving a long, militant groove
1976
Sweet Mother Open Sweet Mother in a new tab
Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz
Highlife standard; the lilting guitar-band groove that modern afrobeats inherits
2011
Landmark
Oliver Twist Open Oliver Twist in a new tab
D'banj
First Nigerian song to debut on the UK Singles Chart (No. 9); bouncy programmed afropop drums go global
2013
Personally Open Personally in a new tab
P-Square
Twin duo's pan-African dance hit; clean, bouncing 2010s Naija-pop drum programming
2014
Landmark
Ojuelegba Open Ojuelegba in a new tab
Wizkid
Legendury Beatz production; its Drake and Skepta remix carried the swung afrobeats groove into UK and US rap
2017
If Open If in a new tab
Davido
Tekno-produced afrobeats and R&B blend; sparse, percussive mid-tempo groove of late-2010s Naija pop
2019
On the Low Open On the Low in a new tab
Burna Boy
Kel P-produced mid-tempo afrobeats with dancehall touches; Afro-fusion's loping feel
2019
Love Nwantiti Open Love Nwantiti in a new tab
CKay
Slow, minimal afro-R&B from CKay the First; it spread worldwide through later remixes
2020
Landmark
Sponono Open Sponono in a new tab
Kabza De Small
Amapiano log-drum bass and shuffling percussion with Wizkid and Burna Boy guesting; South Africa meets Nigeria
2021
Ke Star (Remix)Open Ke Star (Remix) in a new tab
Focalistic & Davido
Vigro Deep-produced amapiano hit remixed with Davido; a key Nigeria-South Africa crossover
2022
Sungba Open Sungba in a new tab
Asake
Fuji-style chants over amapiano log drums; Asake's Lagos take on the South African groove
2022
Last Last Open Last Last in a new tab
Burna Boy
Samples Toni Braxton's He Wasn't Man Enough over a relaxed afrobeats bounce; a global 2022 hit
2022
Calm Down Open Calm Down in a new tab
Rema
Light, swung afrobeats groove that topped charts in Belgium and the Netherlands; a defining global afrobeats single
2022
Tanzania Open Tanzania in a new tab
Uncle Waffles
Debut amapiano single that reached No. 1 in South Africa; log drums and deep, rolling percussion
2023
Unavailable Open Unavailable in a new tab
Davido feat. Musa Keys
Nigerian afrobeats sung over amapiano drums with a South African guest; No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats chart
2023
Mnike Open Mnike in a new tab
Tyler ICU & Tumelo_za
South African amapiano chart-topper; punchy log drums built for the dancefloor
2023
Landmark
Water Open Water in a new tab
Tyla
Amapiano-pop crossover that won the first Grammy for Best African Music Performance; the log-drum groove goes global