2024 has been an eventful year for Nigerian music with several artists releasing projects that enjoyed commercial success.
Both the superstars leading the global exportation of Nigerian pop music to the rising stars aiming to make a name for themselves released notable albums with local and international success.
From genre-fusing Afropop to vibrant Street music, and captivating alternative offerings, Nigerian artists crafted albums that showcased their talent and desire to maintain the global rise of Nigerian music.
To rank the top 10 albums of 2024, we have to sieve through a long list of fine releases to choose the best that stands out critically and commercially.
In ranking the top 10 albums, Pulse Music Desk follows these criteria (arranged in the order of importance):
- Critical acclaim (creative distinction across songwriting, production, and execution)
- Commercial acclaim and impact on the soundscape
- Year in review - December 1, 2023 - November 30, 2024
- Eligible projects - Long form albums (9 songs and above), secular albums by artists making mainstream music or other adjacent (non-indigenous) genres.
Top 10 Albums of 2024
10. The Chorus Leader - Timi Dakolo
On 'The Chorus Leader', Timi Dakolo assumes the position of the conductor of a fine orchestra as he crafts an album that flows smoothly and transitions beautifully across genres and themes while gripping listeners for 61 minutes as they make their way to a gratifying finish.
Timi Dakolo achieves a fine balance on 'TCL' as he makes music that at its core, appeals primarily to listeners whose sonic taste palettes are formed by the sonics that drive contemporary gospel music and a demographic who enjoys a modern take on Nigerian indigenous music.
His musical dexterity shines across the album as he delivers elevated genre-suitable writings as he combines English, Pidgin, and indigenous language to convey his takes on themes that matter to him.
9. Born In The Wild - Tems
While Tems' fast-growing fan base feverishly demanded that she tie an album to her monumental rise, the Grammy-winner elected to take her time to introspect and find her voice before charting a course for her continuous ascension.
It’s this sobriety of self-reflection, the desire to heal from past hurts and trauma, and an appreciation of the beauty amidst her surreal rise that shapes her debut album ‘Born In The Wild’.
With this album, Tems answers lingering questions about her artistry and positioning through music that carries her essence and connects with listeners whose love and patronage lifted her to superstar status.
At the album’s core is RnB music grounded in soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics delivered through a familiar singing style that plays around with conventional melodic structures and forms. Tems also offered more than just the familiar as she explored Afrobeats, jazz, dancehall, and hip-hop to craft an album that conveys the multiple influences that shape her talent.
8. Morayo - Wizkid
‘Morayo’ takes listeners on a leisurely journey of the quintessential sound that has shaped Wizkid’s over a decade of dominance in Nigerian music.
Through an exploration of the lush R&B fusion that delivered his classic 2020 album ‘Made In Lagos’, Wikzid crafts serenading tunes and slow jamz. He leans into Afrobeats to give listeners party starters reminiscent of his grip on the dancefloor.
In an emphatic display of his superstar status, the album broke multiple streaming records with its first day and first-week haul which sets the project up for potential long-term success.
7. Lungu Boy - Asake
Asake's first two LPs pack the achieved fusion of Amapiano log drums, Fuji, and hip-hop influences excellently delivered through bustling energetic cadences that rocketed him to superstardom.
With his place at the upper echelon of Nigeria music firmly secured, He decided to offer something different on his third LP as he linked up with new collaborators and cut back on the familiar elements that define his music.
'Lungu Boy' is an expansion of Asake's artistry as he balances his hitmaking ability with daring fusions capable of widening his listener base.
6. adedamola - Fireboy
On his fourth self-titled body of work, Fireboy embarks on a journey of self-discovery, making music that holds his emotions and offers the familiarity that won him the love and admiration of listeners.
If 'LTG' was the documentation of the yearnings of a talented rookie, 'adedamola' is the work of a pop star skilled in the genre-bending Afropop demands while also showcasing his reach to call on legends and global stars to make an album befitting of his superstar status.
Over 14 tracks, the 28-year-old crafts singles that capture his yearning for romantic love and his struggles with the same. He shares the interminable challenges fame brings while making party-starting cuts to propel his commercial push.