For many songs, especially in the Afrobeats genre, gaining recognition on TikTok has led to overall success.
TikTok’s evolution from its roots as a successor to Musical.ly has been significant, making it a prominent social media platform among young users. Its short videos have captured the attention of many young internet users globally. The platform’s extensive music selection, including copyrighted songs, has greatly contributed to the popularity of music on TikTok.
Here are 20 African songs that have gained recognition on the platform:
1. Love Nwantiti – Ckay
“Love Nwatiti” was initially featured on Ckay’s “Ckay the First” EP, which was released in 2019. However, it remained relatively obscure until two years later when it gained traction on TikTok. TikToker Tracy Joseph created a dance routine for the song, kickstarting the #LoveNwatitiChallenge. This challenge propelled the song to popularity, making it one of the top-selling African songs ever!
2. Ku Lo Sa – Oxlade
“Ku Lo Sa” stands out as an exceptional hit song. Oxlade’s compelling performance on A Colors Show in 2022 captured the interest of numerous internet users. This performance subsequently evolved into a TikTok challenge, inspiring users to recreate it and leading to a significant surge in the song’s popularity. Across various TikTok hashtags, it has amassed close to 1 billion views, solidifying its position as one of the prominent African hits.
3. Sad Girls Luv Money – Amaarae
“Sad Girlz Luv Money” is a hit song by Ghanaian-American artists Amaarae and Moliy. Initially dropped as a single in 2020 from Amaarae’s debut album, “The Angel You Don’t Know”, it achieved significant popularity on TikTok. The song’s remix, featuring Colombian sensation Kali Uchis, was officially released on September 16, 2021, propelling it even further into the realm of international acclaim. Impressively, it even clinched a spot at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
4. Touch It – KiDi
Hailing from Ghana, KiDi, known for his hit “Say Cheese,” introduced “Touch It” as a teaser for his album “The Golden Boy”. As expected, the track swiftly gained massive popularity on TikTok through the #TouchIt challenge. “Touch It” offers an energetic party narrative with pleasing vocals and infectious melodies, making it a delight for KiDi fans. With elements of high-life, tropical dancehall, and Afro-pop, it boasts a rich rhythmic composition.
5. Jerusalema – Master KG
“Jerusalema” is a track by South African DJ and record producer Master KG, featuring the vocals of South African artist Nomcebo. This lively house song, influenced by gospel music, made its debut on November 29, 2019, after gaining a positive online response. On the song’s remix, Burna Boy infuses his signature Afro-fusion style, blending verses in Zulu and Yoruba while highlighting the unity among African artists.
6. It’s Plenty – Burna Boy
While “It’s Plenty” was already a well-known track from Burna Boy’s ‘Love Damini’ album, its popularity skyrocketed when it gained traction on Asian TikTok. A TikToker with the username @yourlologab initiated a dance challenge for the song, leading to a remarkable surge in its TikTok presence. Notably, the track even ascended on the Shazam charts in the Philippines.
7. People – Libianca
Released on December 5, 2022, “People” is a track by Cameroonian-American singer Libianca. The song’s lyrics draw inspiration from Libianca’s personal struggle with depression. In addition to achieving mainstream popularity on global streaming platforms, “People” garnered considerable attention on TikTok. Numerous remixes of the song featuring various artists were released, further expanding its reach on the platform.
8. Sip (Alcohol) – Joeboy
“Sip (Alcohol)” took the spotlight as one of TikTok’s most widespread challenges. Initially, participants sang along while sipping on either alcoholic beverages or water. Remarkably, the challenge spiraled out of control to encompass a wide range of substances, including food items, powder, cleaning liquids, and more. This track continues to stand out as one of Joeboy’s biggest hits.
9. Kwaku The Traveller – Black Sherif
“Kwaku The Traveller” captured the spotlight even before its official release, thanks to Black Sherif’s captivating performance at the 3music Awards, where he made a dramatic entrance drenched in water. The song went viral as fans tried to recreate Black Sherif’s performance on TikTok. Eventually, the track ascended to the top of the Nigerian Apple Music Top 100 charts, establishing Black Sherif as the first solo Ghanaian artist to attain this impressive milestone.
10. Finesse – Pheelz
“Finesse” is another instance of a song that experienced TikTok fame even before its official release, all thanks to a snippet shared on social media. During its initial week, the song captured TikTok users’ attention across Europe and America, driven by the trending #FolakeChallenge hashtag. Subsequently, it emerged as one of Africa’s major hits and was even used to announce Chelsea Football Club’s record transfer signing, Moises Caicedo.
11. Sability – Ayra Starr
Significant breakthroughs have marked Ayra Starr’s recent years, evident through the success of her numerous singles, her ongoing tour, and a plethora of achievements. One of her songs, “Sability,” garnered substantial hype on TikTok, complete with an elaborate dance routine and hundreds of millions of views across various hashtags. This TikTok popularity directly translated into boosted streaming numbers and heightened mainstream recognition.
12. Like Ice Spice – Blaqbonez
What sets “Like Ice” apart, along with its TikTok trend, is that BlaqBonez took a hands-on approach in promoting it on the platform. Renowned for his unconventional marketing strategies, Blaqbonez began by teasing the song on his TikTok page and, following its release, shared numerous videos featuring a dance set to the track. This strategic approach was pivotal in significantly elevating the song’s popularity.
13. Sugarcane – Camidoh
In 2022, Ghanaian artist Camidoh’s “Sugarcane,” featuring Nigerian producer Phantom, received a star-studded remix featuring contributions from Mayorkun, Darkoo, and Ghanaian singer King Promise. This infectious track gained immense popularity on TikTok after the remix’s release, captivating users with its irresistible rhythm and lyrics.
14. No Wahala – 1da Banton
“No Wahala” was recorded by Nigerian singer-songwriter 1Da Banton, initially released in 2021 and re-released in 2022 as a remix featuring Kizz Daniel and Tiwa Savage, courtesy of Squareball Entertainment. The song went viral on TikTok, reaching a peak position of number 15 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. On TikTok, it achieved significant popularity, amassing over 300 million views.
15. Soweto – Victony
“Soweto,” a 2022 track by Nigerian singer Victony and fellow Nigerian producer Tempoe, served as the lead single from Victony’s second EP, “Outlaw.” The song achieved popularity on TikTok and charted in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, and Switzerland. The song featured at number 15 on Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 40 Afropop Songs of 2022.
16. Soso – Omah Lay
“Soso”, the eleventh track on Omah Lay’s debut album “Boy Alone,” falls under the sub-genre dubbed “Afro-depression” by fans. It delves into the challenges that accompany fame, with Omah Lay delivering heartfelt lyrics and a captivating melody that deeply resonates with listeners. The song’s ascent to popularity on TikTok can be attributed to several dance challenges linked to its title.
17. Ta Ta Ta – Bayanni
In keeping with Mavins Records’ tradition of introducing new artists through eponymous EPs, Bayanni launched the “Bayanni” EP in 2022, which included the track “Ta Ta Ta.” The song gained significant traction on TikTok and even received a remix featuring the renowned American pop star Jason Derulo.
18. Forever – Gyakie
“Forever” was featured on Gyakie’s 2021 debut EP titled “Seed.” The song immediately gained popularity on the TikTok platform, with various videos utilizing the #forevergyakie hashtag. This hashtag has garnered close to 20 million views on the platform.
19. Unavailable – Davido
“Unavailable” is a song by Nigerian singer Davido, featuring South African artist Musa Keys, taken from his fourth studio album “Timeless”. Following the album’s release, Davido launched a TikTok dance challenge for “Unavailable,” propelling it into viral stardom. It has become one of the standout hits of 2023.
20. Calm Down – Rema
“Calm Down” by Rema has achieved the distinction of being the biggest African song in history. Its remarkable rise, fueled by TikTok, a captivating dance routine, and an international remix featuring Latin pop superstar Selena Gomez, propelled it to viral stardom. The song reached an astounding peak at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking an unprecedented global impact.
This list only scratches the surface. Discover more TikTok hits from Africa on our expertly curated Afro-Viral Spotify playlist:
