Billboard on 19 August released its inaugural staff-curated ranking of the “50 Best Afrobeats Songs of All Time,” highlighting the records it says have had the greatest stylistic, cultural and commercial impact on the genre since the early 2000s. Editors evaluated titles on popularity at home, global reach and influence on subsequent music trends. Nigeria’s 2Baba claimed the top spot with his 2004 classic “African Queen,” followed by Wizkid’s 2014 breakthrough “Ojuelegba” and Flavour’s 2011 hit “Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix).” Rema’s global crossover “Calm Down” and Wizkid and Tems’ Grammy-nominated “Essence” rounded out the top five. The rest of the top 10 featured CKay’s viral “Love Nwantiti,” D’banj’s club staple “Oliver Twist,” Davido’s radio mainstay “Fall,” Burna Boy’s anthem “Ye” and P-Square’s “Chop My Money (Remix).” The retrospective arrives amid surging international demand for Afrobeats. Billboard launched a dedicated U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart in 2022, while the Recording Academy introduced a best African music performance Grammy category in 2024. By cataloguing milestones from Styl-Plus’ 2003 ballad “Olufunmi” to recent streaming juggernauts, the list underscores how West Africa’s polyrhythmic pop has moved from local dance floors to global charts.