Billboard said Tuesday (March 22).that it has teamed with Afro Nation, a worldwide Afrobeats brand, to establish the first-ever US chart for Afrobeats music.
According to Billboard, 'The Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart will go live on Billboard.com on March 29. The chart ranks the 50 most popular Afrobeats songs in the country based on a weighted formula incorporating official streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of leading audio and video music services, plus download sales from top music retailers.'
Afrobeats sounds and influences grew in popularity in the United States during the 2010s, thanks to artists like Beyoncé and Drake. Now the genre has produced some of the most successful songs of the new decade, including Wizkid's 'Essence' featuring Tems, CKay's 'Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah),' and Fireboy DML's 'Peru.'
Obi Asika, founder of Afro Nation, co-head of UTA London, and Event Horizon, stated in a press statement, 'The last decade has seen Afrobeats explode into a worldwide phenomenon, influencing culture and fashion across the globe and I am humbled to have made a contribution to growing the genre alongside many talented, passionate people.'
This new development is in stark contrast to Billboard abandoning the reggae song chart, due to poor sales and streaming numbers. Prompting critics of popular Jamaican music to reiterate the call for better quality music and better marketing strategies for the music.
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