How Afrobeats became the defining sound of the 2020s
Elijah Okafor
7 min read
From Lagos clubs to global charts, the genre's rise was built on streaming and diaspora.
Afrobeats has gone from Lagos clubs to the top of charts around the world in less than a decade. Streaming and social media helped, but so did a global diaspora sharing music across borders.
What happened
Artists now collaborate freely across continents and genres.
Why it matters
The result is a sound that feels both local and global at the same time.
Key facts
Afrobeats has gone from Lagos clubs to the top of charts around the world in less than a decade.
Artists now collaborate freely across continents and genres.
Music
Music, 2026
184,210
7 min read
