Spotify has revealed its top Afrobeats artists for 2025. Burna Boy, Rema, and Wizkid lead the pack, with Asake and Ayra Starr completing the top five.
This list honors artists who have ruled the charts and expanded Afrobeats worldwide. Burna Boy, known as the “African Giant,” takes first place. His collaboration “We Pray” with Coldplay, Elyanna, Little Simz, and Tini has captured global attention.
Rema’s smash hit “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez continues to thrive. Wizkid’s work on songs like “DYNAMITE” with Tyla highlights his lasting impact.
Asake and Ayra Starr, as emerging stars, have delivered hits like Ayra’s “Santa” with Rauw Alejandro and Rvssian. These tracks have boosted the genre’s appeal across borders.
However, the rankings have sparked lively debates among fans and experts. Many are puzzled by the exclusion of Davido, one of Afrobeats’ most successful and dedicated promoters.
As a key figure in the genre, Davido missed the top five. This is surprising, given his major accomplishments this year.
For instance, Davido’s track “With You” featuring Omah Lay became the most streamed Nigerian song of 2025 on Spotify. It racked up over 70 million streams in five months, topping all releases from the year.
On top of that, his album *5ive* earned the title of the most streamed album of 2025. This double win showcases his strength in streaming numbers.
These successes make Davido a powerhouse in pure streams. So, why was he left out of Spotify’s top list? It raises questions.
This snub reflects ongoing concerns in the Afrobeats scene. Some point to a lack of unity among leading artists as a hurdle to bigger growth.
An industry expert mentioned earlier this year that more team-ups between stars like Davido and Wizkid could elevate the genre even further. But aside from artist relationships, Davido’s absence leads to a key question: How does Spotify decide its top artists?
Spotify’s rankings usually blend several elements. These include total streams, monthly listeners, and user interactions like playlist adds and shares.
The platform often highlights monthly listeners as a sign of steady popularity. Global icons like Taylor Swift and Drake boast over 100 million in this metric. In Afrobeats, recent daily streams show Wizkid slightly ahead of Burna Boy at 3.77 million on a Sunday, with the rest of the top five close behind.
Still, if Davido’s song and album lead in streams, does the system favor an artist’s full body of work over big singles? Or does it value streams from outside Africa more, as Spotify notes the genre’s international rise?
Other factors might include unique listeners to prevent boosts from repeated plays. There could even be subjective aspects, such as cultural influence or editorial picks.
Spotify hasn’t shared a full explanation of its 2025 Afrobeats method. This leaves space for guesses.
In earlier reports, Spotify has emphasized trends over specifics, like a 180% jump in Afrobeats streams in Latin America. More openness could settle arguments and help artists thrive in streaming.
Yet, as it rivals pop, rap, and Latin genres, issues of fair ranking linger. Davido’s overlook, despite strong data, calls for better-defined standards. This would better capture the genre’s energy and true standouts.
As listeners keep tuning in, Afrobeats’ world domination rolls on. But greater teamwork and platform transparency could smooth the road ahead.