Top 10 Best And Most Popular Musicians In Nigeria 2023

The Nigerian music industry is a very big one, toping Africa and rated one of the biggest in the world. The industry is still growing, contributing greatly to the Nigerian economy.

The Nigerian music industry is made up of talented and popular stars who continuously do the country proud, winning laurels and bringing honours to the country and Africa at large.

In this post, we shall attempt to bring out the ‘Top 10 Most Popular Musicians in Nigeria 2023. Achieving this uphill task is not an easy one judging from the fact that each of these musicians has his own uniqueness and different genres of music.

Again, some factors are put into consideration like consistency, popularity, awards and net worth in line with the contemporary music genre like Afro-Pop, R&B, Afro-Fusion and Rap.

The top 10 best and most popular musicians in Nigeria 2023 are as follow:

1. Burna Boy

Burna Boy is a popular Nigerian Afro-fusion singer, a genre that blends Afrobeat, dancehall riddims, reggae, American rap and R&B. He is also a Grammy Award winner 2023 and the first Nigerian to be nominated back to back in Grammy.

The talented singer made the list of top 10 best musicians in Nigeria 2023 with over 20 awards both national and international, to his credit including:

• Best International Act during the 2019 BET Awards.
• 2023 Grammy Awards and several nominations.

Burna Boy who came to limelight with his hit single “Like to Party” in 2012 has since released good number of albums, some of which are:

• L.I.F.E (2013)
• On a Spaceship (2015)
• Outside (2018)
• The African Giant (2019)
• Twice as Tall (2020)

Burna Boy’s EPs:

• Redemption (2016)
• Steel & Copper  (2019)

 

2. Wizkid

Wizkid is another Afrobeat singer and top 10 best and most popular Nigerian musician 2023.

Wizkid, who is widely described as a music legend like the late Fela Kuti has attained global recognition with over 60 prestigious awards both nationally and internationally.

Wizkid, was shot to fame and recognition with the debut album ‘Superstar’. He has so far recorded 4 studio albums with one EP:

• Ayo
• Sound from the other side (SFTOS)
• Made in Lagos
• Soundman Vol 1 (EP)

He has also won several awards including the best album of the year at  the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

Wizkid’s hit SFTOS and Made in Lagos made the Number 2 (billboard chart) in US World Albums. It also gained favourable positions in many other foreign Billboard charts.

In 2018, Wizkid became the first Afrobeats musician to make the 2018 Guinness World Records for his contribution to “One Dance” – Drake’s song.

Others are:

• 2017 Best International Act Category
• 2020 BET Awards
• 2023 Grammy Awards.

3. Davido

Davido is another famous Nigerian music legend who made the list of top 10 best and most popular musician 2023.

Davido who was born into affluence has by dint of hard work risen to become a household name in the Nigerian music industry.

The Afro beat singer also made Clacified’s top 10 best musicians in Nigeria in 2023 owing to his creativity, consistency and numerous awards.

Davido made his debut in 2012 with a hit song, “Dami Duro” which was part of his first album ‘Omo Baba Olowo’. He has so far released a good number of hit singles and albums including:

• Gobe
• Skelewu
• One of a kind
• Aye
• Owo Ni Koko
• If
• Fall etc.

• for Omo Baba Olowo (2012)
• Son of Mercy – EP (2016)
• A Good Time (2019)
• A Better Time (2020)

Davido has won several awards, some of which are:

• 2012 Next Rated Awards at the Headies and many others.

He is also very active on social media with large fan base and accredited with at least 3 studio albums and 1 EP.

4. 2Baba

2Baba, or 2 Face who made his music journey from music group, the disbanded Plantasium Boiz in 2004 has become a household name in the Nigerian music industry.

The Afro-pop singer who formally changed his name from Tuface to 2baba in 2016 is one of the top 10 best and most popular Nigerian musicians 2023.

2baba emerged the first winner of MTV Europe, Best African Act Award in 2015 respectively.

2Baba’s 2006 single, “African Queen,” received favourable reviews internationally. It also won Kora Award. Other prestigious awards include:

• 1 MTV Europe Music Award
• 1 World Music Award
• 5 Headies Awards(Hip-hop award),
• 4 Channel O Music Video Awards
• 1 BET award
• 4 MTV Africa Music Awards
• 1 MOBO award
• 1 KORA award and
• 3 Afrima Awards.

2 Baba is also Good Cause Ambassador in 2019.

 

5. D’banj

D’banj, also widely and fondly called Kokomaster is a popular Nigerian musician who needs no introduction in Nigerian mainstream entertainment.

D’banj made the list top 10 best and most popular musicians in Nigeria in 2023. A recipient of several awards both nationally and internationally, he has several hit singles to his credit after his initial release, Oliver Twist.

D’banji has won several international and local awards. D’banj won the

• Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007,
• Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009,
• Best International Act: Africa at the 2011 BET Awards, and
• Best-selling African Artist at the 2014 World Music Awards, he also won the
• Evolution award at the 2015 MTV Africa Music awards

 

6. Olamide

Olamide, also known as Baddo or BaddoSneh, is a famous Nigerian hip-hop genre and the top 10 best and most popular Nigerian musicians 2023.

Olamide also made Clacified’s list of top 10 best Musicians in Nigeria 2023 with several other prestigious awards.

Olamide’s first album, “Rapsodi” released in 2011 brought him to limelight and shot him to greatness in the music scene.

The talented singer has won several awards from The headies, Nigerian entertainment Awards, Nigerian Music video awards etc.

Olamide has released a good number of hit tracks throughout his music career. He is also 2020 Itel mobile Ambassador.

 

7. Patoranking

Patoranking also ranks the top 10 best and most popular Nigerian musicians in 2023.

The reggae-dancehall musician who hails from Ebonyi state released his hit single “Girlie O”. The song was very successful and made the No 9 on MTV Base’s Official Naija top 10 chart.

“Daniella Whine” and “My Woman, My Everything” also topped at MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 chart.

Patoranking has so far won several awards including the Best New Act on MTV Africa Music Awards.

 

8. Tiwa Savage

Tiwatope Savage is a popular female Nigerian singer and musician and top 10 best and most popular Nigerian musicians 2023.

Tiwa Savage came to fame after her first album, “Once Upon a Time” which was released in 2013 under Don Jazzy’s Marvin record label.

Tiwa Savage is the first woman to win the Best African Act category during the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Tiwa savage has since released:

• Once Upon a Time (2013)
• R.E.D (2015)
• Sugarcane (2017)
• Celia (2020) as albums.

Tiwa Savage has also appeared in popular TV shows like Shuga and Jenifar’s diary.

 

9. Simisola

Simisola is another talented singer who made the top 10 best and most popular musicians in Nigeria 2023.

Simi who began his music career as a gospel singer, was shot to fame and recognition after releasing her hit single “Tiff” in 2014.

Simi has released 4 studio albums and 1 Ep.

• Ogaju (2008)
• Chemistry (with Falz) (2016)
• Simisola (2017)
• Omo Charlie Champagne, Vol. 1 (2019)
• Restless II (2020) – EP

Simi won the 2016 Headies award for Best Collaboration and Best Vocal Performance (Female).

Simi has also received awards from

• Nigerian Entertainment Awards,
• AFRIMA Awards,
• Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, etc.

 

10. Falz

Last but not the least is Falz, whose real name is Folarin Falana. He is a popular and talented rapper and musician and the son of Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Falz made the list of top 10 best musicians in Nigerian 2023 based on his creativity and the number of awards he has earned.

Falz’s single, “Marry Me” brought him to prominence and has since released several hit tracks.

Falz has also collaborated with Simi to release Chemistry – 7 track EP.

In summary, the above mentioned talents are top 10 best and most popular Nigerian musicians 2023. They are really doing exceedingly well in the music industry making huge fortunes and winning laurels and projecting the country’s good image. They will continue to be recognized and celebrated globally.