10 of the biggest African tracks of 2016: Tekno,Diamond Platnumz ,Babe Wodumo and more
From Diamond Platnumz’s update of a Tanzanian classic to an ode to dirt-cheap South African lager, these are the tunes that got a continent shimmying this year.
Traditional threads … a still from Diamond Platnumz’s video for Salome. Photograph: Diamond Platnumz ft Rayvanny Salome
The last few years have seen songs from Africa, particularly afrobeats, gradually gaining global attention. In 2016, the continent finally stamped its musical influence on the rest of the world; Wizkid collaborated with Drake on the summer smash hit One Dance, and no less than five stars signed mega deals with some of the biggest record labels on the other side of the Atlantic. Here’s a pick of 10 of the best songs that got Africa grooving all year long – from artists looking to light up 2017.