Burna Boy, the Nigerian sensation, ascends to the pinnacle of Billboard’s 2023 U.S. Afrobeats Artists Chart after securing a remarkable 26 entries on the weekly U.S. Afrobeat Songs chart.
His dynamic musical prowess and string of chart-topping hits have propelled him to the top position, triumphing over his second-place finish in the previous year’s rankings.
The global superstar’s chart-topping journey in 2023 was underlined by his hit single “Last Last,” reigning over the U.S. Afrobeats Songs for eight consecutive weeks. Even after relinquishing the top spot, the track retained a consistent presence in the top 10 throughout the chart year. Notably, Burna Boy achieved six more top 10 hits in 2023, including tracks from his “I Told Them…” studio album like “Big 7,” “Cheat on Me,” and “Talibans II,” which resonated strongly with audiences.
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The breakout success of “Sittin’ on Top of the World” and “Talibans II” expanded Burna Boy’s footprint in the U.S. market. Both tracks received substantial radio airplay within the R&B/hip-hop genre, reflecting his ascension as a key player in the music landscape.
However, the top honor on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs recap for 2023 belonged to Rema’s “Calm Down,” featuring Selena Gomez. This collaborative effort held a record-breaking 58 weeks at the No. 1 position, making remarkable strides for Afrobeats across various Billboard charts, including a notable peak at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and a 10-week dominance on the Radio Songs chart.
The fiercely contested second place on the year-end U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart was claimed by Libianca’s “People,” marking the Cameroonian-American singer’s breakout single that spent 34 weeks at No. 2.
Tems’ “Free Mind” secured the No. 3 spot on the year-end chart while clinching top positions on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Adult R&B Airplay lists. Additionally, Wizkid’s “Essence,” featuring Tems and Justin Bieber, held strong at No. 4, maintaining its popularity with U.S. audiences.
Billboard’s year-end music recaps encapsulate metrics from Nov. 19, 2022, to Oct. 21, 2023, reflecting the cumulative success of artists, titles, and contributors across the charts during this period. These rankings serve as a comprehensive reflection of the artists’ achievements based on equivalent album units, airplay, sales, or streaming while they appeared on the respective charts.
