It has been announced that the UK will have its first official Afrobeats charts. The chart will be unveiled with a launch show on BBC Radio 1Xtra this Sunday 26th of July at 2pm, hosted by Eddie Kadi, Shopsy, Danai and P Montana. To launch the new chart, there has been a playlist released that features the top 20 Afrobeats artists of the last 12 months. This playlist highlights the fast rising Afrobeats scene in the UK, initiated by the Afro Nation festival and compiled by the Official Charts Company.
Speaking to NME about the news Kofi ‘Funkz’ Kyei of MOVES Recordings, who is part of the team that created the new chart has said; “It has been amazing to witness over the past decade the sheer growth in African music being welcomed by the UK and the international market. A scene that defines a culture, a people and countless generations, its music has soundtracked underground culture for years, being the go-to sound in clubs, parties and communities in a way that’s shaped our very culture. For too long, Afrobeats artists have had to work tirelessly to get their voices heard and now African music/Afrobeats is finally being seen as a leading sound that global superstars turn to on a regular basis.”
Speaking about the official chart itself, Kyei said; “The Official UK Afrobeats Chart will help open up the culture to new audiences, giving emerging artists the opportunity to be heard whilst celebrating the sound of a continent that has gone global. Its importance can’t be measured and I look forward to celebrating the biggest and best tracks each and every week!”
The chart will decide the artists each week be measuring UK sales and streaming data from over 9,000 outlets, incorporating audio and video streams. They will also measure downloads and physical sales. The playlist will be released every Sunday on a weekly Spotify Official UK Afrobeats Chart playlist.
