Many may argue that 2025 has been an underwhelming year for Afrobeats albums. There’s a prevailing sense that the era of the “unavoidable blockbuster” has hit a plateau, as even the genre’s frontiers faced mixed reviews and a tougher time cracking the global charts. However, viewing this shift as a failure is to overlook the deeper transformation occurring beneath the surface. It has been a good year nonetheless, perhaps even a vital one, because the music is now gradually turning inward.
While the quantity of “viral” hits might have thinned, the quality of artistic intent has sharpened. From the experimental “Fuji” fusions and highlife revivals of the old guard to the gritty, genre-blurring anthems of the new school, 2025’s projects have prioritized substance over streams. I’d say this is the beginning of the “Great Divergence,” where the metrics of mass-market success began to decouple from cultural innovation. Most artists are no longer just chasing the algorithm, they are building catalogues that feel more intimate and authentic to the African experience.
The team at NotJustOK has curated a list of the 20 best Afrobeats albums of 2025. This selection is from albums released between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024. It features a blend of full-length albums and standout extended plays.
Here are the 20 albums that defined the pulse of Afrobeats in 2025.
20. Black Sherif, Iron Boy
On his sophomore effort, Black Sherif trades the frantic anxiety of The Villain I Never Was for a hardened, more reflective resilience. Iron Boy is a masterclass in storytelling; he blends Afro-trap and drill with traditional Ghanaian influences to create a gritty yet immersive LP.
The album’s strength lies in Sherif’s emotionally charged delivery on tracks like The Victory Song and Sin City. It is a defining moment for the Konongo-Zongo star, proving he’s a chronicler of the African youth experience, balancing the weight of fame with the grit of his roots.
19. Yiizy & TMZY, Money Over Love
A dark horse in this year’s rankings, this collaborative project from Yiizy and TMZY is a sharp, 18-minute distillation of the “Adura” (prayer) drill movement. It’s a cynical yet honest exploration of the hustle, where the pursuit of financial security frequently eclipses romantic sentiment.
Tracks like Omalicha and Learning Lyf showcase a chemistry built on sharp bars and moody production. It’s a project that feels inherently “street-smart,” capturing the hustle-first mentality of Lagos and Accra with a cold, rhythmic precision.
18. Joeboy, Viva La Vida
Since departing his previous label, Joeboy has found a new, more adventurous voice. Viva La Vida is a lush exploration of the full romantic spectrum, moving from the dewy-eyed optimism of the opener Innocent to the religious introspection found on Hey Father.
Produced largely by Tempoe, the album’s sound is colourful and varied, featuring everything from Hausa-influenced grooves to Indian-sampled rhythms. It’s a solid evolution for the “loverboy” archetype, proving that Joeboy can still write a hook better than almost anyone in the game.
17. AratheJay, The Odyssey
AratheJay’s full-length debut is a 17-track epic that positions him as Ghana’s next great hope, musically. Built on a slick Afropop framework, the album uses faith as a through-line, connecting tales of divine success on Zion with pleas for protection on Cover Me.
The masked singer displays incredible versatility, easily pivoting from worshipful tones to the late-night vibes of Only Fans. With strong assists from Stonebwoy and Black Sherif, The Odyssey is a meticulously made journey of self-discovery.
16. Mr Eazi, Maison Rouge
Mr Eazi returns to the “Banku Music” foundations that made him a star, but with the refined ear of a global tycoon. Maison Rouge is filled with gorgeous guitar riffs and thumping percussion, striking a balance between heartfelt pining and risque playfulness.
It’s an album that feels easy-going and confident. Mr Eazi isn’t chasing trends here, he’s perfecting a signature sound that feels more like a lifestyle brand than just a collection of songs.
15. Tiwa Savage, This One Is Personal
As the title suggests, the Queen of Afrobeats delivers her most intimate work to date. This One Is Personal is characterized by a stillness that feels like healing in real time, moving away from the high-octane pop of her earlier years toward something more soulful and reflective.
The project is an arrival at self-acceptance. Tiwa uses her incredible vocal range to explore themes of emotional growth and independence, making it a definitive statement for an artist who has nothing left to prove to anyone but herself.
14. Kizz Daniel, Uncle K: Lemon
Kizz Daniel continues his no-miss streak with a project that is as much an emotional saga as it is a hit factory. Uncle K: Lemon (and its Chase counterpart) finds Kizz opening up about his personal life, sharing stories of loss and survival, while maintaining his grip on the dancefloor.
Collaborations with the likes of Fola and Bella Shmurda add a fresh energy to his signature smooth Afropop. The standout Titi and the soulful Al-Jannah prove that Vado is still the master of the earworm with a heart.
13. Olamide, Olamide
In a self-titled 11th studio album, the Nigerian music veteran Baddo offers a project that feels like a victory lap through his various personas. While critics have noted its playlist-like structure, the highs on Olamide, like the rapping masterclass on 1 Shot and the Seyi Vibez, Asake, Young Jonn, and Daecolm-assisted 99, are noticeable.
The album captures Olamide caught between his legacy as a street king and his current role as an industry kingmaker. It’s a sprawling, 47-minute look at an artist who has become the blueprint for longevity in Nigerian music.
12. Ruger, Blownboy Ru
Ruger sheds any remaining newcomer labels with an album that is pure, unfiltered bravado. Engineered by his longtime collaborator Kukbeatz, Blownboy Ru is a dancehall-heavy assertion of dominance, filled with his signature patois-laced delivery.
While the album leans into his playboy persona on tracks like Jay Jay, it also finds room for vulnerability on Wish You Well. It’s a cohesive body of work that avoids the sophomore slump by leaning into exactly what makes Ruger unique: a mix of sensuality, vulgarity, and world-class melody.
11. Goodgirl LA, Good Girl
Goodgirl LA’s reintroduction is perhaps the most radical transformation of the year. On the Good Girl EP, she ditches her soft-spoken image for a street-smart swagger that is dark, moody, and confrontational.
From the power anthem GIGA to the fierce Back to Back, she explores themes of resilience and reinvention. It’s a rebellion arc in musical form, warning the industry never to mistake her previous softness for weakness.
10. ODUMODUBLVCK, Industry Machine
A 23-track LP that serves as a jolt to the Nigerian Hip-Hop scene, Industry Machine is ODUMODUBLVCK’s definitive statement of intent. The album attempts to split his personality, offering the “Big Gun” aggression his fans love alongside uncharacteristically soft, sing-songy melodies for the ladies.
The guest list is massive, stretching from London to Lagos, but OD remains the gravitational center. Despite its length, the pristine production and OD’s all-caps-locked energy make it an essential pillar of 2025’s sound.
9. Burna Boy, NSOW (No Signs of Weakness)
Burna Boy remains Afrobeats’ most formidable architect, even when he’s just sailing calmer seas. NSOW opens with the blistering No Panic, a warning to his critics, before transitioning into more aspirational, Afro-fusion territory.
While some critics craved more lyrical intimacy, Burna’s versatility is on full display here. Tracks like the Travis Scott-assisted TaTaTa and the atmospheric Born Winner remind us that even a casual Burna Boy project operates at a level most can only dream of.
8. Wizkid, Morayo
A tribute to his late mother, Morayo is a sonically rich celebration that chooses euphoria over mourning. It’s a fragmented, diverse project that oscillates between Caribbean-influenced dance tracks like Bad Girls and soothing romantic ballads.
Wizkid continues his journey into a more laid-back, R&B-leaning Afrobeats style. While it avoids deep sobriety, the rhythmic brilliance and international collaborations (Asake, Brent Faiyaz, Jazmine Sullivan) make it a worthy addition to the Starboy legacy.
7. Qing Madi, ITBP (I Am The Blueprint)
At just 18, Qing Madi has delivered a debut that puts veterans on notice. ITBP is a 13-track solo effort, no features, that exhibits an artistic maturity well beyond her years. Her voice, ethereal yet commanding, carries the project through soul, R&B, and pop-fused Afrobeats.
Standouts like Goosebumps and Ali Bomaye prove she’s more than a regular participant in the genre, she is indeed a blueprint. It is the most cohesive debut of the year, marking the arrival of a generational talent.
6. Victony, Stubborn
Following the massive success of his debut, Victony’s Stubborn (and the Very Stubborn sequel) is a quieter, more focused exploration of resilience. It feels like flipping through a private notebook, with Victony breaking the facade of strength on tracks like Gangsta Cry.
The production is intentionally skeletal, allowing his unique cadence and prayerful posture to take center stage. With guest spots from Olamide and Don Jazzy, Victony proves he is more interested in telling a story than just chasing a club hit.
5. Sarz, Protect Sarz At All Costs
The legendary producer steps into the role of curator-in-chief on this brilliant 12-track project. Protect Sarz At All Costs is a collection of pulsing, groovy melodies that push into new directions while honouring his legacy of shaping the sound.
By placing artists like Wizkid, Asake, and Qing Madi into his meticulously constructed sonic environments, Sarz proves he is the ultimate container for expression. The Malian-interpolated Getting Paid is a particular highlight of 2025’s production.
4. BNXN, Captain
BNXN (fka Buju) delivers his most mature and consistent offering to date with Captain. Over 16 tracks, he demonstrates an uncanny ability to hold a mood, leaning into his strengths as a soulful singer who knows exactly how to connect emotionally.
High points like Cough Syrup and Very Soon are proof that BNXN is the “hook king” who finally learned how to build a full, immersive kingdom. It’s a project that feels balanced, confident, and deeply human.
3. Adekunle Gold, Fuji
In his most daring cultural statement yet, Adekunle Gold fuses traditional Fuji music with contemporary Afrobeats to create something entirely new. Fuji is a 15-track project through love, loss, and identity, reflecting AG Baby’s evolution into a high-fashion, high-concept auteur.
The album is both a cultural statement and an emotional body of work, demanding that listeners engage with the stories behind the tracks. It’s a triumph of reinvention, cementing AG as one of the most versatile artists of his era.
2. Davido, 5ive
Davido remains the undisputed Afropop Juggernaut on 5ive. While the album captures the artist at a crossroads, alternating between moments of downright elation and pseudo-reflective moods, his ear for curation is as sharp as ever.
Collaborations with Victoria Monét and Musa Keys provide some of the year’s most indelible melodies. Tracks like Nuttin Dey offer an uplifting, early-2000s throwback flow that reminds us why Davido has been at the top for over a decade. It’s a big, loud, and quintessentially OBO project.
Thanks to the Omah Lay-assisted Grammy-nominated smash hit, With You, 5ive is equipped with some of the fan favourite Afrobeats records of 2025.
1. Fola, Catharsis
Taking the top spot is Fola’s Catharsis, an album that lives up to its name in every sense. Fola pours himself into this project, singing from a place of earnest, soulful vulnerability that captured the zeitgeist of 2025.
It is a masterclass in melody and emotional honesty. While the production is stripped back, it allows Fola’s songwriting, which feels like “writing from the soul”, to shine through. In a year of big budgets and global superstars, Catharsis won by being the most human album on the list.
