The Playlist: Africa's Top 20 Musicians

The music emanating out of Africa today is record-breaking in every sense. With the new sounds, there have been new pathways to success for african artists. These creators have taken everything from amapiano to afrobeats and told the african growth story, in decibels that have made the world sit up. Even as more Grammy Awards find a home on the continent, these top 20 musical artists are on track to deliver more. Together they say that the future of the african music industry is big, bright and bountiful.

- By Chanel Retief

“Alexa, play the most popular song in Africa at the moment.”

“I’m sorry I don’t understand your request at the moment.”

“Alexa, why not?”

‘Because all music coming out of Africa seems to be popular at the moment!”

NOW, WE WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF ALEXA actually said that, would we? The truth is that the African continent seems to be where all the action is when it comes to art and artistry at the moment, and everyone from Beyoncé to Usher to David Guetta want in.

When you think of African music, the thought of affiliating the continent’s industry with just American rock bank Toto’s 1982 classic Africa has long gone.

We are now seeing African artists take the global stage, literally, storming on to it with new music, introducing new sounds, genres and energy, and educating the world on the true meaning of what being African is, without the baggage, without the long-held views and regressive stereotypes.

Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ (PwC) annual report, Entertainment & Media Outlook 2019-2023, focuses on the media industry in some of Africa’s biggest economies: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania.