afropop
what it is
African popular music (also styled Afropop, Afro-pop or Afro pop), like African traditional music, is vast and varied. Most contemporary genres of African popular music build on cross-pollination with western popular music. Many genres of popular music like blues, jazz, afrobeats, salsa, zouk, and rumba derive to varying degrees on musical traditions from Africa, taken to the Americas by enslaved Africans.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make afropop a playlist
turn these 22 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is afropop?
African popular music (also styled Afropop, Afro-pop or Afro pop), like African traditional music, is vast and varied. Most contemporary genres of African popular music build on cross-pollination with western popular music. Many genres of popular music like blues, jazz, afrobeats, salsa, zouk, and rumba derive to varying degrees on musical traditions from Africa, taken to the Americas by enslaved Africans.
What are good afropop albums to start with?
Try rema by Rema, History by Cheque, Tokooos by Fally Ipupa, and Beautiful Africa by Rokia Traoré.
Who are some women making afropop?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/afropop/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making afropop, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20