Nigerian Afrobeats Artists Dominate with Leading RIAA Certifications

Nigerian pop music continues to achieve global recognition, particularly in the U.S., where Afrobeats stars have garnered multiple platinum certifications. Leading the pack is CKay, whose viral hit Love Nwantiti has sold over 8 million units, propelled by its 2021 TikTok success.

The track is also the most certified Nigerian song in the U.S., positioning it as a strong contender to become Afrobeats’ first diamond-certified record.

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Grammy winner Wizkid ranks second on the list, with his top 10 hit Essence featuring Tems and Justin Bieber surpassing 4 million units sold. He also holds the title of the most certified Nigerian artist in the United States, boasting eight certifications.

Rema ranks as the third highest-selling Nigerian artist in the U.S., with over 5 million units sold, driven by the massive success of his hit single Calm Down, now certified 6x RIAA Platinum.

Calm Down has shattered multiple records, including becoming the first African song to surpass 1 billion streams in the United States. It also holds the title of the highest-charting Nigerian song on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 3, and is the first African song to spend over 52 weeks on the chart. Additionally, it became the first African track to top Billboard’s radio chart.

Other Nigerian artists with multiple RIAA certifications include Tems, the first Nigerian artist to debut on the Hot 100; Burna Boy, who holds the record for the most Hot 100 entries by a Nigerian act; and Davido, whose single Fall became the first Nigerian song to achieve RIAA Gold certification.

Oluchi