How the Afrobeats charts work: Billboard U.S. vs the UK Official chart
Billboard's U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and the UK's Official Afrobeats Chart both measure the genre abroad, but they count differently. Here is how each one is compiled, what data it uses, and why the UK list turns over faster.
Two charts track how Afrobeats performs outside Africa: Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, which ranks 50 songs a week in the United States, and the Official Afrobeats Chart, a top 20 compiled by the Official Charts Company in the UK. Both blend streaming and sales data, but they treat older songs very differently. That is why one chart has produced a year-long No. 1 while the other refreshes far more often.
What we know
- FACT: The UK’s Official Afrobeats Chart launched first. Its first chart was revealed on BBC Radio 1Xtra on 26 July 2020.
- FACT: Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart went live on 29 March 2022 as a weekly top 50.
- FACT: Both charts were launched in partnership with the festival brand Afro Nation.
- FACT: Billboard ranks songs on U.S. streams and downloads. The UK chart uses streams, downloads and physical sales.
- REPORTED: The UK chart only admits fairly recent songs and limits how long they can stay, according to the Official Charts Company’s replies to readers.
The Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart
Billboard announced the chart on 22 March 2022 in partnership with Afro Nation. Each week it lists the top 50 Afrobeats tracks in America, using a weighted formula of official streams (subscription and ad-supported, audio and video) and download sales. Like all Billboard charts, the underlying data comes from Luminate.
The first No. 1, on the chart dated 2 April 2022, was CKay’s “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)”. Billboard reported, citing Luminate, that the song earned 4.7 million U.S. streams that week.
The chart has no age limit for songs, so a big hit can stay on top for a very long time. Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” led the chart from 10 September 2022 until Tyla’s “Water” replaced it on the chart dated 21 October 2023. At that point, Billboard called the 58-week run a record for the chart. “Water” was Tyla’s first No. 1 on any Billboard chart.
The UK Official Afrobeats Chart
The Official Charts Company announced the UK chart on 21 July 2020, describing it as a response to the rise of Afrobeats in Britain. It was initiated by Afro Nation and is compiled from UK sales and streaming data, covering streaming (audio and video), downloads and physical formats, gathered from more than 9,000 retail and digital outlets.
The first No. 1 went to the London collective NSG. The chart is a top 20, and it appears weekly on the Official Charts website.
The key difference is eligibility. Replying to readers under its launch article, the Official Charts Company said songs must be under 12 months old and can spend no more than 13 weeks on the chart. Those rules stop older favourites from blocking the list, so the UK chart gives newer releases more room than the Billboard chart does.
Billboard vs UK: side by side
| Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs | UK Official Afrobeats Chart | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 29 March 2022 | 26 July 2020 (first chart) |
| Size | Top 50 | Top 20 |
| Data | U.S. streams and downloads (Luminate) | UK streams, downloads and physical sales |
| Compiled by | Billboard | Official Charts Company |
| Age limit | None | Under 12 months old (reported) |
| Maximum run | None | 13 weeks (reported) |
| First No. 1 | CKay, “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” | NSG |
What the charts do not tell you
Neither chart measures Afrobeats at home. Streams in Lagos, Accra or Nairobi do not count towards them. For Nigerian chart performance, the reference is the TurnTable Charts.
The charts also depend on how a song is classified. Billboard and the Official Charts Company decide which tracks count as Afrobeats, and that label can be debated. Our explainer on Afrobeats vs Afrobeat, Afropop and Amapiano covers why the terms get blurred.
Finally, a genre chart is separate from the main rankings. A song can top the Afrobeats chart without entering the Hot 100 or the UK Top 40. Our guide to how the Billboard charts work explains the bigger lists. The debate over dedicated Afrobeats categories also reaches award shows, as seen when the 2026 VMAs had no Afrobeats category.
What to watch next
Both charts update weekly. Watch for songs that cross from the genre charts into the Hot 100 or the UK Top 40. That crossover is the clearest sign that an Afrobeats record has reached a mainstream audience abroad.
Sources
- Billboard: Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart launch announcement, 22 March 2022
- Billboard: CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” tops the first U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart
- Billboard: Tyla’s “Water” reaches No. 1 on U.S. Afrobeats Songs
- Official Charts: first-ever Official Afrobeats Chart to launch, 21 July 2020
- Official Charts: NSG crowned Number 1 on the first Official Afrobeats Chart
- Official Charts: Official Afrobeats Chart (current)
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