Ten most influential music albums of 2025

Afrobeats didn’t just survive 2025, it straight-up conquered it, turning singles into global anthems and streaming numbers into small fortunes. From Wizkid’s introspective vibes to Davido’s chart-topping titles, BusinessDays’ top most influential music albums for 2025 span projects released both last year and this year, featuring globally established artists and the new era of talents releasing albums that were resilient and ridiculously replayable, driving Afrobeats to its next era.

We crunched the data from Spotify top streams, Turntable chart data, and critical acclaim on social media platforms. Here’s our top 10, ranked by impact, hits, and that unquantifiable spark. No fluff, just fire.

Asake’s Yoruba-infused street sermon, released in 2024, lit up Spotify’s Afrobeats exports even in 2025. The album’s lead single, ‘MMS,’ which featured Wizkid, hit top spots on the first day of its release on multiple streaming platforms. The album, which was released under the imprint of his former label YBNL Nation and Empire, was No. 1 on TurnTable Nigeria Top 100 in January and parts of February, and was on the top 10 for over 30 weeks in 2025. Critics loved the raw energy; it’s Asake turning anticipation into anthems that demand rewinds.

2. MORAYO – Wizkid Wizkid’s sixth studio album, released in 2024, a tribute to his late mother, was on the top 10 on TurnTable’s Top 100 Albums for over 28 weeks. The album was the most-streamed Nigerian album of 2025 on Apple Music and Spotify. Wizkid became the most-streamed Nigerian artist of 2025 without releasing an album or a single in that year.

Hit singles like ‘Kese (Dance)’ went viral for its gbedu groove, hitting Top 10 US Afrobeats. The song was the most played song on Nigerian radio in 2025 with over 1.87 billion impressions.

3. Work of Art – Asake

Asake’s sophomore canvas has not only established itself as a classic but is still competing for the top spot in 2025. The 2023 album was in the top 10 on TurnTable Top 100 Albums, lingering for over 27 weeks. It fused Fuji flair with global polish, charting ‘Lonely at the Top’ in Nigeria’s Top 10 in 2025. The single has etched history as the longest-charting TurnTable single. Critics called it a street-pop evolution; Asake painted his ascent in vivid, vibe-drenched strokes that still demand gallery space on playlists.

4. Shakur – T.I. Blaze T.I. Blaze’s eight-track introspection, blended street released in November, found a place among street pop fans in 2025 as it stayed in the top ten list on TurnTable Top 100 Albums over 24 weeks. The deluxe edition released in 2025 amplified its reach, with ‘Holy Fada’ (feat. BhadBoi OML) and ‘Beamer’ dominating Shazam in Lagos for weeks. ‘1000 Thoughts’ introspected to Top 10 UK Afrobeats, amassing 20 million+ combined streams. Underrated firepower from the Dapper Music Fresh Prince—logical, lyrical, and a reminder that sometimes the quietest drops echo loudest on the streets.

5. Captain – BNXN

BNXN (fka Buju) captained his way to 3 million first-day Spotify streams, debuting at No. 3 on most-streamed Nigerian projects and earning spots on Apple Music’s Afrobeats Hits. Released in July 2025, this smooth, melody-drenched ride poured heart into tender Afrobeats confessions, peaking high on TurnTable with over 21 weeks at the top 10 on TurnTable Top 100 Albums. ‘Very Soon’ and ‘Laye Mi’ both had over 57 million streams on Spotify. The title track’s vulnerability had critics calling it his most mature pivot from feature king to solo force.

6. Olamidé – Olamide Olamide, the street-pop sorcerer, dropped a 17-track victory lap that hit No. 1 on Apple Music Nigeria at the time of its release. The album has generated over 13.4 million streams, blended fuji, amapiano, and dancehall. Singles like ‘99’, ‘Kai’ featuring Wizkid, ‘Billionaire club’, and ‘Free’ were the album’s biggest hits. Critics praised its cohesive shine; it’s Olamide proving he’s still the blueprint for longevity.

7. No Sign of Weakness – Burna Boy

The African Giant roared back with this genre-defying beast, amassing 70 million pre-release streams from four singles alone and landing at the top 10 on TurnTable Top 100 Albums. The album earned raves for its resilient storytelling amid Burna Boy’s adversarial dance with critics. ‘Bundle by Bundle’ rocked airplay pre-album release while ‘Update’ held Top 5 on UK Afrobeats. ‘Love’ was the albums top most streamed single with over 40 million streams on Spotify.

8. 5ive – Davido Davido’s fifth studio drop was a streaming juggernaut, racking up 320 million Spotify plays and debuting nine tracks in the global top 30 Nigerian songs. It shattered Nigeria’s daily Spotify record at 9.3 million first-day streams, peaking at No. 1 on TurnTable Top 100 Albums. Standouts like ‘With You’ featuring Omah Lay with over 90 million Spotify streams, ‘Awuke’, ‘Funds’, and ‘Offa Me’ invaded New Zealand’s Official Top 40—the first African album to land two simultaneous entries

9. The Machine Is Coming – Odumodublvck

Odumodublvck’s drill-Afrobeats hybrid debuted at No. 2 on TurnTable, trending top on Apple Music NG within 48 hours and hitting 75 million Nigerian streams by Q1 end. ‘Pity This Boy’ (with Victony) soared to No. 1 on Apple and Spotify Nigeria as the fifth most-streamed Nigerian song of the year at 31 million+. ‘Juju’ ft Smur Lee and Shallipopi was one of the most-streamed songs on the album with 59 million Spotify streams. The Big Gun movement turned it into 2025’s underground uprising.

10. Children of Africa (EP) – Seyi Vibez

Seyi Vibez’s soulful street tales packed this EP with continental heat, peaking Top 10 on UK Afrobeats and No. 9 on the Official Chart with 2.24 million first-day streams. “Mario Kart” buzzed as a buzzworthy cut, while ‘SHAOLIN’ became popular among street pop fans as both got over 30 million Spotify streams in 2025. It resonated on Apple Music’s Africa Now, earning praise for raw delivery. Brief but bruising—Seyi’s consistency made it a mid-year essential.

Honourable mentions include Uncle K: Lemon Chase by Kizz Daniel, Industry Machine by Odumodublvck, and Catharsis by Fola.

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