Nigerian artistes Rema and Asake have been featured in former U.S. President Barack Obama’s favourite songs of 2024. Obama, known for his diverse musical taste, has made his annual playlists a cultural touchstone.
Mr Obama shared his favourite music of the year via his X handle, with the caption: “Here are my favourite songs from this year! Check them out if you’re looking to shake up your playlist – and let me know if there’s a song or artist I should make sure to listen to.”
This year, Rema and Asake, two of Nigeria’s hottest musical acts, have earned their place alongside global stars.
Rema’s track ‘Yayo,’ from his sophomore album ‘HEIS,’ captured Mr Obama’s attention and secured a spot among his favourites. This year, Rema received his first Grammy nomination for ‘HEIS’ in the Best Global Music Album category. He was the fourth most-streamed album on Spotify and Rema finished as the fifth most-streamed artiste on Spotify in Nigeria, which is a major recognition of his artistry.
In addition, Rema was named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2024.
Asake’s hit song ‘Active,’ featuring American superstar Travis Scott, made it onto Obama’s favourites for the year. Known for blending Afrobeats, amapiano, and Fuji, Asake had an incredible year. He was crowned the most-streamed artiste on Spotify for 2024. Also, his third studio album, Lungu Boy, broke multiple records in 2024, including 15.4 million first-week Spotify streams. It was the second most-streamed album in Nigeria and topped Apple Music charts in the UK and US.
Other notable songs featured on Obama’s favourite 2024 include “Squabble Up” by Kendrick Lamar, “Lunch” by Billie Eilish, “Jump” by Tyla, Gunna & Skillibeng, “Band4Band” by Central Cee & Lil Baby, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey, “Texas Hold ’Em” by Beyoncé, “Kehlani” by Jordan Adetunji, and “Million Dollar Baby” by Tommy Richman.
