Wizkid Is The First African Artist With 1 Billion Streams

The Grammy-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter Wizkid has officially become the first African artist to cross the 20 billion mark. He made the achievement in global audio-on-demand streams. The international music analytics platform ChartMasters has confirmed this milestone, making the Afrobeats icon a global force.

Thus, this historic achievement comprises streaming numbers from his solo tracks and collaborations. This depicts a ten-year-long era of international recognition. Alongside his appeal and genre-hopping versatility. Notably, Wizkid’s most-streamed contribution is “One Dance.” The track became a phenomenon that made Afrobeats popular in the Western mainstream. With over 3.6 billion streams on Spotify alone, it holds a Guinness World Record for the first song to hit 1 billion streams on the platform. So, it set a yardstick for its long-standing record in culture.

Wizkid as a Global Sensation

For decades, the Lagos-based artist has been an innovator, melding traditional African rhythms with pop, R&B, and dancehall to create a sound that transcends the borders of Nigeria. Made in Lagos, an album that came out in 2020, has become a critical and commercial success. It showed that the album hit tracks like “Essence” with Tems. Such a sultry summer groove managed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart and did not fail to attract appreciation from the global tastemakers.

Earlier this year, Wizkid made headlines as the first African artist to receive the prestigious BRIT Award. He recognized over one billion on-demand audio streams in the United Kingdom alone, further highlighting his pan-continental dominance.

With over 65 million units sold worldwide, Wizkid is the best-selling artist in Afrobeats history. Yet his success is more than just numbers. He’s helped redefine what it means to be an African artist in the global music economy — no longer a regional export, but a leading voice shaping the future of pop culture.

In an industry often driven by fleeting moments, Wizkid’s 20 billion streams mark not just a personal victory but a watershed moment for African music on the world stage.