New Music Friday brings another wave of Afrobeats releases, and Friday Frequency #012 narrows the week’s strongest records down to 15 tracks worth hearing, with Rema, Young Jonn, Shoday, Yemi Alade and a strong wave of emerging Nigerian and continental voices leading the selection.
New Music Friday Finds Its Strongest Afrobeats This Week
This week’s New Music Friday pool is particularly strong, with releases spread across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. But rather than simply following the biggest names, AceWorldTEAM has selected the 15 tracks that offer the strongest combination of quality, replay value, variety and discovery.
Rema’s “Oh No” leads the way, bringing immediate star power and a record that feels built for the moment. Young Jonn’s “Hold Somebody” follows with a smoother, more melodic approach, while Shoday’s “MOVE” injects the energy needed to keep the playlist moving.
The Nigerian contingent remains dominant, with FOLA, Bella Shmurda & Zlatan’s “it’s over,” Yemi Alade’s “Alhaja,” KAESTYLE & M3lon’s “To Me,” Abefe’s “A LOT A LOT,” J’Dess & The Cavemen.’s “Chinyere,” Anendlessocean’s “REVIVAL,” Kayode’s “Bere Mole” and 6uff & Phyno’s “Turbulent Fellow” all making the final cut.
What makes these selections work together is that they don’t occupy exactly the same space. “Chinyere” brings a strong highlife character, “REVIVAL” provides a more reflective moment, while “A LOT A LOT” and “To Me” keep the discovery element firmly in the playlist.
Beyond Nigeria
Ghana gets two strong entries through Ajebo Hustlers & Gyakie’s “365 Days” and Larruso’s “Oblee.” Both records add something different without feeling like selections made simply to give Ghana representation.
South Africa enters through Daecolm and DJ Maphorisa’s “Imvula,” which provides the week’s clearest continental crossover without pulling the playlist away from its Afrobeats foundation.
Together, these records broaden the playlist without losing its central identity. Nigeria remains at the core, but the strongest releases from elsewhere in the pool are given room when they genuinely add to the listening experience.
The Records That Came Close
Several releases narrowly missed the final 15.
KAESTYLE & Ajebo Hustlers’ “One Life” was a particularly close call, but “To Me” ultimately offered the stronger KAESTYLE selection. Medikal’s “Stay Strong,” RCEE & King Paluta’s “Agenda 2.0,” Octopizzo & AratheJay’s “Godskin,” Yemi Alade, Sofiya Nzau & Njerae’s “Earth Song,” and Limoblaze & RUA YOUNG’s “Super Power II” were also strong contenders.
There were also plenty of records that simply fell outside this week’s brief. International hip-hop and R&B releases, alongside several South African Amapiano, Lekompo and other genre-specific cuts, were left out because Friday Frequency remains an Afrobeats-led selection rather than a general African music playlist.
That distinction matters.
The goal isn’t to collect the 15 biggest releases of the week. It is to leave listeners with 15 records that feel worth their time, while still giving them a reason to discover something beyond the most familiar names.
Editorial Highlights
🎵 Cover Story
Rema — Oh No
🤝 Collaboration of the Week
Ajebo Hustlers & Gyakie — 365 Days
🔥 Breakthrough Pick
Abefe — A LOT A LOT
🌍 Continental Moment
Daecolm & DJ Maphorisa — Imvula
🎶 Cultural Pick
J’Dess & The Cavemen. — Chinyere
Friday Frequency Essential 15
Rema — Oh No
Young Jonn — Hold Somebody
Shoday — MOVE
FOLA, Bella Shmurda, Zlatan — it’s over
Yemi Alade — Alhaja
KAESTYLE, M3lon — To Me
Abefe — A LOT A LOT
J’Dess, The Cavemen. — Chinyere
Anendlessocean — REVIVAL
Kayode — Bere Mole
6uff, Phyno — Turbulent Fellow
Daecolm, DJ Maphorisa — Imvula
Ajebo Hustlers, Gyakie — 365 Days
PaBrymo — Dutty Whine
Larruso — Oblee
The Week in 15 Tracks
Friday Frequency #012 is ultimately a snapshot of where Afrobeats is moving right now: established stars still setting the pace, emerging artists pushing into the conversation, and collaborations continuing to connect different corners of Africa.
From Rema’s “Oh No” to Larruso’s “Oblee,” this week’s 15-track selection is built for discovery without losing the familiarity that makes a Friday playlist worth returning to.
These are the records that made the cut. This is Friday Frequency.
