Wizkid Shatters Records: First African Artist to Surpass 100 Million Shazams

Published 1 month ago2 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Wizkid Shatters Records: First African Artist to Surpass 100 Million Shazams

Afrobeats superstar Ayodeji Balogun, globally known as Wizkid, has achieved a monumental milestone by becoming the first African artist to surpass 100 million Shazams. This historic feat was accomplished across 1,230 cities in 68 countries, with his 185 charted tracks collectively accumulating this impressive number of recognitions on the music identification application. Shazam is a widely used music recognition app that identifies songs by listening to short audio clips, promptly displaying the song's title, artist, and other pertinent details. It is extensively utilized by fans for music discovery and by the industry to monitor song popularity and global reach.

Wizkid reached the 100 million Shazam mark in early November, a period that followed his release of a new three-track collaboration with DJ Tunez and DJ Maphorisa, which included the songs 'Money Constant' and 'Abangani'. 'Money Constant' rapidly ascended to become a #1 hit on Apple Music's Top Songs Chart in Nigeria. Furthermore, in 2024, prior to his latest collaboration, he released 'Morayo', which garnered hundreds of millions of streams and spawned multiple radio hits, providing significant momentum. Another recent project that contributed to Ayodeji's success was his collaboration with artists like Odumodublvck, Asake, and Fola, leading to viral TikTok moments for their songs.

Over a career spanning more than a decade, Ayodeji Balogun has consistently expanded his global presence and influence. His rich catalogue features globally recognized hits such as the Grammy-nominated 'Essence', his worldwide collaboration with Beyoncé titled 'Brown Skin Girl', and his guest feature on Drake's 'One Dance' – all of which stand among the most Shazamed songs in Afrobeats history. Since his debut album 'Superstar' in 2011, the Grammy-award winner has released several successful albums, including 'Ayo' (2014), 'Sounds from the Other Side' (2017), 'Made in Lagos' (2020), and 'More Love, Less Ego' (2022). His groundbreaking track 'Essence' featuring Tems notably became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, significantly elevating his international recognition. Throughout his career, Ayodeji has garnered numerous accolades, including a Grammy, multiple BET, MOBO, and Headies Awards, alongside holding several streaming and chart records. The achievement of surpassing 100 million Shazams further solidifies Ayodeji Balogun's status as a global standard-setter for African music.

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