African popular music, also called Afropop, Afro-pop, or African pop, includes any music from Africa that uses Western instruments like the guitar, piano, or trumpet. Afropop mixes African traditional music with Western pop music. It uses African rhythms and melodies along with Western instruments and ways of making music. Like traditional African music, Afropop has many different styles and forms. Many modern Western music genres, such as rock, metal, pop, blues, jazz, salsa, zouk, and rumba, are influenced by African music traditions brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans. These rhythms and sounds have been used in newer genres like hip-hop and R&B. African popular music also uses recording techniques from Western music studios. The term Afropop does not describe one specific style or sound but is a general name for African popular music.
Influence of Afro-Cuban music
Cuban music became popular in Sub-Saharan Africa starting in the middle of the twentieth century. It was Cuban music, more than any other style, that first inspired the development of Afropop. To Africans, Cuban music based on clave rhythms sounded both familiar and new. The Encyclopedia of Africa v. 1 explains:
Congolese music groups began performing songs based on Cuban music and sang the lyrics as they sounded. Soon, they created their own original songs that resembled Cuban music, using French lyrics. The Congolese called this new style rumba, even though it was actually inspired by a Cuban style called son. Africans adapted a Cuban guitar technique called guajeos to electric guitars and added their own regional sounds. This guitar-based music spread from the Congo and gradually changed to reflect local traditions. Over time, this process led to the creation of several distinct regional music styles, such as soukous.
Cuban popular music greatly influenced the development of many modern African music genres. John Storm Roberts notes: "The connection to Cuban music, along with New York salsa, had a lasting impact on African music. This influence was deeper than simple copying or short-term trends. The Cuban connection began early and lasted for at least twenty years, as African musicians gradually adopted and reworked these styles." This reworking of Afro-Cuban rhythms by African musicians brought these rhythms back to their original roots.
The way African musicians use harmonic patterns shows a key difference in how they understand music. The I, IV, V, IV chord sequence, often used in Cuban music, is found in pop music across Africa due to Cuban influence. These chords follow the rules of Western music theory. However, Gerhard Kubik explains that African musicians may not see these chords the same way: "In Congo/Zaire popular music, the chord sequence C-F-G-F [I-IV-V-IV] is not viewed as moving from the tonic to subdominant to dominant and back to subdominant, as in Western music. Instead, these chords are seen as equal in importance, not in a strict order."
The biggest wave of Cuban-based music to reach Africa was salsa. In 1974, the Fania All Stars performed in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) at the 80,000-seat Stadu du Hai in Kinshasa. This event was filmed and released as Live In Africa (Salsa Madness in the UK). The performance took place during a music festival linked to the Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman heavyweight title fight. By this time, local music styles were already well developed. Despite this, salsa became popular in many African countries, especially in the Senegambia and Mali regions. Cuban music had been a favorite in Senegal’s nightclubs during the 1950s and 1960s. The Senegalese band Orchestra Baobab plays in a basic salsa style with congas and timbales, but adds traditional Wolof and Mandinka instruments and lyrics.
According to Lise Waxer: "African salsa does not simply mean salsa returning to Africa, but shows a complex exchange of culture between two regions of the so-called Third World." Since the mid-1990s, African artists have also been active through the super-group Africando, where African and New York musicians collaborate with leading African singers such as Bambino Diabate, Ricardo Lemvo, Ismael Lo, and Salif Keita. Today, it is still common for African artists to record salsa songs and add their own regional influences.
Afropop's global influence
African popular music has influenced music worldwide for many years. This influence started when millions of Africans were taken to other countries during the slave trade and continues today as people travel between Africa and other places.
The connection between Africa and people from other countries grew stronger as African musicians traveled around the world. In the late 1960s to early 1970s, artists like James Brown performed in Nigeria in 1968, and the Soul-to-Soul concert in Accra in 1971 brought famous musicians such as Wilson Pickett, Ike and Tina Turner, and Roberta Flack to Africa. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, the number of Black Africans living in England and Wales became greater than the number of Caribbean people living there. This growth helped create a popular music scene at universities in the UK.
African popular music has added unique rhythms, melodies, and singing styles that have shaped many global music genres. Many styles, such as jazz, blues, and gospel, began with African traditions. Early songs, such as spirituals and work chants, used simple instruments and evolved into blues and ragtime. Ragtime later influenced jazz, and these styles helped create rock and roll and hip hop. The beats from Nigerian jùjú music and the rhythms of Congolese ndombolo music can be heard in electronic and pop music worldwide.
Major music festivals, such as Coachella, Glastonbury, and Afropunk, now include African artists, introducing their music to new audiences. These festivals have become global events where people celebrate culture, art, and music. They give African artists a chance to share their talents with people around the world.
Festivals have featured African musicians like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Mr. Eazi, Rema, and Asake. Femi Kuti performed at Glastonbury, helping spread Afrobeats music. More people now know about Afropop music because of these festivals, and it has become popular in Western countries. This has allowed African artists to connect with fans worldwide and grow their influence.
Afrobeats, a music style created by Fela Kuti, has had a big impact globally. Kuti combined traditional Yoruba music with Western jazz and funk to make Afrobeats. His 1977 album Zombie helped Afrobeats gain international attention. In the mid-2010s, artists like Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy worked with global musicians, making Afrobeats famous worldwide. Now, artists like Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, and Major Lazer have also created songs with Afrobeats musicians.
Afropop’s influence has grown because of social media, streaming services, and platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok. These tools make it easier for fans worldwide to listen to and discover Afropop music.
Davin Phillips, who leads Celebrity Services Africa (CSA), says technology has helped African artists reach more people. He explains, “Social media and technology have allowed us to connect with regions in Africa that previously couldn’t access streaming or publishing services. We now understand the continent better and bring its music together. Also, international audiences are recognizing African artists more now.”
Data shows TikTok has over 1.677 billion users worldwide, with 11.83 million from South Africa. Instagram has 2.35 billion users, including 14.9 million from West Africa. Phillips adds, “This has helped young artists like Uncle Waffles from eSwatini, Rema from Nigeria, and Musa Keys from South Africa become famous quickly.”