Asake’s “Mr Money With The Vibe,” Omah Lay’s “Boy Alone,” & Black Sherif’s “The Villain I Never Was” make Fader’s Top 50 Albums of 2022

2022 will be remembered as the year we experienced great, intricate, and outstanding music from rising Africa-based superstars. We had ambitious albums and daring EPs, and the music kept rolling. It’s not a surprise that some of our best musical albums have enjoyed remarkable success globally. Music by African artists has been on a steady rise, and we have been served with different palettes of music. Five albums from Africa’s music torchbearers made The Fader’s 50 best albums.

Black Sheriff’s coming-of-age debut album “The Villain I Never Was,”  Obongjayar’s innovative “Some Nights I Dream of Doors,” Omah Lay’s melancholy on “Boy Alone,” Asake’s delicious blend of Fuji, Hip-Hop, and Amapiano on “Mr. Money With The Vibe,” and Cruel Santino’s gaming music in “Subaru Boys: Final Heaven” all made it to the list.

It’s a testament to the versatility of Africa’s music future that these albums all cut across different unique genres, sounds, and distinct audiences.

The music from artists based in Africa is breaking records, and the world is coming to us.