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Afrobeat genre artwork
Genre

Afrobeat

Afrobeat is a genre. Defining acts include Youssou N’Dour, Fela Kuti, Manu Dibango, Burna Boy and Aya Nakamura, and their records are the quickest way into the sound. Afrobeat grew out of Semba, Afro-jazz, Ethio-jazz, Igbo highlife and Global Club. Its influence carried into Afro-rave and Afrosounds, which took the template somewhere else. The chart currently maps 14 connections around Afrobeat. Open any neighbouring band or genre to trace where Afrobeat came from and where it led.

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Top defining artists
Roots — what shaped themLegacy — who they shapedKindred — same orbit
AfrobeatSembaAfro-jazzEthio-jazzIgbo highlifeGlobal ClubCoupe-DecaleworldbeatEthio-soulAfro-raveAfrosounds

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Afrobeat connections

Afrobeat grew out of Semba, Afro-jazz, Ethio-jazz and Igbo highlife, went on to shape Afro-rave and Afrosounds. 14 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.

What influenced Afrobeat

Roots12

Sounds and acts that shaped Afrobeat.

What Afrobeat shaped

Legacy2

Where the influence of Afrobeat travelled next.

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Genres like AfrobeatRoots of AfrobeatLegacy of AfrobeatBrowse all bands & genres

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