Rewinding to 2013, when the entire Nigerian Music Industry turned up the heat on the rest of Africa and the world at large, it was undoubtedly a sonically stellar year for the music industry.
During this period, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the country’s economy was growing smoothly. The music industry was experiencing an evolution, the Nigerian Filmmaking Industry (Nollywood) was making waves, and creatively, the country was on the rise.
In 2013, we witnessed the dawn of hit tracks and evergreen records that still turn the crowd on whenever they are played. It was during this period that the music industry welcomed top-quality songs, production, and well-crafted albums, EPs, and Mixtapes. These bodies of work were chart-topping and timeless projects that were recognized even beyond demographics.
But isn’t it shocking how time flies? It’s been a solid ten years since then, and we can’t help but imagine the top songs that enabled us to achieve those remarkable sonic feats.
“Jaiye Jaiye” — WIZKID ft Femi Kutib
If you didn’t play Wizkid’s “Jaiye Jaiye” at your party in 2013, it simply wasn’t a bubbling party. “Jaiye Jaiye” was the definition of an anthemic song. Everybody had to sing along once this song came on. It featured the Afro Beat maestro Femi Kuti, the son of the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Produced by Sarz, the genre of this song isn’t the regular party pop or club song. It’s pure Afrobeats, where Wizkid thanks God and brags about his successful music career. “Lagos today and London tomorrow, Oluwa lo se o, Omo jaiye jaiye Seb’Oluwa lo se oh ah.” Wizkid recognized God in his life.
“Personally” — P-Square
Undoubtedly, no artist could have filled these duo shoes if they hadn’t departed and reunited again. When “Personally” was released, it became an instant hit. The video of the song gave it even more attention due to the “Michael Jackson” dance and costumes used in the production. 
The entire Nigerian population played the song, and we can say for a fact that it’s one of the biggest hits of their career as a joint artist.
“Shoo le” – Sean Tizzle
Sean Tizzle was one of the Afrobeats favorites from 2012-2013. After his biggest record, “Loke Loke,” which featured 9ice, “Shoo le” became a masterpiece record that will forever stand the test of time as one of the greatest Afro-pop love songs ever released. His songs may not have taken over the top charts in the way that some of the other songs released during that period did, but to those who were familiar with Sean Tizzle’s sound, “Shoo Le” was the bop – it’s sultry, it’s soft, and the lyrics are easy to master.
“Eminado” — Tiwa Savage
In what was probably the biggest song of that year, with production from Don Jazzy, the founder of Mavin Records, Tiwa Savage dropped what has gone on to be one of, if not the biggest song of her career. The song’s appeal was that it was able to cut through different demographics in Nigeria. “Eminado” was one of the go-to party tracks of the time and the seventh single from her debut studio album titled “Once Upon a Time,” which features backup vocals from Don Jazzy, who also doubles as the producer of the song.
“Gobe” — Davido
“Gobe” is one of the cheerfully poppy singles released by the Afrobeat superstar Davido in 2013. Davido had the world at his feet with this particular track. It was everywhere. The DJs’ favorite in the clubs and mostly played at events. These were the prime days of Davido when he was known for the tagline “On the beat is Davido.” Though it’s not debatable that “Dami Duro,” his first hit track, solidified his spot as a game-changer and future leader of the Afrobeats genre in Nigeria, we cannot deny that songs like “Gobe” gave him recognition across Africa.
This curated list isn’t limited to tracks. There are artists who created albums and stellar projects in 2013. It was the year Ice Prince released his sophomore album titled “Fire of Zamani,” Olamide and Reminisce delivered indigenous Hip/hop albums that defined the ecosystem of Hip/hop music in Nigeria, and Burna Boy released his Afro-fusion-tinged album titled “LIFE,” among many others.
This period witnessed the successful advent of radio, TV, CDs as the go-to medium for playing new music, and also the period where sharing songs via Bluetooth and memory cards on mobile phones reigned supreme. It was another avenue that made music even more accessible to fans. Ultimately, the year 2013 will not easily be erased from the memory of Nigerian music fans and the entire music industry.
Which Was And Still Your Favorite?
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