It’s no doubt the year has been a coaster ride of musical hits from legends and fresh acts in the Nigerian music industry. They gave us new street anthems, new dance moves and even more, impressive music videos to back it up!
If we do have our own Billboard chart, then it wouldn’t be so much an efforrt whittling the countdown and compiling it into a list of Naija artistes who swept the music industry and our electronic media waves one good or not-so-good hit at a time! But then, our radar is till reflecting those chart toppers of 2012 and we’ve compiled them for you. So, fans, let’s see where your favourite artistes stands among the mix this year and it’ official!
NOTE: The countdown is not based on the number of album sales of the artistes or the number of downloads of their songs but popular airplays from local radios, DJs, and local and international TV stations.
10. OLU MAINTAIN
It might have been a make-a-hit-and-run deal in music for Olu Maintain this year but he gave us a classic club anthem in the super-hit single, Nawti! From beautiful tunes, superb video with hawt girls and Mr Olu himself all wrapped on the track, NAWTI is a chart topper of 2012!
Olu Maintain’s Hits of 2012 – Nawti
9. NAETO C
If you’re such a fanatic for this artiste and you believe just about everything he says, I suggest you take a moment of doubt right now. Naeto C sang it in every classy way to us that he’s gentle but hey, hell no! Don’t you tell us you’re gentle when the same you bad pass Tony Montana! If 2012 has tuned you to some good music, you should know what i’m saying already. Naeto C gave us the hits I GENTLE O and TONY MONTANA (Bad Pass) back-to-back and with very artistic, brilliant videos to go with it; and another hit of a remix of Tony Montana featuring the self-proclaimed black mamba, D’banj! It’s no doubt, this is the year we saw Naeto C in a totally new light. And remember, he didn’t take his signature classy feel to making music away from his 2012 singles.
Naeto C’s Hit of 2012 – I Gentle O, Tony Montana (Bad pass), Tony Montana (Remix) Feat. D’banj
8.TUFACE
He doesn’t come without a package for everyone. He has preached to us in several tracks from his 2012 album and I bet he knew it was the year of the rain so he sang us to put our salt on the shelf and Dance In The Rain! The Naija’s music legend of the new age also didn’t hold back from giving us a club anthem in Ihe Neme and that’s a hit even for the coming year.
Tuface’s Hits of 2012 – Ihe Neme, Dance In The Rain
7. FLAVOUR
Whatever this guy has done to TRACE Urban. Whatever what the deal is. Anyone could want to believe Trace TV channel came to Nigeria to promote Flavour and yea, they’re still in the business. His exceptional talent and unique style of music is definitely not one to ignore though. From collaborations with Tiwa Savage on Oyi(remix), Fally Ipupa, Kcee and Omawunmi to solo hit singles that went international and even became a Keri Hilson’s favourite, Flavour definitely got the spot on the Naija chart toppers of the year.
Flavour’s Hits of 2012 – Oyi (Remix) Feat. Tiwa Savage
6.IYANYA
Ehehehehe…but really, what could have become of Iyanya in the Nigerian music industry if his total rebranding from an RnB singer to an afro-pop artiste had turned out a flop? But to whoever it is that steered Iyanya’s wheel to a new direction, Kudos! And if that was totally a solo effort, good job Iyanya! I mean, he didn’t only give us a totally new style of music in 2012 but also a new style of dance and a new more sexy him. And he didn’t do it in a way that’ll make you want to miss the old, soulful Iyanya.
Even though with little or no lyrical content in his 2012 hit songs, Kukere and Your Waist, Iyanya still held it down and domintated the airwaves on TV and radio. I may not be surprised if he releases a next single with just whispering vocals on it and still makes a hit. Maybe just the dance and ripped abs showoff in another video is a power tool for his music.
Iyanya’s Hits of 2012 – Kukere, Your Waist
5.DAVIDO
Superb music videos sure is a bonus for Davido’s hit singles and you can forget whether he’s making good music or not. But the radio stations and DJs didn’t ignore him either, and the young, fresh act in Naija music even made hits in collaborations that became an anthem for his fans! He has the media in his pocket, almost every track from his O.B.O album got heavy airplay on radio and TV stations.
Davido’s Hits of 2012 – Dami Duro, All of You, Ekuro, Overseas Feat. Sina Rambo, Feel Alright Feat. Ice Prince
4.TIWA SAVAGE
It’s no doubt Tiwa put a lot into music this year as a phenomenal Naija pop diva as she’s become! From award-winning collaborations to beautiful hit singles, she took every inch of the spotlight that she deserves and still giving us more. Judging by her every popular singles released this year, you can expect a powerful album from the diva. Her very unique vocals and a versatile approach to music flawlessly made her a top choice of TV and radio stations and numerous
entertainment fans.
Tiwa Savage’s Hits of 2012 – Love Me Love Love Me, Without My Heart Feat Don Jazzy, Oma Ga, Folarin
3.PSQUARE
They couldn’t have landed anywhere else but on the top spot! From international collaborations to superb music videos, the duo of Psquare have maintained a hit-making standard in their careerand they really broke the boundaries this year. When you thought you’ve seen the best of Psquare in 2012 in a classic and smooth Rick Ross duet on Beautiful Onyinye, they refilled their dance energy and dropped a powerful video for Alingo which has become a top playlist on TV stations. It’s been a race at their own pace in Nigerian music this year as the two brothers remained a rave in the industry for the most parts of 2012.
PSquare’s Hits of 2012 – Chop My Money, Beautiful Oyinye Feat Rick Ross, Alingo
2.D’BANJ
D’banj sure held it down with powerful hits under the G.O.O.D Music record label, though not with multiple singles as music fans may have expected but Oliver Twist was on top several TV playlists throughout the year and D’banj rules on with another banging hit single and a superb video in Bachelor and very recently, Top Of The World which could become a chart-topper by the new year.
D’ban’s Hits of 2012 – Oliver Twist, Oyato, Bachelor
1. WIZKID
Maybe it’s about time Wizkid changes his  moniker and take the kid out of the wiz! We’ve seen him matured through music in a period of just about three years and he’s not holding back. Wizkid is yet to releae a single that’s not a hit even if he’s not making a video to backup. His list of popular singles of 2012 can make a full and impressive countdown of Naija’s top pop songs on their own!
Wizkid’s Hits of 2012…We lost count!