Best Afropop
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Released in 1965, this collaborative album by South African singer Miriam Makeba and Harry Belafonte won the Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording.
South African singer Miriam Makeba's 1967 studio album popularized the title track, an international hit that introduced Xhosa and Swazi rhythms to global radio.
Né La Thiass is the acclaimed 1995 major-label debut album by Senegalese musician Cheikh Lô, notable for its blending of mbalax and Congolese rumba.
Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo released this 1991 major-label album, blending traditional West African rhythms with African pop, funk, and Afrobeat.
Bembeya Jazz National, Guinea's premier state-sponsored orchestra of the 1960s–70s, blends Mande tradition with Cuban-influenced dance-band arrangements on this release.
Oremi (1998) by Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo is the first installment of a trilogy exploring the African roots of music in the Americas, blending Afropop with R&B.
Tuku Music is the 1999 album by Zimbabwean guitarist Oliver Mtukudzi, defining his unique Afro-pop style that blends mbira rhythms with South African jazz.
Cameroonian bassist and vocalist Richard Bona recorded Munia: The Tale as a showcase of his jazz fusion style and his grounding in West African vocal and rhythmic traditions.
Belgian-Congolese artist Baloji's Kinshasa Succursale blends hip-hop with Congolese rumba and traditional Katangan music, reflecting his dual European and African heritage.
Daby is the self-titled debut album by Mauritanian-born singer-songwriter Daby Touré, introducing his blend of West African musical heritage with contemporary acoustic pop to international listeners.
"7 Seconds" is a 1994 album by Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, featuring his famous duet with Neneh Cherry that introduced the mbalax genre to mainstream global audiences.
