South Africa received an influx of great music in 2016. The country’s top musicians released music that kept music lovers entertained. Below are ten popular music singles that received extensive airplay on radio:
Kwesta featuring Cassper Nyovest – Ngud
“Ngud” by Kwesta was one of the biggest singles of 2016. It features another hip-hop heavyweight, Cassper Nyovest. The single was the most playlisted song on South African Radio in 2016. It spent 14 nonconsecutive weeks at number one on most radio charts. DJ Maphorisa produced this track, taken off Kwesta’s third studio album titled “DaKAR II.”
Kwesta scooped many coveted awards for the single. These include awards for Highest Airplay of the Year and Best Rap Album at the 23rd Annual South African Music Awards.
He made headlines after his interview on the radio show, Sway in the Morning. The show, presented by Sway Calloway, is one of the biggest in U.S. radio.
Sketchy Bongo and Shekhinah – Let You Know
“Let You Know” is a beautiful love song that received extensive airplay in 2016. Sketchy Bongo produced this single, and he features Shekhinah on vocals.
The song is off Sketchy Bongo’s debut album titled “Unmasked.” He received a nomination for Best Newcomer of the Year at the 23rd South African Music Awards. He won the award for Best Pop & Alternative at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards.
Electronic music label Ultra Music published the official music video for the song. It has since received over 1.3 million views.
Babes Wodumo – Wololo
Durban native Babes Wodumo got South Africans dancing with her smash hit “Wololo.” The song features another gqom heavyweight, Mampintsha from the popular group Big Nuz.
“Wololo” received extensive airplay on the radio, topping most of the country’s music charts.
Babes Wodumo has received notable nominations for the single. These include a nomination for Best New Act at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards. The video for the song has since amassed over 6 million views on YouTube.
GoodLuck – I’ve Been Thinking about You
“I’ve Been Thinking About You” rocked the airwaves and dance floors in South Africa during 2016. This song is from Cape Town electronic dance music band, GoodLuck. It’s a remake of Londonbeat’s smash hit of the same name, which was popular in the 90s.
The song is from their album titled “The Nature Within.” This album won an award for Best Pop Album at the 23rd South African Music Awards.
Nasty C – Hell Naw
“Hell Naw” by Nasty C was a favorite among South African music lovers in 2016. The single is from his debut album titled “Bad Hair.”
The song topped most music charts across the country. These include the Coke Top 40 Chart and the Shazam Chart.
Nasty C received many nominations and awards for this single and his album. These include a nomination for Best New Act at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards and an award for Song of the Year at the 16th Metro FM Music Awards.
He made headlines after his interview on the radio show, Sway in the Morning. The show, presented by Sway Calloway, is one of the biggest in U.S. radio.
Miss Pru – Ameni
“Ameni” was one of the biggest hip-hop songs in South Africa during 2016. The song is by DJ and producer, Miss Pru. It features heavyweights from the well-known record label, Ambitiouz Entertainment.
The single received extensive airplay on South African radio. It earned the top spot on most music charts, including the Metro FM and YFM music charts.
It won an award for Best Music Video of the Year at the 23rd South African Music Awards. The video for the song has since received over 2 million views on YouTube.
Crazy White Boy featuring Julia Church – Something New
Cape Town duo Crazy White Boy released the smash hit titled “Something New” during 2016. The single, which features Julia Church, served as the duo’s return to mainstream music.
The song received extensive airplay on South African radio. It featured on major charts such as the Coke Top 40 Chart and the Shazam Chart. The video for the song has amassed over 127,000 views on YouTube.
Bhizer featuring Busiswa, SC Gorna, and Bhepepe – Gobisiqolo
“Gobisiqolo” was one of the most popular gqom songs of 2016. It had a dance move of the same name, which increased its popularity with South Africans. Fans started a social media trend by posting videos of themselves doing the Gobisiqolo dance. They also included another popular dance style called the Gwara Gwara.
The single received extensive radio airplay. It reached the top spot on most radio charts across the country. The video for the song has received over 2.6 million views on YouTube.
Black Motion – Imali
Dance music duo Black Motion got South Africans dancing with their smash hit, “Imali.” The single is off their latest album titled “Ya Badimo.”
The song was a firm favorite on South African radio. It reached the top spot on most charts, including the Metro FM music chart. Black Motion received the awards Best Dance Album and Best Duo/Group of the Year at the 23rd South African Music Awards.
TiMO ODV – I Need You
TiMO ODV’s single “I Need You” won the hearts of music lovers across South Africa in 2016. The single was a follow up to his 2015 smash hit titled “Save Me.”
“I Need You” received extensive radio airplay. It earned the top spot on the Coke Top 40 and Shazam music charts. The video for the song has since amassed over 590,000 views on YouTube.