Afrobeat and Afrobeats: Two Words, Two Sounds

They look almost identical on paper, but Afrobeat and Afrobeats are different things.

Afrobeat (1970s)

Afrobeat was developed in Nigeria in the late 1960s and 1970s, most famously by Fela Kuti together with drummer Tony Allen. It blends West African highlife and Yoruba rhythms with jazz and funk. Songs are often long, built on interlocking guitars, horn sections and powerful polyrhythmic drumming, with lyrics that frequently carry political messages.

Afrobeats (2000s onwards)

Afrobeats, with an “s”, is a broader term used since the 2010s for contemporary pop music from West Africa, especially Nigeria and Ghana. It mixes local styles with hip hop, dancehall, R&B and electronic production, and its songs are usually shorter and made for dancing.

Listening tip

Listen for the drums. In Afrobeat, the drummer drives a long, evolving groove; in Afrobeats, the rhythm is usually a tight, repeating pattern that sits under a catchy vocal.