A road trip needs songs that carry you through long stretches of road: big choruses, steady grooves, and a few songs that make you turn the volume up. These ten do exactly that, from Ghana and Nigeria.
1. Kwaku the Traveller by Black Sherif (2022)
There is no better way to start a journey. Black Sherif released “Kwaku the Traveller” in March 2022, produced by Joker Nharnah, and it debuted at number one on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 50.
It also reached number five on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart and number two on the UK Afrobeats chart.
2. Peru by Fireboy DML (2021)
“Peru” came out in July 2021, produced by Shizzi and Perine. In December that year, Fireboy DML released a new version with Ed Sheeran, which took the song around the world.
It is easy, catchy and built for singing along with the windows down.
3. Soweto by Victony featuring Tempoe (2022)
“Soweto” was the debut single from Victony’s Outlaw EP. It caught on through TikTok, and a remix with Rema and Don Toliver charted in the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Canada.
4. Monalisa by Lojay and Sarz (2021)
“Monalisa” blends Afrobeats with amapiano, and it came from Lojay and Sarz’s joint EP LV N ATTN. It won Sarz Producer of the Year at The Headies 2022 and was nominated for Song of the Year.
Its easy, looping rhythm makes it one of the best driving songs of the decade.
5. Sip (Alcohol) by Joeboy (2021)
Produced by Tempoe and released in September 2021, “Sip (Alcohol)” was the lead single from Joeboy’s second album, Body & Soul. It went viral on TikTok and sparked a wave of challenges.
For a road trip, one rule applies: the driver sings along and sticks to water.
6. Declan Rice by Odumodublvck (2023)
Odumodublvck released “Declan Rice” in March 2023, shortly after surviving a life-threatening surgery. It went to number one on TheCable Lifestyle’s airplay chart, and the footballer it is named after noticed. When Arsenal announced they had signed Declan Rice that July, they used the song in the background.
It is loud, rowdy and exactly what the middle of a long drive needs.
7. Holy Father by Mayorkun featuring Victony (2021)
Mayorkun and Victony released “Holy Father” in October 2021, and it debuted at number one on Apple Music Nigeria. Earlier that year, in April, Victony had survived a car crash that killed his friend Doyin. He was still in a wheelchair after surgery when, on 24 December 2021, he stood up to perform alongside Davido and Mayorkun for the first time.
Knowing that story makes the song hit harder, especially on the road.
8. Lonely at the Top by Asake (2023)
From Asake’s second album, Work of Art, “Lonely at the Top” was released in June 2023. It became the first song to pass 100 million streams on Audiomack and spent a long run at number one on Nigerian radio.
It is the reflective moment on this list, for the quieter stretch of the drive.
9. Godly by Omah Lay (2020)
Omah Lay broke through in 2020 with his debut EP, Get Layd, which went to number one on the Apple Music Nigeria chart. All five of its songs reached the top 12, and “Godly” went all the way to number one.
10. Duro by Tekno (2015)
An older one to finish. Tekno released “Duro” in June 2015, produced by DJ Coublon, and it did well both in Africa and in the US. A year later, Billboard named Tekno one of the top ten hip-hop and R&B talents to watch.
It is a reminder that Afrobeats road-trip classics were being made long before TikTok.
Find these artists and their albums in the AfroYard artist directory.
