How Social Media Content Is Shaping The Future Of Afrobeats

Nigerian music has thrived on talent, cultural expression, and innovation for decades. Icons like Fela and King Sunny Ade built legacies on sonic brilliance and lyrical depth. Even as Afrobeats emerged in the late 90s and early 2000s with 2Face Idibia, D’banj, and P-Square leading the charge, the focus remained primarily on the rhythm, melody, and message.

However, there has been a fundamental shift. In 2025, an artist is not only a musician; they are also content creators and social media personalities. The ability to cut a catchy 30-second viral dance challenge has become almost as important as songwriting or vocal ability. This evolution is the subject of debates within industry circles and social media, with questions often asked about the effects of “content” on Nigerian music.

Is the content-first approach a new reality?

The short, simple and straightforward answer to this question is yes.

As smartphone penetration deepened across Nigeria and data became more affordable, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube became essential tools for promotion and fan interaction. Soon enough, artists who had mastered the art of social media and content creation gained ground faster than those on the other side of the spectrum.

But this shift has come at a cost. The pressure to ‘go viral’ has led to a wave of artists prioritizing TikTok-friendly songs over musical depth, with many tracks structured around a single, catchy 30-second moment rather than a cohesive artistic vision

This reality has reshaped what it means to be an artist in today’s music landscape. Today’s artists must be equally adept with CapCut as they are with FL Studio. They must understand trending sounds, viral formats, and audience engagement metrics. The studio has extended beyond the recording booth to include ring lights, tripods and editing software.

Social media has democratised the industry. Years ago, breaking into the mainstream required significant financial investment. While that is still the case today, an artist with a good understanding of social media who can create compelling content can build an audience independently and record impressive numbers.

This democratisation has significantly expanded Nigerian music’s reach and has ushered in a level of commercial success that had previously never been experienced. Artists now have pathways to visibility that didn’t exist in the past. The success of songs like Ckay’s Love Nwantiti, Ayra Starr’s Rush and Rema’s Calm Down is proof that the right content strategy could propel Nigerian music to global visibility.

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Yet, for every success story, industry insiders and even fans are quick to point out concerning trends. “I was at a dinner with other music execs in VI yesterday when I mentioned openly that ‘content’ was killing our music,” one music executive recently revealed on X. “However, I’m not naive, and I realise that it is the norm now. It is the way. Artists are now influencers.”

I was at a dinner with other music execs in VI yesterday when I mentioned openly that ‘content’ was killing our music. However I’m not naive and I realize that it is the norm now. It is the way. Artistes are now influencers. An artiste that can’t edit with CapCut isn’t ready.

— 🥇 (@TOMFORDTITAN) March 10, 2025

The consequences of this shift are evident. Album listening sessions have been replaced by “content listening parties” where the focus is on creating shareable moments rather than experiencing the music. Marketing meetings now allocate more significant time to TikTok strategy than to the music itself.

Many argue that the 2000s and early 2010s were filled with easily identifiable landmark albums that defined the era. In this content-driven landscape, there is a risk of creating albums with hollow musical realities and songs designed for momentary virality rather than lasting impact. Artists are settling for good enough songs with a catchy 30-second hook that has the potential to inspire viral challenges on TikTok. While that approach might work for temporary visibility, it won’t create the classics that truly define generations.

Nigerian on-air personality, Osi Suave also weighed in on the impact of social media on afrobeats. In his words, “Musicians are being forced to prioritize content over quality, chasing trends instead of making timeless music.”

We’ve normalized consuming 10-second snippets of songs we’d never stream in full, and it’s killing the art. Musicians are being forced to prioritize content over quality, chasing trends instead of making timeless music.

We’re overstimulated and drowning in an algorithm-driven…

— Osi (@Osi_Suave) March 28, 2025

The impact of this new reality is that artists seem to be making creative decisions based on potential virality rather than artistic expression. This approach has led to a formulaic quality in recent releases, with songs increasingly structured around potential viral moments.

However, the reality inside recording studios paints a different picture. According to Nigerian rapper, producer and sound engineer Slow Zeus, the creative process hasn’t been completely overtaken by social media considerations.

“There have been changes because TikTok is a valuable asset, but for the majority of the artists I work with, they aren’t really allowing TikTok to drive their approach in the studio,” he explains. “They always come in with an idea that they want to bring to life. It’s usually when we are deep into making the songs that the TikTok conversation comes up.”

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Rather than starting with viral potential, most artists begin with authentic expression and only later consider how elements might be optimised for platforms like TikTok. This might involve “changing a lyric or composition arrangement that feels like it would catch their target audience”, but importantly, “the art itself always comes first.”

Despite growing concerns about content eclipsing craft, many maintain that this shift represents adaptation rather than degradation. Adeayo Adebiyi, Senior Music Reporter at Pulse Nigeria and host of Facts Only offers a more balanced perspective:

“I don’t think content creation has affected [quality] negatively. I also wouldn’t say it has had an overwhelmingly positive effect on it. It has affected the way we make music, with artists now being consciously concerned about how the consumer will receive the music. For some artists, a bit of artistry is being sacrificed to accommodate content creation materials in terms of sonics, trends, and TikTok material.”

Rather than viewing this as a loss of Nigerian music’s essence, Adebiyi frames it as a necessary evolution: “I wouldn’t say the essence of Nigerian music is being lost. Artists are just getting with the times. It’s the current reality, and they are adjusting accordingly. Artists need to get audience attention on a mass scale where there is a low audience attention span. So to get and retain audience attention, you need to create music and content that appeals to them.”

He points to Burna Boy’s Last Last as an example of this adaptation, noting how the chorus was built on a popular Nigerian slang at the time—proving that artists can incorporate content-friendly elements while maintaining their artistic identity. “It’s left for artists to infuse their essence into their current reality,” he concludes.

Balancing social media content and artistry

The challenge for Nigerian artists today is not whether to embrace social media but how to integrate it without sacrificing their artistic integrity. The most effective approach isn’t one that pits content against music but rather one where content enhances the listening experience. This approach, instead of forcing songs into viral trends, encourages artists to build narratives around their music.

Rather than crafting songs purely for TikTok challenges, artists can create content that expands on the themes of their music and offers fans an experience that goes beyond a catchy hook.

“It’s about the kind of content you want to create and how you want to balance it with your music,” Adeayo tells me. “Guchi, for example, has a healthy following on TikTok. She creates content and makes the content translate into her music. If you look at the street hop guys like Rybeena and TML Vibez, they create content that ties into their music. Odumodublvck is always tweeting; that’s also content because the content is anything that sustains the attention of your following.”

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This approach encourages a renewed focus on the quality of engagement—how deeply a song resonates with listeners and how it stands the test of time. This way, content does not overshadow the music but amplifies its essence, helping artists retain and sustain the attention of their audience while preserving artistic depth.

The future of Nigerian music in the digital age

Artists must also strive to establish direct connections with their audience beyond the digital hype cycle and cultivate deeper relationships with fans who are willing to support their music beyond likes, shares, and viral moments. This shift could see a rise in alternative distribution and monetisation models. As streaming revenue remains unpredictable, artists who can build communities will have a greater chance of sustaining their careers. This approach brings the focus back to the core of music—creating experiences that fans connect with on a deeper level.

However, as social media continues to shape the music industry, the future depends on how artists continue to adapt to this ever-evolving landscape. While virality remains a powerful force, the rapid rise and fall of countless viral songs and artists suggest that momentary success does not always translate to long-term success. To sustain relevance, artists will need to balance content creation with musical creativity. If this balance is not struck, social media may do more harm than good—shifting Nigerian music from rich and culturally significant to an industry defined by fleeting trends.

Artists must remain intentional about creating music that outlives trends. There must also be a renewed emphasis on full-length projects that tell cohesive stories and have more diverse content that gives room for deeper and more meaningful musical expressions to thrive. Longevity belongs to those who master both the art and the content—ensuring that social media fuels their rise rather than dictating their direction.