Who is the biggest artist in Ghana? The top 10 most popular in 2024
Ghanaians love their music. The Ghanaian music industry has been growing over the years, with budding musicians coming with new skills as veterans lead the way. The west African country enjoys a diverse taste musically, as the top genres played are reggae, highlife, hiplife, Afro-pop, Azonto, Kpanlogo, Afrobeat, Raglife and dancehall. So who is the biggest artist in Ghana? Is Sarkodie still the most popular and biggest artist in Ghana?
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Ghanaian musicians show their versatility by trying different genres and collaborating with artists outside Ghana. Their distinct styles are well fused with other African artists and international stars. Many Ghanaian artists are recognized worldwide and have even been nominated for International music awards like the BET Awards and Grammy Awards.
Who is the biggest artist in Ghana?
There are several big artists in the Ghanaian entertainment industry. They are famous for their unmatched talents and the ability to release one hit after another. While some have been in the industry for years, others are young and upcoming. They include:
1. Sarkodie
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- Full name: Michael Owusu Addo
- Date of birth: 10 July 1985
- Record label: DuncWills Entertainment
Sarkodie has been in the music industry for about two decades, and he is still great in his art. He is the richest musician in Ghana, with a net worth of $15 million.
The rapper and songwriter is regarded as one of the Azonto genre and dance pioneers. His discography is impressive, and he is lauded as one of the greatest African hip-hop artists. Some of his popular songs include:
- Can't Let You Go
- Azonto Fiesta
- No Fugazi.
Sarkodie has been awarded multiple accolades, one of them being ‘Artiste of the Decade’ for the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
2. Shatta Wale
- Full name: Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr.
- Date of birth: 17 October 1984
- Record label: Shatta Movement Records, Zylofon Music
Shatta Walle is among the best musicians in Ghana. The 37-year-old Accra native is among the top highlife, hiplife, reggae, and Afrobeat artists in Ghana. Shatta Wale started singing in 2004 and was previously known as Bandana.
His song Dancehall Sing saw his breakthrough, as it made him win the 2014 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards and increased his fanbase. Apart from singing, Shatta Wale is also a good actor.
3. Stone Bwoy
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- Full name: Livingstone Etse Satekla
- Date of birth: 5 March 1988
- Record label: Burniton Music Group, Def Jam Records
Stone Bwoy has been active in the music scene since 2009. The 34-year-old Afro-pop and dancehall singer has never let his fans down as he keeps releasing hit after hit. Stone Bwoy is known for songs like Go Higher, Tuff Seed, and Most Original.
His work is recognized in Africa and abroad. The Ghanaian artist won the Best International Act: Africa category at the 2015 BET Awards and Artist of the year at the 2015 edition of the Ghana Music Awards.
4. D-Black
- Full name: Desmond Kwesi Blackmore
- Date of birth: 12 January 1987
- Record label: Black Avenue Muzik
D-Black is among the top 10 richest musicians in Ghana. If you are a fan of Ghanaian hip hop and Afro-Beat music, you must have heard of D-Black. The 35-year-old musician is not only good at his art-making but also an excellent entrepreneur.
D-Black is not known as a successful entertainment mogul for nothing as he has invested in a clothing design company, events managing company and film and TV. His music also sells; his top tracks include:
- Ma Me Five
- My Kinda Girl with Sarkodie
- Carry Go featuring Davido
5. Samini
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- Full name: Emmanuel Andrews Sammini
- Date of birth: 22 December 1981
- Record label: High-Grade Family
Samini, formerly known as Batman Samini, has been in the Ghanaian music industry since 1999. Samini sings dancehall, reggae, and hip life. The 40-year-old has seven studio albums under his name and several singles that have been topping Ghanaian music charts over the years. Popular Samini's songs include:
- Party Away
- New Style
- Hallelujah
- Old man’s Radio
- Celebration
- Tshoobi
6. MzVee
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- Full name: Vera Hamenoo-Kpeda
- Date of birth: 23 June 1992
- Record label: Currently a Solo Artist
The budding musician works hard and competes with giants in the music scene to get her space. MzVee sings Afro-pop, RnB and dancehall. She officially started her music career in 2012 and was signed under Lynx Entertainments before going independent. MzVee could not miss the list of performing artists in Ghana. Her top songs include:
- Natural Girl
- Borkor Borkor
- Dancehall Queen
7. Kelvyn Boy
- Full name: Kelvyn Brown
- Date of birth: 1 April 1991
- Record label: Burniton Music Group, MiMLife Records, Blakk Arm Entertainment
The Assin Fosu native is among the best Afrobeat artists in Ghana today. Kelvyn Boy sings Afrobeat and Afro-pop. The 31-year-old is famed for his songs such as:
- Yawa No Dey
- Momo
- Down Flat
- Catch A Vibe
He also has an EP (TIME) released in 2019 and an album (Black Star) released in 2020.
8. Joey B
- Full name: Darryl Paa Kwesi Bannerman-Martin
- Date of birth: 20 August 1989
- Record label: World Records
Joey B is known for being soulful and melodic when singing. The Ghanaian artist became famous after his single Tonga started receiving massive airplay. Other hits by him are:
- Ranger
- La Familia
- No Waste Time
Joey B, also known as Beezy, has done well for himself and grown his brand. Besides releasing hits, the Ghanaian musicians have also worked with top fashion brands in Ghana and big corporations like Adidas.
9. Wendy Shay
- Full name: Wendy Asiamah Addo
- Date of birth: 20 February 1996
- Record label: RuffTown Records
Wendy Shay continues to build an identity in the Ghanaian music industry through her consistency. She was among the Top 30 Most Influential Women in Music by the 3Music Awards Women’s Brunch.
The singer is known for songs like Break My Waist and Heat. The Afropop and Afrobeats singer was first introduced to music by RuffTown Records manager Ricky Nana Agyemang in 2018. Her star has been rising since then, and she has, so far, released two albums.
10. Kwesi Arthur
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- Full name: Emmanuel Kwesi Danso Arthur
- Date of birth: 18 December 1994
- Record label: Independent
Who is the king of music in Ghana? If you ask Kwesi Arthur's fans, you are more likely to be told it’s him. The Ghanaian singer, rapper, and songwriter became known in 2017 after dropping his hit single Grind Day. However, Kwesi Arthur has never looked back, and he continues to make radio hits and club bangers.
Kwesi Arthur's efforts have paid off as the artist has been honoured with multiple awards throughout his career. Some of the recognition he has received include a BET nomination for the BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher and rapper of the year at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the king of music in Ghana? Shatta Wale is the king of music in the country. He made a record-setting as a dancehall artist to have won 11 awards at the 2019 3 Music Awards ceremony.
- Which Ghanaian artist has the most international awards? Ghanaian rapper and hiplife artist Sarkodie has the most international awards. He has received 107 awards from 191 nominations, including 25 Ghana Music Awards.
- Who brought dancehall to Ghana? Stonebwoy is the self-confessed founding father of Afro-dancehall from Ashaiman, Ghana.
- Who is the most streamed artist in Ghana? Sarkodie is the most streamed artist in the country.
- Who is the biggest artist in Africa in 2024? Wizkid, born Ibrahim Ayodeji Balogun, is the most prominent African artist.
- Who is the best rapper in Africa in 2024? Nasty C, born Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo, is arguably the best in South Africa and the best rapper in Africa.
- Which country has the biggest music industry in Africa? Nigeria is home to many talented artists, including music celebrities like Wizkid, Davido, and Mr Eazi.
Who is the biggest artist in Ghana? Sarkodie and Shatta are at the top. To succeed in Ghana, you need to have a competitive spirit. Both male and female artists are competitive as their fans are constantly hungry for new music. As a result, Ghana is a hotbed of raw talent and is among the best African countries where you can grow your musical career.
Yen.com.gh shared an interesting article about the best dancehall artists in the world. They have followers from every corner of the world and keep releasing new projects to earn new fans.
Dancehall artists understand that music is a universal language that everyone speaks. The genre originated in the late 1970s in Jamaica and has since become a favourite among music lovers worldwide.
Source: YEN.com.gh
