OkayAfrica: Premier Digital Platform for African News, Music & Culture

The Rising African Music Genres of 2026

Dive headfirst into the genres and scenes making inroads throughout the African continent in 2026 — from South Africa’s lekompo to Senegal’s Krio Fusion, Algeria’s Way-Way, and more.

Tšeliso Monaheng

Nelson C.J.

January 8, 2026

OkayAfrica: Premier Digital Platform for African News, Music & Culture

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The Rising African Music Genres of 2026

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MUSIC STORIES

Generative AI Is Changing the Way We Consume Music by African Artists

Intence Bridges Lagos and Kingston On His Debut Album, ‘Voyage’

The Equity Model: Why Charging Foreigners More Is a Care Practice for African Festivals

Yennayer: A Playlist for the Amazigh New Year

Op-Ed: AFRIMA — Why Do Pan-African Music Awards Struggle for Cultural Reverence?

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FILM + TV STORIES

The Herd: Netflix’s Successful Crime Thriller About Nigeria’s Kidnapping Crisis

What to Watch in Africa This September: Fantasy Comedies, Crime Documentaries, and Stirring Dramas

How Nollywood Actress Ashionye Raccah Got to Star in the Second Season of ‘Wednesday’ Alongside Jenna Ortega

Burna Boy, Made Kuti, and Bose Ogulu Unite Behind Nigeria’s Creele Studios’ New 3D Animated Short ‘SOPO’

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