In 2025, 3 Kenyan songs were featured in Rolling Stone’s Best Afropop list… can you guess which ones?
In 2025, 3 Kenyan songs were featured in Rolling Stone’s Best Afropop list… can you guess which ones?
In 2022, US-based Rolling Stone magazine, one of the most reputable publications in the world, spotlighted the African music scene by publishing Rolling Stone’s 40 Best Afropop Songs list. This move was part of its commitment to showcase diverse musical genres.
The growth of African music has been huge, particularly with the rise of Afrobeats and Amapiano genres. Our previous write-ups defined Afropop as a broad term for various unique, vibrant, and exciting African music genres, i.e. Afrobeats, Amapiano, R&B, Hip-hop/Rap, Gengetone, Drill, etc.
In 2025, only three Kenyan songs were featured in Rolling Stone’s Best Afropop list, down from 4 in 2024 and 2023.
Produced by: Run
Off their debut album En Route, Watendawili teamed up with the phenomenal Xenia on this soulful, sultry track.
In Beba, the three poured their hearts out, with lines like “asante kwa kunipenda, jinsi unavyonipenda” which means “thank you for loving me the way you do,” capturing the song’s main message.
Months later in 2025, the CJ Pixels-directed visuals arrived, perfectly capping off a track that ranked 34th on Rolling Stone’s list.
Produced by: WakaWaka
In the second half of 2025, you couldn’t go anywhere in Kenya without hearing these two words: “Donjo Maber.” From matatus and clubs to schools, streets, and TikTok, the song was everywhere.
It found Iyanii in his element, brought Dufla out of a long hiatus, and catapulted them to the top of the charts.
The track’s popularity kept growing, and it now boasts over 20 million views on YouTube.
Produced by: Remy Baggins
Bien had a remarkable 2025, highlighted by the release of “All My Enemies Are Suffering.” From his electrifying performance earlier in the year at the Trace Awards in Tanzania, to his appearance on The Breakfast Club and his show at the Solfest Festival, the track was the icing on the cake.
The song details how village people often view city folks, exposing the jealousy that shows with success.
Bien did not hold back, and the track became wildly popular. So much so that it spawned multiple remixes, including one with Nigerian rapper Phyno.
“All My Enemies Are Suffering” ranked 7th in the list, the highest a Kenyan tune has ever reached since 2022.
As we start 2026, we believe our artists will continue to put in the shift and release music that will receive recognition beyond our borders. We look forward to seeing more Kenyan songs featured on Rolling Stone’s Afropop list for 2026.
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