Kampala– If you walked into any club in Kabalagala or tuned into the bustling taxi stereos of Kampala this year, one unmistakable genre could be heard, and it’s not from East Africa.
The speakers vibrated with the infectious melodies of Afrobeats. But amidst the continental heavyweights, a new narrative is also being told by a generation of Ugandan artists who are building and reclaiming culture one song at a time.
There is no denying the elephant in the room: Nigeria’s grip on the Ugandan charts is tight. The data from 2025 Spotify Wrapped paints a picture of an East African nation deeply in love with the West African sound. Of the top 10 songs streamed in Uganda this year, a staggering seven hail from Nigeria. Tracks like Faceless’s Venus and Chella’s My Darling became the unofficial Ugandan anthems.
On the Top Artists list, giants like Burna Boy, Davido, and Rema sit comfortably among the most streamed in the country, sandwiched only by global artists like Drake and Chris Brown. The top albums chart also reads like a roll call of the Afrobeats elite. Davido’s 5ive and Omah Lay’s soul-bearing Boy Alone sit high on the list, outperforming global heavyweights.
The thirst for these sounds runs deep, with Ayra Starr’s The Year I Turned 21, Ruger’s The Second Wave (Deluxe), and Asake’s Work Of Art all cementing their place in the top 10.
West African artists are clearly setting up camp and becoming the baseline of Uganda’s listening habits.
Joshua Baraka outstreams Davido and Kendrick
Yet, amidst this Nigerian takeover, one homegrown anthem refused to be silenced. Standing tall at number one on the Top Songs list is Joshua Baraka with Wrong Places. From his debut EP Baby Steps to his breakout song Nana in 2023 and now the release of his second album Juvie in 2025, Baraka has evolved from a promising talent into a genuine force in Ugandan music. His collaboration with British-Ghanaian super-producer JAE5 across his latest album proved to be the magic formula, blending Baraka’s butter-soft vocals with world-class production. Seeing a Ugandan artist outstream Davido and Kendrick Lamar on home soil is the kind of momentum-shift moment the local music scene has been waiting for.
Street anthems and chemistry
The resistance didn’t stop at the top song. At number nine, the electric collaboration Tabbu by Dax Vibez and Ava Peace proved that local chemistry can rival any international feature. The track thrives on the duo’s vocal interplay – with lyrics like “I feel your vocals massaging me” capturing the sensual, high-energy vibe that Kampala nightlife demands. Dax Vibez’s versatility and Ava Peace’s rising star power delivered an earworm that kept the local fire burning on the 2025 Wrapped charts.
Further down the list, the underground is bubbling up. FYNO UG’s Che Che is among the top 20 most-streamed songs in the country. An entry rooted in the African Dancehall sound, FYNO UG is carving out a lane that feels gritty, authentic, and distinctly Ugandan. Meanwhile, on the Top Artists chart, Elijah Kitaka broke through just outside the top 10. The former session drummer turned Afro-soul crooner represents the sophisticated future of Ugandan music, blending technical prowess with mainstream appeal – heard in songs like Good Idea with compatriot Dax Vibez.
A shift in the air
Ultimately, 2025 was the year the local scene stopped asking for permission. While Nigerian superstars may still hold the volume, artists like Joshua Baraka, Dax Vibez, and Elijah Kitaka proved that the Ugandan sound is potent enough to lead the conversation.
