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Join Pulse Music as we count down the Top 10 best albums in Nigeria pop music history. These albums were rated based on their impact, originality and production.

Best 15 Nigerian Pop albums ever released, from 1999 - 2016 | Pulse Nigeria

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Top 15 Nigerian pop albums (1999 – 2016)

These records weren't just popular, they were pioneering and captured the feel of pop music at every point in time in the years in review.

For this list, we've looked at all pop albums including compilation albums, and included those records without which the genre could not have developed in the way that it has.

15. Olu Maintain – Yahooze (2007)

This man ruled Nigeria in 2007 with the title single off the album. From the streets of Lagos, down to the subways of New York, the song defined the illegal Nigerian dream, permeating society at a time when internet scam had begun to have a hold among the youth.

"Yahooze" won the Nigeria Entertainment Awards in 2008 for Hottest Single of the Year. In 2008, he performed "Yahooze" at the Royal Albert Hall, London and brought on stage Colin Powell, the former United States Secretary of State.

14. Dr Sid – “Turning Point” (2009)

is the first studio album by Nigerian artiste Dr SID, released April 11, 2010, on Mo' Hits Records. Production for the album took place during 2009 at Mo' Hits recording studios and was handled by Don Jazzy.

In April 2009, following the release of Wande Coal's debut album Mushin to Mo'Hits, Don Jazzy began work on Dr SID's album. Don Jazzy decided to create a new sound for Dr SID who was known as predominantly a Rap artiste and decided to have more singing on the album, as well as giving the album Pop feel. The inspiration behind the album was to create music that described "love" and "dance", two emotion that bring joy to most people, as well as introduce listeners to the new sound of Dr SID. The intent to introduce this new sound led to the Title of the album "Turning Point", which basically describes the transition of Dr SID's music and life as a whole. That album succeeded in bring out hits such as ‘Over the moon’, ‘Pop something’, ‘Something about you’.

13. Sean Tizzle – “The Journey” (2014)

A spectacular addition, Sean Tizzle’s rise through the ranks of Nigerian music, with pure club-banging tunes produced from the hands of D’Tunes, the man who had given Iyanya fame and fortune from his “Iyanya Vs Desire” album. Released in 2014, the album had a long list of hit songs and defined pop music as it was just two years ago.

12. 2face Idibia – “Unstoppable” (International Edition, 2010)

“The Unstoppable” International Edition is the fourth studio album of 2face Idibia, an intervention album after it’s precursor “The Unstoppable” had flopped. The third studio album by the Nigerian R&amp;B artist was  released in 2008, through his label Hypertek Entertainment. The album was produced by J Sleek, Jiggy Jegg, Mic Tunes, Ozzy, Spanky with one track ‘Flex’ produced by R Kelly and featuring him on the track.

The release of the original album was marred with a number of delays and difficulties and relatively poor reviews as actual sales of the album in comparison to the initial two solo albums Face 2 Face and Grass 2 Grace were below expectations. 2face Idibia went on to release a new fourth album called The Unstoppable International Edition that contained some of the materials of the album with some other added tracks.

11. Faze – “Independent” (2006)

After the split of Plantashun Boiz, the group made their solo careers a priority, with 2face Idibia getting ahead. But for a time, the distance between them was cut short with this phenomenal effort by Faze. The production of the album featured some old producers who worked on his first, including OJB Jezreel, Cobhams Asuquo, Paul Runz. The album included ID Cabasa, Spankie,Mr Daz and Ja mix to Faze's list of producer with whom he had worked with. Recording and Mixing engineers include Dr. Fabriz, Jamix, Clement, Jegg and Issac Effien. Singles off the LP include ‘Kpo kpo di kpo’, ‘Letter to my brother’, ‘Tattoo Girls’, ‘Kolomental’.

10. Wizkid – Superstar

These days Wizkid is on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, sitting side by side with Drake, and looking fly on the covers of international magazines. The foundation of his success is a classic Nigerian album released in 2011. “Superstar” is the debut studio album by the Nigerian recording artist, released by Empire Mates Entertainment on June 12, 2011. The album's production was handled by Samklef, E-Kelly, Jay Sleek, Shizzi, DJ Klem, Masterkraft, Q-Beats, Banky W, and Vebee. It features guest appearances from Wande Coal, D'Prince, Banky W and Skales.

9. Plantashun Boiz – “Body &amp; Soul” (2000)

Another pop group comes in at the 9 spot, with the trio of stars that later went on to be 2face Idibia, Blackface, and Faze combining exquisitely to create some of the best songs to come out of Nigeria in their era. Speaking of influential pop groups in contemporary music in Nigeria, none can stand taller than Plantashun Boyz made up of Black Face, 2Face, and Faze.

Plantashun Boyz (minus Faze) first appeared on the radar on Toni Tetuila's historic song 'Omode Meta'. Shortly after they released their unique brand of R&amp;B music.

After teasing us with songs off their album, the released their debut project 'Body and Soul' in the year 2000, marking a turn in Nigeria's pop scene as a new millennium kicked off. 'Body and Soul' is still a strong body of work that is relevant in today's climate. Fresh, innovative, and genius, this album marked a new beginning in the Nigerian music industry.

8. Styl-Plus – “Expressions” (2006)

Nigerian pop history will never be documented without a mention of the amazing boy-band, Styl-Plus, who used romance as a weapon of mass delight. From all corners of Nigeria, the love flowed as they released singles ‘Imagine that’, and ‘Iyaba Sera’. The group was later disbanded by death, and internal differences, but while they thrived, Nigeria loved.

7. Mo ‘Hits All Stars – “Curriculum Vitae” (2007)

The year was 2007 and the Mo ‘Hits crew were just beginning to come into their own as Nigeria’s best record label. D’banj was warming up for his 2008 release, but not before the group came out with the compilation album “Curriculum Vitae”. Featuring all the artistes signed to the defunct powerhouse, it housed the talents of D’banj, Don Jazzy, Dr Sid, Wande Coal, D’Prince, Kayswitch. It marked time in history as that moment when the ruling crew asserted their choke hold on the windpipe of pop culture, and Nigeria loved them for it.

6. Psquare – “Game Over” (2007)

“Game Over” is the third studio album by Nigerian duo Psquare. It was released in 2007 and reportedly sold over 1 million copies in the first six days of its release, setting a record in the Nigerian music industry. Furthermore, the album has sold over 8 million copies. On May 1, 2007, the album was released on iTunes. The first single from the album was ‘Do Me’.  The duo who made music videos a hiuge commercial and entertaining marketing tool ‘No One Like You’, ‘Roll It’, ‘More Than A Friend’ and ‘Ifunanya’. However, the most successful single was ‘No One Like You’ which stayed at number 1 on the charts for almost 4 weeks until it was knocked down to number 2 by Mo Hits All Stars' ‘Pere’.

5. 9ice – “Gongo Aso” (2008)

While D’banj was serenading Africa with his brand of uber-entertainer skills, there was a man named 9ice, who waxed hot in the same year, thanks to his classic record “Gongo Aso”. The LP was produced by prolific music maker, ID Cabasa, and still contains the best works of 9ice, ever. This album contained the evergreen singles ‘Photocopy’ and ‘Street Credibility’. Nigeria had fully caught on to the fast-tempo vibe, and 9ice had enough in his tank to fire through the clubs with ‘Gongo Aso’ and ‘Party Rider’.

4. D’banj – “The Entertainer” (2008)

D’banj’s relevance today can be ascribed unto his great celebrity marketing techniques. But away from that, there would be no D’banj if he had not provided Nigerian music with one of her best moments in history with “The Entertainer” LP. This is the third studio album by the Nigerian Afrobeat recording artist, released in 2008. Production on the album was handled by Don Jazzy. It features guest appearances from Wande Coal, Special Kid, and Kayswitch 'D Produkt’. It was supported by seven singles —‘Fall in Love’, ‘Gbono Feli Feli’, ‘Suddenly’, ‘Kimon’, ‘Igwe’, ‘Olorun Maje’, and ‘Entertainer’. The album was named in reference to D'banj's skill as an entertainer, and engrained in the minds of his fans. The album was a commercial success due largely to radio airplay, distribution, and marketing strategies. “The Entertainer” and “Mushin 2 Mo’Hits” are the greatest albums by Don Jazzy.

3. Wande Coal – “Mushin 2 Mo’Hits” (2009)

While 2face put Nigeria on the map, Wande Coal’s genius recreated the pop music that we now understand, preach, sing and dance to. Wande’s creation of an album that married focus on vocal dexterity to club bangers is the blueprint upon which today’s acts drew inspiration from. Featuring production from a Don Jazzy who was creating magic with Mo’Hits Records, the LP boasts of several hits including ‘Bumper to Bumper’, ‘Se Ope’, ‘You bad’, ‘Se na like this’, and many more.

2. 2face Idibia – <a href="" id="74835552-2366-5ae1-9a9f-9a2f7d8d9a49">“Face 2 Face”</a> (2004)

The King of Nigerian pop music broke ground, broke ice, and brokeconvention with this work reported to have sold over 2 million copies. Two years before he dropped trhe all-time classic “Grass 2 Grace”, the singer had just gone through the Plantashun Boiz split, where as a solo act he relaunched his career with this album. Popular tracks on the album include the timeless ‘African Queen’, ‘U no holy pass’, ‘Nfana Ibanga’ and ‘Ole’.

1. 2face Idibia – “Grass 2 Grace” (2006)

Released in December 2006, “Grass 2 Grace” had 2face Idibia at his finest, with an album which defined Nigerian pop culture, and laid the frame work for the pop music inclinations of the Nigerian people. The album sold over a million copies in its first week of release and won him numerous awards including the MOBO award in 2007. Popular hits on the work include ‘See me so’, ‘True love’, ‘If love is a crime’, ‘For Instance’.

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Best 15 Nigerian Pop albums ever released, from 1999 - 2016

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