8 African Snubs: Tracks That Deserved a 2026 Grammy Nod

The Grammys have come a long way with African music. The introduction of Best African Music Performance alone was a major step forward, finally giving the continent its own space on music’s biggest global stage. Still, every awards season comes with the same conversation. The feeling that something important was skipped on, because winning a Grammy and defining a year are not always the same thing.

Across Africa, music goes far beyond charts and streaming milestones. Songs soundtrack our Decembers, spill into protests, dominate street corners, power TikTok trends, and influence what the world listens to next. This year, several of those songs never heard their names called when the nominations dropped.

These are eight African songs that, Grammy or not, defined moments, moods, and movements and deserved a seat at the table.

Shallipopi’s rise has been one of the most fascinating stories in Nigerian music, and Laho sits at the centre of it. The song is built on minimalist production and a talk-singing flow that is very local. There’s no overproduction, no forced hook. Just vibe.

While award bodies often lean toward polished-for-perfection songs, Laho thrived on authenticity. It captured the raw, unfiltered sound of Lagos and Benin City streets and went on to dominate TikTok globally in 2025.

The remix turned a viral dance record into a global phenomenon, climbing the Billboard Global 200, landing on Spotify and TikTok’s Songs of Summer lists, and racking up hundreds of millions of streams and views. It also made Moliy the first Ghanaian artist to perform at the BET Awards.

The only thing that stopped it from getting nominated was a technical rule around remixes, which was quite heartbreaking.

Amapiano is often boxed as club music, but Uzizwa Kanjani is different. This is the genre’s softer, more refined side. 

MaWhoo’s performance is stunning and controlled, showing just how sophisticated African electronic music can be when it’s allowed to. If the Grammys are interested in honouring artistry, not just virality, this song made a strong case.

Ayra Starr had a massive year globally, and Hot Body felt like a natural extension of that momentum. The song is confident, catchy, and self-assured, exactly the kind of record the Best African Music Performance category was created for.

Released in July 2025, it grew steadily, caught fire across the rest of the year, and even found its way into her Coldplay tour performances. It represents a new generation of African pop stars owning their sound without watering it down.

This track became a viral favourite, and beyond its high numbers, trends, and streams, it’s a well-written Afro-fusion ballad that leans into simplicity and sincerity. Those are qualities the Grammys often celebrate, which makes the song’s absence even more noticeable.

Gyakie has always carried a deep sense of musical identity, and Sankofa feels like her most intentional work yet. Drawing from Highlife traditions while sounding modern, the song lives up to its name: looking back to move forward.

The Grammys have historically rewarded music that honours heritage while pushing sound forward. Sankofa did exactly that and would have been a powerful acknowledgement of Ghanaian musical excellence.

This remix brought life to the song. Omah Lay’s moody sound and Tems’ unmistakable vocal presence turn Isaka II (6 am) into something even more interesting.

It thrived on TikTok, sparked trends, and showed how far African music can go across countries and genres.

Street-hop has always been difficult for award bodies to categorise, but Hey Jago was impossible to ignore. Driven by Poco Lee’s cultural influence, the song became a movement.

High-energy, rhythmic, and deeply rooted in street culture, it captured what African performance music really looks like when people are involved, not just playlists.

To be clear, the songs that did receive nominations, like Burna Boy’s Love, Davido and Omah Lay’s With You, and Tyla’s PUSH 2 START, earned their places. This isn’t about taking anything away.

It’s simply about recognising that African music is vast, layered, and constantly evolving. Sometimes the most important songs don’t fit neatly into award criteria, but they still define the year. Perhaps they need to create more categories.

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