Afrobeats singer Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman, popularly known as Oxlade, has called on fellow Nigerian artistes to extend the duration of their songs, pushing for a return to the era of lengthier tracks.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, the singer wrote:
“Bring back 5 minutes songs.”
The brief post quickly sparked debate among music lovers and industry insiders, many of whom agreed with Oxlade’s sentiments, while others defended the dominance of shorter tracks in today’s streaming-driven music landscape.
In recent years, Nigerian mainstream music has increasingly favoured brevity, with most Afrobeats hits clocking in at around two to three minutes. This trend has been widely attributed to streaming platforms, where shorter songs often rack up more plays and, by extension, higher revenue.
Industry watchers note that the movement toward shorter tracks began gaining momentum when superstars like Wizkid and Mr Eazi started experimenting with minimalistic, catchy songs that rarely crossed the four-minute mark.
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The approach soon caught on, especially among newcomers such as Rema, Joeboy, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr, Fireboy DML, and others who debuted between 2019 and 2021.
Oxlade himself was not left out of the wave. His breakout global hit, “Kulosa” (2022), runs for just 2 minutes and 31 seconds, yet went on to dominate charts and social media platforms worldwide, particularly after gaining traction on TikTok.
In contrast, South Africa’s Amapiano scene has gone in the opposite direction. Many Amapiano records stretch between seven and ten minutes, with long instrumentals, layered beats, and extended grooves designed for clubs and parties. The popularity of such songs has raised questions about why Nigerian Afrobeats has leaned towards brevity despite both genres enjoying global success.
Some fans responding to Oxlade’s post argued that Afrobeats could learn from Amapiano’s immersive style, noting that longer songs allow artistes to showcase greater storytelling, vocal dexterity, and instrumental richness.
The debate highlights an ongoing tension in the music industry: balancing artistic expression with commercial strategy.
For artistes, longer songs offer room for experimentation, lyrical depth, and sonic exploration. But for record labels and streaming-focused artistes, shorter tracks guarantee more streams and quick listener engagement, especially on platforms like TikTok and Spotify.
By advocating for the return of five-minute songs, Oxlade is reminding his colleagues of a time when Nigerian music thrived on longer, more detailed compositions. His call could inspire some artistes to revisit the format, blending today’s global Afrobeats appeal with the richness of older song structures.
Whether or not the industry will embrace his suggestion remains to be seen. But his post has already succeeded in sparking a wider conversation about the future direction of Afrobeats and the balance between artistry and streaming success.
