Camidoh and Black Sherif dominate The Sound of Ghana 2023 charts

In an ever-evolving music industry, Ghanaian artistes are redefining success by prioritising fan engagement over mere numbers.

According to the latest report from The Sound of Ghana, an annual music analytics report by Zach Levi & Associates (ZLA), Camidoh's "Sugarcane Remix" featuring Mayorkun, King Promise, and Darkoo, has claimed the top spot with a staggering 87.9 million YouTube views. 

However, Black Sherif's Kwaku the Traveller made a surprising leap from fourth to second place when engagement metrics such as comments, likes, and replies were factored in.

The report evaluates Ghanaian music videos through a dual framework, that is how many times they've been viewed, plus how much people are engaging with them (likes, comments, etc.)

The views-only list is led by Camidoh's "Sugarcane Remix," followed by Amaarae's "Sad Girlz Luv Money Remix" and two gospel songs, Nacee's "Aseda" and Piesie Esther's "Wayε Me Yie."

 The ZLA Music Video Index, which accounts for both views and engagement, reveals a different story, with Black Sherif's "Kwaku the Traveller" climbing to second place and Amaarae's remix dropping to fourth.

The report also features a relative search interest framework, highlighting Nigeria as the country with the highest search interest in Ghanaian artistes.

 However, Amaarae and Gyakie have achieved significant search interest beyond Africa. 

In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Head of Solutions at Zach Levi & Associates, Michael Etrue explained that the findings emphasise engagement is the new currency of success.

“The ZLA Music Video Score Index demonstrates that views alone don’t tell the whole story. Engagement is the new currency of success, and the artistes who understand this are the ones who will thrive in the long run. 

“For artistes, managers, and marketers, these insights could guide them in crafting a hit that resonates within and far beyond the borders of Ghana,” he stated.

See the chart below for details