The release of the 2025 Grammy Awards nominations has sparked heated reactions across Ghana’s social media space, as many Ghanaians expressed outrage over the apparent dominance of Nigerian artists in the African music categories.
The Recording Academy’s recently unveiled list saw top Nigerian stars such as Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Ayra Starr, and Rema securing multiple nominations — while Ghanaian acts were noticeably missing.
On X (formerly Twitter), several Ghanaian music lovers questioned the selection process, with one user writing, “Are Nigerians the only Africans making music? The Grammys act like we don’t exist.” Others accused the Academy of overlooking Ghana’s rich contribution to Afrobeats, Highlife, and Amapiano collaborations in favour of Nigeria’s global music influence.
Music analysts, however, argue that the nominations reflect global streaming power, consistency, and visibility, areas where Nigerian artists have maintained a strong lead in recent years.
Still, the debate has reignited long-standing conversations about regional bias, music export strategy, and industry investment within Africa’s entertainment scene.
While Ghanaian stars like Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, and Black Sherif have earned international recognition in the past, none made the final Grammy cut this year — a development many fans describe as “disheartening but motivating.”
