Bien-Aimé Baraza and Ali Kiba have achieved a major milestone after their collaborative hit Finale emerged as the most-watched new African music video on YouTube in 2026.
Released in late March, the song’s official music video has amassed 44 million views, making it the biggest new African music release on the platform this year.
The achievement places the Kenya-Tanzania collaboration ahead of some of the continent’s biggest artists, underscoring East Africa’s growing influence in the African music industry.
‘Finale’ Opens Massive Lead
According to YouTube data tracking new African music releases, Finale has built a commanding lead over its closest competitors.
The video sits well ahead of Diamond Platnumz‘s Happy, which ranks second with 17 million views, while fellow Tanzanian star Harmonize occupies third place with Wewe, which has garnered 16 million views.
The rankings further highlight East Africa’s strong presence on the continent’s digital music scene, with artists from Kenya and Tanzania dominating the top positions.
Top African Music Videos of 2026
The list also reflects the diversity of African music, featuring Bongo Flava, Afropop, Amapiano and Congolese rumba among the year’s biggest releases.
South African artist DJ Smallz ranks fourth with Uncool MC, which has attracted 15 million views, while Diamond Platnumz makes a second appearance in fifth place with Joy, which has reached 14 million views.
Nigerian stars Asake and Wizkid follow with Turbulence, which has accumulated 13 million views.
The current top 10 most-watched new African music videos on YouTube in 2026 are:
- Bien & Alikiba – Finale – 44 million views
- Diamond Platnumz – Happy – 17 million views
- Harmonize – Wewe – 16 million views
- DJ Smallz – Uncool MC – 15 million views
- Diamond Platnumz – Joy – 14 million views
- Asake & Wizkid – Turbulence – 13 million views
- D Voice featuring Zuchu – Baridi – 12 million views
- Asake & DJ Snake – Worship – 11 million views
- 032Choppa, Ai Xapo & Benzoo – Fast Fast – 11 million views
- Fally Ipupa – Doucement – 11 million views
The latest rankings underscore the continued rise of East African music on global streaming platforms, with Finale setting the pace as the continent’s most-viewed new music video of the year.