Every Davido’s First Single of the Year and How They Performed on the Official Singles Chart
Davido is set to release his first single of 2026 and, as anticipation builds around its performance, the charts it could top and the milestones it could achieve, it's worth revisiting how the artiste’s first official releases of the year have performed since the inception of the TurnTable Charts.
FEM in 2020
In 2020, during the early days of the official singles chart (called TurnTable Top 50), Davido released "FEM." The record quickly gained momentum amid the #EndSARS protests and became one of the defining songs of that period. "FEM” eventually reached No. 1 on the official singles chart, becoming Davido’s first No. 1 entry on the chart. Nearly six years later, it remains one of Davido's most impactful releases, having accumulated 30.3 million on-demand streams and earned a 2x Platinum certification.
“CHAMPION SOUND” in 2021
The following year, Davido joined forces with South African rapper, Focalistic on "Champion Sound." The record spent 21 weeks on the chart after debuting at No. 9 and peaking at No. 8. It has a total of 19.7 million on-demand streams and is Platinum-certified.
“Stand Strong” in 2022
In 2022, Davido returned with "Stand Strong," featuring The Samples, the American choir founded by Kanye West. The inspirational music debuted and peaked at No. 6, spending 21 weeks on the Official Top 100 chart. Despite its more reflective tone, the song resonated strongly with listeners, generating 16.7 million on-demand streams and earning Platinum status.
‘TIMELESS’ in 2023
Following a brief hiatus, Davido made one of the most anticipated comebacks in Nigerian music history with 'Timeless' in 2023. Leading the charge was "NO COMPETITION" featuring Asake, which debuted atop the Official Nigeria Top 100 and remained on the chart for 24 weeks. It was Davido’s first No. 1 entry as a lead artiste in almost three years at the time. The collaboration has since amassed over 32 million on-demand streams and secured a 2x Platinum certification, making it yet another standout record in Davido’s discography.
Released alongside it was "UNAVAILABLE", featuring Musa Keys, a record that would eventually become one of the biggest hits of Davido's career. The song debuted at No. 3 before climbing to No. 2 and spending an impressive 46 weeks on the chart. Its commercial impact has been equally remarkable, with over 53 million on-demand streams and a 3x Platinum certification. 'Timeless' subsequently became the first album in TurnTable Charts history to debut with eight songs in the Top 10 of the Official Top 100, a record later broken by Asake's 'M$NEY', which launched with nine Top 10 entries.
“AWUKE” in 2024
Davido's first release of 2024, "Awuke" featuring Jamaican singer-songwriter YG Marley, continued his streak of strong openings. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Official Singles chart and logged a total of 25 weeks. It has since accumulated 28 million on-demand streams and achieved Platinum certification.
“Be There Still” in 2025
For his first official single of 2025, he partnered with South African DJ and producer DJ Maphorisa on the "Be There Still" track. The collaboration debuted and peaked at No. 2 while spending 24 weeks on the Official Top 100 chart. It is important to note that Maphorisa is not credited on the track on any streaming platform.
An interesting trend emerges from these releases. Since the launch of the TurnTable Charts, every one of Davido's first singles of the year has debuted inside the Top 10, while three have opened directly at No. 1. Notably, all have featured guest artistes except for “Be There Still” and "FEM," which remains Davido’s only solo No. 1 entry in Nigeria.
Another interesting trend that has emerged is that all of these records have featured an international artiste or group since the solo release of “FEM” in 2020.
With a new release now on the horizon, Davido's history suggests that expectations are justified and backed by precedent.
