Jaywon Slams Billboard Over ‘This Year’ Cultural Impact
Jaywon says ‘This Year’ has more cultural impact than songs on Billboard’s Afrobeats list, accusing artists of copying its vibe for years
Jaywon This Year cultural impact has sparked fresh controversy after the singer publicly criticized Billboard for excluding the song from its Top 50 Best Afrobeats Songs of All-Time list.
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Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, the Nigerian singer—real name Oluwajuwonlo Iledare—argued that no track on the list has had as many viral moments or long-lasting cultural relevance as his 2012 classic, This Year.
“‘This Year’ by Jaywon had more viral moments and cultural impact than some tracks Billboard decided to rank,” he wrote.
Jaywon pointed out that more than a decade after its release, the song is still widely used across celebratory events and spiritual moments, especially around New Year festivities.
He further claimed that both gospel and Afrobeats artists continue to copy the template of the song’s unique vibe year after year.
“Trending since 2012 and still going strong. Tell me, who else has pulled that off?” he asked rhetorically.
“Year after year, both gospel and Afrobeats acts copy the same vibe, yet we remain unshaken.”
The singer didn’t hold back, dismissing Billboard’s list as biased and overlooking deeply rooted cultural influence in favor of mainstream metrics.
“Cry harder, I said it before, and I’ll say it again… No song on that list has more cultural impact than This Year by Jaywon!”
The Billboard Top 5 Best Afrobeats Songs include:
- African Queen– 2Baba
- Ojuelegba– Wizkid
- Nwa Baby– Flavour
- Calm Down– Rema
- Love Nwantiti– CKay
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While many fans praised Billboard’s effort to recognize Afrobeats globally, Jaywon’s passionate post has reopened debates about longevity, seasonal relevance, and cultural footprint in Nigerian music.
