Since 2024, African music has had its own Grammy category, and South African singer Tyla has already won it twice. TransAfrica Sounds is an independent online magazine covering that music and the scenes behind it, from Lagos Afrobeats and Johannesburg Amapiano to the sounds coming out of Accra, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa and further afield. It covers artists, songs, charts and awards for readers who want to know what is moving across the continent and why.
Key takeaways
- TransAfrica Sounds is an independent music magazine. It is not a radio station.
- It has no connection with TransAfrica Radio, the Johannesburg online station that used this web address until 2023.
- A small, independent team writes every article, published under the byline “TransAfrica Sounds editors”.
- The site is free to read and does not sell links, sponsored posts or coverage.
- You can reach the editors at contact@transafricaradio.net.
What TransAfrica Sounds Is (and Isn’t)
TransAfrica Sounds is a music website. It is not a radio station. The site has no connection with TransAfrica Radio or with any other station, broadcaster or record label.
The site does not broadcast, stream live programmes or run any on-air service. The word “radio” in the web address comes from the address’s history, which is explained below. It does not mean the site runs a station. Every article here is independent editorial work by the TransAfrica Sounds editors.
If you came looking for a specific station or a live stream, contact that broadcaster directly. If you came to read about African music, you are on the right site.
Myth
Because the address is transafricaradio.net, many visitors assume this is still an online radio station. It is not. The station that once used this address closed under its earlier owners, and TransAfrica Sounds is a separate, independent magazine that has never broadcast.
History of This Address
From about 2014 to 2023, transafricaradio.net was the website of TransAfrica Radio, an online station based in Johannesburg, run by earlier owners. That site is closed.
TransAfrica Sounds is a new site that launched on this address in 2026. It has no connection with the earlier site, its owners or its authors, and it does not speak for them. Questions about the old station’s programmes, presenters or archives cannot be answered here.
Readers still search for some articles that were published at this address in the past. A few of them were kept, checked and updated so the information in them is accurate today. Each one keeps its original publish date, so you can see when it first appeared. Any material change is made openly rather than presented as if it were new.
Who Runs the Site
TransAfrica Sounds is run by a small, independent editorial team: the TransAfrica Sounds editors. The site is not owned or directed by a label, station, broadcaster, promoter or management company.
Every article carries the byline “TransAfrica Sounds editors”. That byline means the whole team is responsible for each piece. It is researched, written, checked and corrected to the same standard, whatever the topic.
The Sounds Covered
African music is too broad for one label, so each scene gets its own attention.
- Afrobeats. The pop-led sound from Nigeria and Ghana that now fills arenas worldwide. Coverage keeps today’s Afrobeats separate from Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, its older and more political namesake.
- Amapiano and South African sounds. Amapiano is the log drum-heavy offshoot of house that grew out of the townships of Gauteng and became one of the continent’s biggest exports. Gqom from Durban, Afro house and the wider South African scene are covered alongside it.
- East African music. Bongo Flava from Tanzania, Gengetone and the wider Kenyan scene, Ugandan pop and dancehall, and the artists taking these styles to new audiences.
- West African music beyond Afrobeats. Highlife, alté, Afro-fusion, Ghanaian drill and coupé-décalé from Côte d’Ivoire.
- Other African sounds. Kuduro, ndombolo, Afro-gospel and many regional styles that rarely get in-depth coverage elsewhere.
Artist Profiles
Artist profiles explain who an artist is, where they come from and how their sound developed. They cover breakout records, important collaborations, label moves, career milestones and the context behind the artist’s place in the scene.
Profiles cover established stars and newer names. The next big record often comes from someone most listeners have not heard of yet.
Songs and Lyrics
Much African music mixes English with Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, Zulu, Swahili, Twi, Lingala and other languages, often in a single verse. Song coverage explains what a track is saying, the slang and references in it, who made it and how listeners received it.
Lines in other languages are explained in plain English, and only a few words of any lyric are quoted. For non-native speakers, that context is often what is missing.
Charts and Awards
Charts and awards are where African music’s reach is easiest to measure, so they get regular, structured coverage. Positions, weeks and categories are always tied to a named chart or ceremony.
Weekly Chart Recaps
Every week, the recaps cover movement on the charts that track African music. These include Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, launched in March 2022, the UK Official Afrobeats Chart, introduced by the Official Charts Company in July 2020, and Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 100.
Each recap opens with a table of positions, songs, artists and movement. The storylines follow: new entries, big climbs, long-running hits and records starting to cross over.
Award-Season Hubs
During award season, dedicated hubs collect nominations, winners and reactions in one place, set out as tables by category. They cover continental and national ceremonies such as the Headies, AFRIMA and the South African Music Awards, as well as global moments such as the Grammys’ Best African Music Performance category.
Did you know?
According to the Recording Academy, Tyla won Best African Music Performance at the 68th Grammy Awards on 1 February 2026 for “PUSH 2 START”. She had also won the category’s first award in 2024 for “Water”, and Tems won in between, in 2025, with “Love Me JeJe”.
Music Culture and News
Dance crazes, fashion, festivals, producers, DJs, streaming trends and the conversations around releases all shape African music. That culture is covered alongside the news: album announcements, tours, collaborations, industry changes and the stories behind them.
News coverage reports what happened and stays out of feuds. Disputes between artists are reported only from their own public statements and reputable outlets, without speculation or point-scoring.
How Content Is Checked
Facts are checked against primary and reputable sources before publication. These include artists’ and labels’ official announcements, award organisers, chart publishers, and established African and international music outlets.
The editors follow a few simple standards:
- Confirmed news is reported as confirmed. Rumours and unverified claims are clearly labelled, and the source is described honestly, including how reliable its record is.
- Credit goes where it belongs. Artists, producers and songwriters are named wherever possible.
- Figures are handled with care. Chart positions name the chart and the week. Award results name the category and the year. Estimates such as net worth are explained, including where they come from, so you can judge them yourself.
- Out-of-date information is marked or corrected. Charts move every week and careers change quickly, so older pages are reviewed and updated.
- Mistakes are corrected openly. When something is wrong, the article is fixed and the correction is not hidden.
- The coverage belongs to the site. No label, station, broadcaster or promoter decides what gets written.
Spot an error?
Email the editors with the page title and the detail that needs fixing. A link to an official announcement or chart page makes the correction faster.
How the Site Makes Money
TransAfrica Sounds is free to read. Once the site reaches about 5,000 visits a month, it will show display ads to cover hosting and other running costs.
The site does not sell links, does not accept guest posts or sponsored articles, and takes no payment for coverage. Artists, labels and PR teams can send news, but sending news does not guarantee coverage or affect how a release is written about.
Who This Site Is For
TransAfrica Sounds is for listeners who already love African music and want deeper coverage. It is also for newcomers who heard a song on a playlist and want to know where it came from. Readers following the charts and award races will find the key details here, laid out clearly and checked.
Contact the Editors
The editors can be reached at contact@transafricaradio.net or through the contact page. Use either for corrections, news tips and general questions. Please note that the editors cannot answer questions about the former TransAfrica Radio station, its presenters or its broadcasts.
A New, Independent Voice
TransAfrica Sounds is a new magazine, building its coverage one scene, one artist and one song at a time. African music moves quickly, and the editors aim to keep up with it accurately. If a scene, artist or chart deserves more attention, email the editors.
