Song of the Year debate rages on as claims of who was number one keep emerging [VIDEO]

We might be five days into the New Year but the debate around the 2024 Song of the Year rages on.

There was simply no outright winner of the Song of the Year in 2024 as at least four songs dominated the country’s biggest radio stations and regions of the country.

Mthandeni “SK” Manqele’s song Gucci, Kharishma’s Chockslam, Sol Phenduka’s Diqabang and Biri Marung by Mr Pilato are the four that many have made a case for.

Veteran DJ and music producer DJ Cleo was one of those who made a case for the latter.

ALSO READ: No outright winner of SA’s 2024 song of the year

Cleo’s advocacy for Biri Marung

Cleo has a show on national station Radio 2000, The Eskhaleni Party every Friday night.

He was hosting a New Year’s Eve edition on Tuesday night where he did a countdown live on air.

“I had to be strategic about how do I lay out my show,” said Cleo in an interview with Newzroom Afrika

“I just went straight to o’clock, we did the countdown, we had a live event so I went on stage and we were also broadcasting it. But I had set the producer to play Biri Marung at o’clock,” he averred.

“As a travelling DJ, Biri Marung is in Setswana and Sesotho, with a little bit of Zulu. And I travel to KZN and I see the impact it’s got in that region and automatically, you know it’s [a] contender.”

The song was nowhere to be found on KZN’s biggest radio stations, Ukhozi FM and Gagasi FM.

Manqele’s Gucci took the title on the former with BlaQ Major’s Sdakiwe Sbali being named the best on Gagasi.

“Biri Marung had a bigger impact, nationwide and internationally,” said Cleo who mentioned that the song found favour in countries such as Nigeria and Congo.

There is some truth to this as a video of former Liberian President and only African player to win a Ballon d’Or George Weah dancing to the song during his New Year celebrations has been doing the rounds on social media.

Liberia's former President George Weah celebrating the New Year with his dance steps. pic.twitter.com/Mzzm8mu1Lm

— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) January 4, 2025

“We are in an era where Amapiano has polarized the entertainment industry, so much that there’s no variety in terms of music,” said Cleo.

Radio 2000’s sister-station Metro FM was the other broadcaster that gave Biri Marung the number one title on New Year’s Eve.

ALSO READ: How South African celebrities ushered in 2025 [VIDEO]

Sol steadfast on Diqabang

Sol Phenduka’s Diqabang was ranked as the song of the year only on Lesedi FM, and others felt the song should’ve been the outright winner even on other stations.

The Kaya FM on-air personality went on to share stats from Radiomonitor which observers the music played on radio and TV in more than 120 countries.

Number 1 . Nationally pic.twitter.com/ay2rS2cbo9

— Thandubuntu Solomzi (@Solphendukaa) January 4, 2025

Sol shared that Diqabang was the most played on all South African radio stations from Friday December 27 2024 to 2 January 2025

The song was released in May 2024.

ALSO READ: The SABC stands behind Sbongi Ngcobo as Ukhozi’s song of the year drama drags on

Music consumption

Things are not as they were two decades ago when Malaika’s hit song Destiny was the undisputed crossover track in South Africa.

The disparity in how people consume music now compared to 20 years ago has an impact on the ubiquity of a track because people are spoilt for choice from streaming platforms and less dependent on radio stations.

Destiny topped radio charts across South Africa and was considered a landmark in the country’s music history in 2004, selling more than 350,000 units of Malaika’s debut album which went seven times platinum.

Today one can’t judge impact solely based on radio numbers. Countless people didn’t bother switching on the radio but opted to stream their favourite songs and blast them from their Bluetooth speakers when the clock hit midnight.

Some of the ditties that were racing from sound systems that haven’t been mentioned include Mr Vee Sholo’s Abantu Bam, Spirit of Praise’s Bamba Mzalwane, Ndisize by Caiiro featuring Ami Faku, and Ulele by Heavy-K

NOW READ: Food content creator Seth Shezi pips Dineo Ranaka to Celebrity MasterChef title