Sauti Sol's 'Nishike' is Kenya’s top music video of the year

YouTube has today announced the top watched videos by Kenyans in 2014. YouTube Rewind reveals popular videos created, uploaded and watched on YouTube, bringing new revelations on videos that captured attention of Kenyans from January to December 2014.

Nishike song by Sauti Sol was the top music video of the year. The second top music video was Tam Tam remixx by Willy Paul, a song featuring Size 8 while Sauti Sol’s Sura Yako song featuring Sarakasi Dancers came third.

Other music videos that made to the top ten are: Kookoo, a song by Elani;  Kioo, a song by Jaguar; Barua by Bahati and Elani’s Milele song. Mfalme Wa Mapenzi by Sanaipei, Kitanzi by Willy Paul & Gloria Muliro and Prokoto song by Victoria Kimani featuring Ommy Dimpoz, Diamond Platnumz were also on the list.

When advertisers create videos that tell great stories, viewers stay hooked to them. 2014 reflected this same trend as Open Your Eyes Kenya, an advert by Safaricom Foundation emerged the most watched video of the year. This was the Foundation’s CSR initiative aimed at empowering over 300,000 Kenyans who are visually impaired. For each view the video got, the Foundation matched it with financial contribution.

The World is Ours, Coca-Cola's 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Anthem took the second position as did Coca-Cola Fans United, an advert by Coca-Cola CEWA (Central East and West Africa) as part of their sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup campaign that embarked on a series of campaigns including Copa where they took over 20 underprivileged boys from Sub-Saharan Africa to experience the World Cup in Brazil. Barclays Africa kept viewers with their campaign, “What does to Prosper mean to you? Airtel Africa, keen on identifying and encouraging the growth of musical talent in Africa pushed viewers to their video AirtelTRACE. They partnered with Akon, a musical legend from the USA, who agreed to mentor one rising star from Africa.  

Makri ya Injili, an investigative feature by KTN’s Jicho Pevu about Victor Kanyari, a pastor at the Salvation Healing Ministry Church who was allegedly faking miracles drew many people to his story on YouTube. Vera Sidika’s interview on The Trend by NTV caught attention of Kenyans who wanted to learn more about the socialite’s life style.  The love tale of an Asian lady who defied her parents order to marry a Bukusu man that led to the creation of #MyBukusuDarling on social media was among the top ten in this list of most watched videos.  

Top 10 videos

1. Open Your Eyes Kenya
2. The World is Ours (Africa version): Coca-Cola's 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Anthem
3. Coca-Cola Fans United
4. Makri ya Injili
5. Barclays Africa | What does to Prosper mean to you? #ProsperAfrica
6. #theTrend: Socialite Vera Sidika's new look
7. Airtel TRACE Star
8. My Bukusu Darling: Asian lady defies parents and strict traditions for love found in a Bukusu man
9. First lady runs into Uhuru’s arms
10. Mwanaharakati asimulia yaliyotendeka Raila akiwa ng'ambo

When it comes to music, gospel artists also took a fair share in the list as seen from top music videos where Willy Paul and his collabos with Size 8 and Gloria Muliro featured in top 10.

Top 10 music videos

1. Sauti Sol - NISHIKE (TOUCH ME) Official Music Video
2. Willy Paul feat. Size 8 - Tam Tam Remix (Official Video)(@willypaulbongo)
3. Sauti Sol - SURA YAKO Official LIPALA Dance Instructional Video feat. Sarakasi Dancers
4. Elani - Kookoo [@elanimuziki]
5. Jaguar Kioo (Official Video) Main Switch
6. Bahati - Barua (Official Video)
7. Elani - Milele [@elanimuziki]
8. Mfalme Wa Mapenzi -Sanaipei OFFICIAL ULTRA HD VIDEO
9. Kitanzi - Willy Paul & Gloria Muliro [GloriaMuliroTV]
10. Victoria Kimani - Prokoto (Official Video) ft. Ommy Dimpoz, Diamond Platnumz

This year, the Kenya YouTube Rewind list represents the amazing variety of creativity brought to YouTube each day, which can include social commentaries, pranks, advertisements, and thrilling moments from traditional media and big names on YouTube.

YouTube is the world’s largest video platform with more than one billion monthly users.

Check out our YouTube Rewind channel for more top lists of the year from around the world, and look out for google.com/yearinsearch next week for Google's annual look at the people, places and events that captured the world's attention this year.