by Ranga Mberi
First, this list is not fact. Any list will be subjective in the absence of fact-based criteria like sales or streams (which have only become a thing recently). Record sales count only for 90s musicians. But even then, distorted. Each musician’s entry in the list has my brief “why”.
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20 Paul Matavire
Paul Matavire
With the sharpest wit in the business, Matavire used humour to poke at even our most sacred issues.
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19 Don Gumbo
Quality bassman, singer, and leader of the group Ilanga.
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18 Chiwoniso Maraire
Chi, as she was known, brought the mbira into mainstream Zim music. It was because of Chi that many urban, young, female singers took up the instrument.
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16 Solomon Skuza
Patriarch of “Kalanga sungura”, a fast-paced sub-genre which still endures today with the likes of Ndolwane and Mokis Connection. He swung seamlessly from “Banolila” to reggae with the release of his politically charged 1990 reggae album “Love and Scandals”.
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16 Jonah Moyo
Leader of the legendary Devera Ngwena Jazz Band, one of the most successful outfits.
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15 Lovemore Majaivana
With his booming voice, high-energy stage work, his jerry-curl afro, and a long stream of hits, “MaGee” is one of the true greats.
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14 Tongai Moyo
The man I credit for “bringing cool to Sungura”. An unapologetic clone of Dembo, especially in his earlier years, he revolutionized how Sungura artistes perform on stage and produced a string of hits.
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13 Biggie Tembo
Lead vocalist and guitarist for the Bhundu Boys, possibly Zim’s most successful band. Charismatic on stage, great vocalist and awesome writer.
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12 Thomas Mapfumo
He has a cultic following of fans who see him as the voice of the downtrodden. Together with Tuku (the comparisons won’t end), he is perhaps the biggest Zim musician there is.
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11 Oliver Mtukudzi
Zimbabwe’s most popular, and perhaps most accomplished musician, arguably.
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10 Nicholas Zakaria
A “godfather” of Sungura music, having been responsible for nurturing the likes of System Tazvida, Cephas Karushanga and Alick Macheso, among many others. A consistent hit maker.
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9 Andy Brown
My favourite Zim guitarist. He left the super band Ilanga to redefine himself as a performer of what he called “hybrid” music, a mesh of various Zim musical influences.
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8 Marshall Munhumumwe
One of the best songwriters Zimbabwe has ever had, and one of only a rare few to perform both as lead singer and drummer.
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7 James Chimombe
Known for his smooth, easy vocals, Chimombe had a unique sound punctuated by jit sounds and brass.
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6 Leonard Zhakata
One of the greatest songwriters and vocalists. His social commentary sets him apart from most. Mugove, off the 1994 Maruva Enyika album, is one of Zim’s biggest ever hits.
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5 Alick Macheso
Perhaps the most commercially successful Sungura artiste of all time. He introduced the “extra basso” sound, which dominates the genre now.
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4 Freedom Sengwayo
One of the pioneers of Zim gospel, he opened the way for other great early gospel artistes such as the Family Singers and Brian Sibalo.
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3 John Chibadura
Chibadura is a pioneer of the Sungura having been part of, and later led, the Sungura Boys, a group that produced several great singers and guitarists. Transitioned easily to a Zim reggae fusion.
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2 Simon Chimbetu
Simon has one of the longest catalogues of hits, stretching back to his days with his brother Naison as Marxist Brothers, and when he led his Orchestra Dendera Kings.
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1 Leonard Dembo
One of Zimbabwe’s greatest songwriters, vocalists and guitarists. His song “Chitekete” is perhaps the best known Sungura hit of all time.