The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) will officially launch celebrations marking 100 years of Highlife music on 19 December 2025 at the La Palm Royal Beach Resort in Accra, commemorating a century of the nation’s most influential musical genre.
Highlife music emerged along Ghana’s coastal cities during the 1920s, creating a distinctive sound by fusing traditional Akan rhythms with Western instruments including guitars, horns, and brass arrangements. The genre’s name originated when ordinary Ghanaians, unable to afford entrance fees to elite colonial era clubs where the music was performed, referred to it as music for those living the “high life.”
The musical style has maintained a central position in Ghana’s cultural and social landscape for a full century, influencing generations of musicians and helping shape national identity. Contemporary genres including Hiplife and Afrobeat trace their roots directly to Highlife’s innovative blending of African and Western musical traditions.
GTA has demonstrated sustained commitment to Highlife preservation through strategic partnerships and cultural programming. In July 2025, the authority partnered with the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) for the Authentic Highlife Night at the +233 Jazz Bar and Grill in Accra. The event honored Fameye, winner of the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards Highlife Artiste of the Year, alongside veteran performers including Pat Thomas, Samuel Owusu, and Paulina Oduro.
MUSIGA President Bessa Simons described the July event as an opportunity to enjoy authentic Highlife whilst awaiting UNESCO’s official declaration of the genre as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. That recognition came in December 2024, placing Highlife among globally protected cultural treasures.
The authority has integrated Highlife and related cultural heritage elements into wider tourism initiatives. The Heritage Month programme, launched in March 2025, featured Ghana Music Month celebrations, the Heritage Caravan exploring historical sites, and various festivals showcasing traditional cuisine and cultural diversity.
Ghana’s Highlife history includes numerous landmark celebrations. Previous events comprised Highlife Heritage Concerts, academic conferences examining the genre’s social impact, and UNESCO collaborations that ultimately resulted in formal heritage designation. These gatherings highlighted how Highlife reflects social issues, love, morality, and national aspirations whilst promoting cultural tourism.
The genre’s evolution began with brass and dance orchestras such as the Jazz Kings, Cape Coast Sugar Babies, and Accra Orchestra performing along the country’s coast during the 1920s. By the 1940s, Highlife diverged into dance band and guitar band streams, with the latter initially most common in rural areas.
Jacob Asare, also known as Kwame Asare, is credited as the first Ghanaian musician to record a Highlife song. In June 1928, his group the Kumasi Trio recorded “Yaa Amponsah” in London for the Zonophone label, widely regarded as the earliest example of Ghanaian guitar band Highlife.
The music spread throughout West Africa during the 1930s via Ghanaian workers traveling to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, and Gambia, where it quickly gained popularity. Legendary musicians including E.T. Mensah, known as the “King of Highlife,” Nana Ampadu, Paapa Yankson, A.B. Crentsil, Amakye Dede, and Kojo Antwi have championed the genre across generations.
GTA has urged the public to monitor updates regarding the December launch and the broader centenary programme through visitghana.com and ghana.travel. The 100 year celebrations are expected to draw music enthusiasts, scholars, and tourists from across Ghana and internationally, reinforcing the country’s position as a cultural tourism destination.
The December launch aligns with the wider “December in GH” initiative, which the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture coordinates alongside GTA and the Beyond the Return Secretariat. The month long celebration features over 100 events across all 16 regions, showcasing Ghanaian culture and hospitality.
