After Black Sherif won the Album of the Year at the 27th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) with “Iron Boy,” social media has been flooded with debates about whether the project is already a classic and whether Black Sherif belongs in Ghana’s Greatest of All Time conversation.
And honestly, maybe we are rushing these conversations too much.
The problem with music discourse today is that people experience something successful or emotionally powerful in the moment and immediately crown it legendary. One good album suddenly becomes “the greatest ever made.” One trending song becomes “timeless.” One award-winning project becomes a “classic.”
But is that really how classics are made?
According to Google, a classic album is “a widely recognised, enduring body of musical work that stands the test of time, often defining a specific era, artist’s career or genre.”
Notice one important phrase there: “stands the test of time.”
Time.
Not two months.
Not one award season.
Not because every song is currently trending on TikTok.
Not because social media cannot stop talking about it this week.
Time is what truly separates a great album from a classic one.
I saw someone argue that “Iron Boy” is a classic because “every song on the album is a hit.” But since when did hit songs automatically qualify a project as classic?
If that were the case, then every commercially successful album would become legendary overnight.
A classic is deeper than hype. A classic survives moments. It survives trends. It survives generations.
That is why some albums released decades ago still feel alive today.
In my opinion, albums like “Aben Wo Ha” and “Sika Asem” by Daddy Lumba, “Obi Ate Me So Buo”by Daddy Lumba, “Adukuro Mu Nsuo” and “Iron Boy” by Amakye Dede, “Oman Bo Adwo” by Nana Ampadu, as well as “Aso” and ‘Daakye” by Kwabena Kwabena, are classic bodies of work. Even Sarkodie’s “Mary” album deserves mention in that conversation.
Not because every single song on those albums became chart-topping hits.
But because years later, they still matter.
People still revisit them.
Songs from those projects are still played at weddings, funerals, parties and public gatherings.
Lyrics from those albums still connect emotionally with listeners.
The messages still resonate.
The music still sounds refreshing despite changing times and changing sounds.
That is what makes a classic.
A classic album becomes part of culture. It stops being just music and starts becoming memory, identity and emotional history for people.
Some songs off those projects have outlived generations. Younger listeners who were not even born when some of these albums dropped still sing them word for word today. That kind of longevity cannot be forced. It cannot be declared overnight by fans excited in the moment.
And this is not to discredit Black Sherif or ‘Iron Boy’ in any way.
Far from it.
Black Sherif is one of the most important voices of his generation. His storytelling, vulnerability and ability to connect emotionally with young people is undeniable. *Iron Boy* is a strong body of work and deserved its TGMA recognition. The album has impact. It has replay value. It has cultural relevance right now.
But maybe we should allow time to do its job before stamping the word “classic” on it.
Because the real test is not whether an album dominates conversations today.
The real test is whether people will still return to it ten, fifteen or twenty years from now.
Will the songs still feel meaningful?
Will they still move people emotionally?
Will they still soundtrack important moments in people’s lives?
Will future generations still discover and connect with it?
That is the difference between a successful album and a classic one.
Ghanaians need to stop rushing legacy conversations simply because an artist is having a great moment. Greatness is not built in one night, one award show or one social media trend.
Some albums are instant hits.
Some albums are award-winning projects.
Some albums define an era.
But only time decides what truly becomes classic. Does Black Sherif stand a chance? Absolutely!
