Rema Tops MENA Chart: (Middle East & North Africa) by IFPI
The “Official MENA Chart,” which the international organization for recorded music IFPI refers to as the first-ever official chart in the Middle East and North Africa, was introduced on November 29, 2022. (MENA).
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area had the fastest-growing recorded music market revenues in the world in 2021, increasing by 35%, per the IFPI.
Additionally, the study showed that in 2021, streaming would account for roughly 95.3% of recorded music sales in the area.
Music streaming statistics from Anghami, Apple, Deezer, Spotify, and YouTube are included in the recently constructed singles chart for the Middle East and North Africa. According to the IFPI, the ranking includes music streaming data from 13 markets in the MENA area, spanning more than 300 million people from Morocco in the west to UAE in the east.
The first-ever MENA Chart #1 was “Calm Down” by Nigerian Afrobeats musician Rema.
I’d want to thank all of my fans in the area who streamed Calm Down and helped it achieve the first-ever Official MENA Chart No. 1, Rema wrote in a tweet.
I am so happy that you are enjoying the song and very proud to be the first artist to reach No.1. Thanks also to the team at my label for their support.”
Afrobeats music has grown in popularity in the MENA region over time. If it had been released as of last year, CKay’s “Love Nwantiti,” which gained worldwide attention, might have cracked the top 20 MENA chart.
These Afrobeats tunes, according to Apple Music, were among the most streamed music from North Africa and the Middle East at year’s end in 2022:
The top songs from North Africa streamed in 2022 on Apple Music are:
# Calm Down – Rema
#4. Love Nwantiti – CKay feat. Elgrandetoto
#8. Emiliana – CKay
Middle East most streamed songs of 2022 on Apple Music:
#2. Calm Down – Rema & Selena Gomez
#4. Calm Down – Rema
#13. Ku Lo Sa – Oxlade
#23. Last Last – Burna Boy
#58. No Wahala – 1dabanton
#78. Love Nwantiti – CKay
More Afrobeats tracks may top the chart in the upcoming months.
Here are the top 10 as of the second week after launch: Here are the top 10 as of the second week after launch:
“Calm Down” by Rema is still at the top of the charts.
CKay‘s “Love Nwantiti Remix” featuring Elgrandetoto was the only Afrobeats song featured in the Top Songs of North Africa & Middle East on Apple Music at the end of 2021, coming in at #2 and #98, respectively.
However, by the end of 2022, Afrobeats songs dominated 3% & 6% of both charts, a staggering increase.
Love Nwantiti, however, was the top song in Northern Africa in 2020 and has now spent a third year in the top 4.
Credit: The Jollof Dairy