News

29^th November 2022 – IFPI, representing the recording industry worldwide, has today announced the track Calm Down by Nigerian artist Rema as the first ever MENA #1, following the launch of the Official MENA Chart.

The track, released earlier this year, topped charts around the world and has become an enduring hit across the region. A remixed version, featuring Selena Gomez, was released in August 2022 and further boosted the song’s popularity.

The Official MENA Chart is the first regional music streaming chart anywhere in the world and the first ever official chart in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The new singles chart is supported by IFPI and includes music streaming data from Anghami, Apple, Deezer, Spotify and YouTube.

Following today’s launch, music fans will be able to celebrate the top streaming tracks on a weekly basis with the regional top 20 tracks announced every Tuesday. Fans can follow their favourite artists and keep up to date with the biggest tracks across the region at the Official MENA Chart website (www.theofficialmenachart.com), or via their social media channels Instagram and Facebook.

Rema reacted to the news by saying: “I’d like to thank all of my fans across the region who streamed Calm Down and helped it to become the first ever Official MENA Chart #1! I am so happy that you are enjoying the song and very proud to be the first artist to reach #1. Thanks also to the team at my label for their support.”

Celebrating the launch of the chart IFPI’s CEO Frances Moore said: “I’d like to congratulate Rema on becoming the first ever MENA #1. Calm Down is a song which has clearly captured the imagination of fans across the region.

“The launch of the Official MENA Chart represents a great step forward for this vibrant and growing music market. Music fans can celebrate the performance of their favourite artists and songs in a chart which captures music listening across all major streaming platforms and markets within the region using IFPI’s unique and accurate charts methodology. We look forward to celebrating the amazing artists that will feature in the top 20 each week and to continuing to develop charts in this exciting region.”

Elsewhere in the chart, Egyptian artists Farid, Ahmed Saad and Wegz and Saudi artist Ayed make it into the first ever top 10 for the MENA region, while the influence of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar can be clearly seen with two songs from the official tournament soundtrack (Ozuna, GIMS and RedOne’s Arhbo and Jung Kook’s Dreamers) also featuring in the top 10, while Shakira’s classic Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) – originally released for the 2010 World Cup – charts at #9 and Tukoh Takaby Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares is at #11.

The chart will be prepared each week by the charts compiler BMAT, in accordance with IFPI’s global charts principles and methodologies. As well as the weekly charts updates, music fans in the region can look forward to a host of engaging articles and exclusive artist content at the official hub of music in MENA.

What makes the Official MENA Chart the definitive ranking of the biggest songs across the region?

Four unique elements make the Official MENA Chart the last word on music in the region:

• REPRESENTATIVE: The chart captures music streaming from 13 markets across the region, from Morocco in the West to UAE in the East – covering more than 300 million people.

• INCLUSIVE: All major streaming platforms are covered, so whether fans get their music from Spotify, YouTube, Anghami, Apple Music or Deezer, their music consumption will count for the chart.

• ACCURATE: The chart is prepared to the exacting standards of global chart authority IFPI, using a unique methodology that considers both the volume and value of streaming and is calculated using IFPI’s world class data.

• RECOGNISED: Supported by all major streaming platforms and created with the music industry across the region, the chart is trusted by artists and fans alike.

ENDS

About the Chart

The Official MENA Chart is a streaming singles chart covering 13 countries in the MENA region – Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and United Arab Emirates.

The chart includes chart-eligible streams from Apple Music, Spotify, Anghami, YouTube and Deezer. In accordance with IFPI’s global chart principles, streams from each market are weighted to take into account the difference in economics between the free and paid tiers of streaming services and are also weighted to account for the differences in economics across countries. The result is a chart which reflects the volume and the value of streams across the region, celebrating the biggest songs of the week.

Hi-res photo of Rema, the Official MENA Chart’s first #1 artist, available here.

The Official MENA Chart Top 10 –  Friday 18^th – Thursday 24^th November 2022