Calm Down by Nigerian artist Rema is the inaugural No 1 in the new Official MENA Chart.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) now has a music chart of its own, which was launched by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia.
The ranking is decided based on streaming figures across music and social media platforms.
The weekly top 20 will be updated and released on Tuesdays.
Calm Down’s regional success is not surprising considering it has been a global hit, ranking in the top 10 of charts in Europe, the UK and the US.
Released in February, the Afropop track received a second wind in August thanks to a solid remix featuring Selena Gomez.
“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 number one,” Rema said.
“I am so happy that you are enjoying the song and very proud to be the first artist to reach number one.”
Released in February, the Afropop track received a second wind in August thanks to a solid remix featuring Selena Gomez.
“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 number one,” Rema said.
“I am so happy that you are enjoying the song and very proud to be the first artist to reach number one.”
Other songs in the Official Mena Chart include Ba’amaret Meen by Saudi singer Farid at No 2.
Announcing the charts in Riyadh, Rawan Al Dabbas, regional director of the IFPI described the Official Mena Chart as the “definitive record” for the music industry in the region with data supplied by the major players, including streaming services Anghami, Apple Music, Deezer and Spotify, and video-sharing platform YouTube.
“This is great for the artists because they can now be recognised for their commercial success in the region,” she tells The National.
“The chart will also help the industry develop as it definitely guides record labels by giving them an understanding of what is trending and what artists are resonating in this part of the world.”