SRMG, the largest integrated media group from the Middle East/North Africa region, has partnered with Billboard to launch Billboard Arabia. The newly launched platform is dedicated to celebrating artists with Arab roots by spotlighting their music and promoting personal stories on a global stage.
Billboard Arabia aims to be the premier global destination for artists with Arab roots – bringing the latest releases, reviews and interviews from the biggest names, exclusive coverage of regional and global events, original photography and special video content together in one centralized location. Billboard Arabia will launch several charts over the next year, utilizing data from the top digital streaming platforms such as Spotify, Anghami, YouTube and others, to highlight the artists and songs driving the global and regional music industry.
Billboard Arabia will celebrate and amplify the work of Arab artists for a global audience by republishing content across Billboard’s digital products. It will also host the Billboard Arabia Music Awards, as well as live concerts, activations, and regional and international events to celebrate all music genres and the artists that are inspiring innovation in the industry.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, MENA (Middle East/North Africa) is the fastest-growing music region in the world. In 2022 alone, a handful of rising Arab artists garnered more than 1 billion streams, demonstrating the significant potential of the music market in the MENA region.
“The music scene in the MENA region is rapidly transforming,” said Jomana R. Al-Rashid, CEO of SRMG. “However, there is currently no dedicated platform to spotlight and tell the stories of the Arab artists leading innovation in the global music industry. Our partnership with Billboard will help fill that void in the market. Billboard Arabia is more than just a digital platform. It will be the premier destination to celebrate the Arab music community and empower the business of music through data-driven charts, live concerts and awards. Our vision at SRMG is to ensure that creators and audiences have increased access to high-quality, original content and impactful experiences.”
“We are excited to join forces with SRMG to launch Billboard Arabia,” said Mike Van, president of Billboard. “Billboard has a strong legacy of recognizing and amplifying artists across genres, languages, and cultures with a mission to share the power of music with new fans everywhere. SRMG’s reach and access in the region coupled with our experience will ensure artists with Arab roots are heard around the world.”
Billboard Arabia was announced Wednesday (June 21) from the SRMG Beach at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. As part of the announcement of Billboard Arabia, several artists from MENA are joining SRMG in Cannes to celebrate the diversity of sounds from the region, including performances from Elyanna, Felukah, Kouz1, DJ Outlaw, Jeed, Moayad Al Nefaie, Flipperachi, Meshaal and DJ Rodge.
