Billboard launches new platform to celebrate artists with Arab roots

New partnership with Saudi Research and Media Group announced at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

L-R: Singer Elyanna and rapper/singer Felukah, who appeared at the launch of Billboard Arabia (Getty)

Billboard has announced the launch of a new platform, Billboard Arabia, which aims to spotlight artists with Arab roots and raise awareness of Arab music talent around the world.

The Billboard brand is one of the most influential music names in the world, with industry standard charts in the US for songs and albums spanning various genres.

It has teamed up with the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), the region’s largest media organisation.

The partnership was announced at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, during a panel attended by Mike Van, president of Billboard, and SRMG chief executive Jomana Al-Rashid.

Announcing the new venture, a press statement described Billboard Arabia as the “premiere 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 centralised location”.

Billboard Arabia will launch several different charts over the next year, using data from major streaming platforms including Spotify and YouTube, in order to amplify the achievements of Arab artists.

“The music scene in the MENA region is rapidly transforming. 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,” Ms Al-Rashid said in a statement.

“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.”

Mr Van said it was the right time to launch Billboard Arabia to recognise and celebrate music “on the global stage”.

“Today the one-to-one connections between artists and their fans have never been closer,” Mr Van told The Independent. “As such, fans are able to discover new songs and genres that were once not accessible to mass audiences. With the launch of Billboard Arabia, we are building a platform to recognize and celebrate artists, fans, and the entire music ecosystem within the Arab region. “

Mr Van said the move into the Middle East followed the launch of Billboard China and Billboard Español. “Our long term vision is to message that no matter where you are on the planet, you can experience Billboard in the world’s most spoken languages,” he added.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, MENA boasts the fastest growing music market in the world, with a number of rising Arab artists generating over a billion streams in 2022.

The launch was celebrated on the SRMG beach at Cannes Lions with performances from several MENA artists, including Egyptian singer/rapper Felukah, Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna, and Bahrain-based rapper Flipperachi.

Billboard Arabia is now live across all social media platforms including instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.