The Middle East and North Africa is the fastest-growing region for music revenue, according to an industry report.
Revenues across Mena increased by 22.8 per cent last year, making it the fastest-growing music region in the world. Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America were not far behind, recording revenue growth of 22.6 per cent and 22.5 per cent respectively.
The figures have been published by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in its Global Music Report 2025. The global organisation represents the interests of the recording industry, including major record labels.
The Mena region previously led global growth in 2021 with a 35 per cent increase in revenue. IFPI regional director Rawan Dabbas attributes the latest growth figures to the sustained popularity of Arabic music.
“There are several factors at play, mainly related to streaming. Subscription streaming – particularly paid accounts – has increased, along with ad-supported audio streaming in the region,” she told The National. “When you combine that with consistently strong releases from talented and popular artists, it explains the growth we’re seeing.”
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco are examples of this growth, Dabbas added. She highlights efforts made in Saudi Arabia, including the inaugural Riyadh Music Week; a series of regionally-focused trade conferences; and Soundstorm festival. Meanwhile, Egypt and Morocco continue to lead the way with trendsetting releases from local artists, she added.
The establishment of four new regional charts by IFPI in 2023 – the Official Egypt Chart, Official Saudi Arabia Chart, Official UAE Chart and Official North Africa Chart (covering Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia) – which use streaming data from all major platforms, has provided additional insight into consumption in the region.
Of the 10 most-played songs in Mena highlighted in the Global Music Report 2025, seven tracks were by regional artists. These include Haygely Mawgow3 by Egypt’s Tamer Ashour and Saudi singer Ayed’s hit Lammah.
“It highlights Mena’s incredible domestic talent and the strong connection between regional artists and local audiences, driven by increasing engagement with home-grown music,” Dabbas added. “This is further supported by investments from international labels, fuelled by the region’s booming music market, cultural and government backing; and untapped revenue potential.”
Looking ahead, IFPI’s focus in Mena will be copyright protection and fair compensation for artists.
“This includes strengthening public performance and broadcast rights to ensure artists are properly compensated when their music is played in commercial spaces and on air,” Dabbas explained. “We are also focused on establishing the right chart frameworks to celebrate and promote their work, providing accurate and transparent data that reflects music consumption in the region.
“By working closely with industry stakeholders, we aim to create a sustainable ecosystem where Mena artists can thrive, grow their audiences, and build lasting careers in music.”
England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Ben White
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse
Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Raheem Sterling
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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