Amr Diab on Spotify’s Billboard in Times Square

Continually, Spotify has been showing its commitment to the Middle East and North Africa region, and this time, they did it by allowing the iconic superstar Amr Diab to steal the spotlight in New York City’s Times Square, one of the most iconic neighborhoods and sights in the Big Apple. He would actually be the first Arabic singer to land such a prominent featuring on an international landmark.

In a bid to reach the millions of Arab music fans living outside the MENA region, Spotify also launched a globally accessible Arab hub as part of their Global Cultures initiative last year, which is instrumental in connecting the music and culture of the MENA region with listeners worldwide. With Spotify’s global and local editorial team’s collaboration, Diab’s songs were included on various international and regional playlists, which positions his music to spread around the globe.

“Bringing the world to artists and artists to the world is a fundamental part of what Spotify is about. Experiencing Amr Diab’s devotion to Arabic music for nearly four decades straight and witnessing his fan base expand across the world is beyond incredible. Today we are celebrating Diab’s legacy and we are proud to see him shine so brightly – literally – on the global stage,” said Claudius Boller, Managing Director of Spotify Middle East and Africa.  

Whilst Diab’s MENA-based fans have proudly followed his decades-long career, he also has a massive listening base in the USA, which surprisingly became the number one country streaming his music on Spotify, followed by Sweden and then Germany.

“Music is a language that speaks emotions and not only words. I am blessed to have touched people around the world with my music,” Amr Diab told Spotify. “Spotify has allowed so many artists to connect with fans beyond borders and I am glad for that.” Diab’s global appeal can also be witnessed in Spotify’s latest marketing campaign, which features a series of fun videos set in different places around the world where non-Arabs are attempting to sing along to the icon’s latest and greatest tunes.

“What Amr Diab was doing from the beginning, really, was look to the Mediterranean for his sound,” explained Saeed Saeed, a prominent music and culture commentator. “He took Arabic pop music into a new direction, so for that he’s deeply important.”

A 2013 tour celebrating Diab’s glorious career saw him playing sold-out concerts as far off as Australia, Romania, and Greece. He was even recognized by Guinness World Records in 2016 for the record-breaking number of trophies he has taken home in the annual World Music Awards.

From “Nour Al Ain” to “Ana Gheir”, let Diab sweep you away with Spotify’s playlist, This Is Amr Diab.