Rema Becomes First African Artist to Surpass 3 Billion Spotify Streams with Debut Album

Nigerian music star Rema has made history with his debut album Rave & Roses (Ultra) by becoming the first African artist to reach over 3 billion streams on Spotify with a single album. This milestone solidifies his global appeal and cements his position as a leading figure in Afrobeats.

A significant portion of the album’s streaming numbers comes from the hit single Calm Down, especially its remix featuring American pop singer Selena Gomez.

The remix alone broke previous records by becoming the first African song to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify. Combined, both versions of Calm Down account for more than 2 billion streams, while the rest of the album’s 20 tracks contributed just under a billion streams collectively.

Rema’s achievement places Rave & Roses (Ultra) at the top of Spotify’s list of most-streamed African albums. It is followed by South African singer Tyla’s self-titled debut album, which has surpassed 2 billion streams.

Other notable African projects that have crossed the 1 billion mark include Burna Boy’s African Giant and Love, Damini, Wizkid’s Made in Lagos: Deluxe Edition, and CKay’s CKay the First.