YouTube to launch music charts in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and ...

YouTube Charts will comprise four lists showing the top 100 artists, songs and music videos, as well as the top 20 trending releases. YouTubetolaunchmusicchartsintheUAE,SaudiArabiaandEgyptYouTubeChartswillcomprisefourlistsshowingthetop100artists,songsandmusicvideos,aswellasthetop20trendingreleasesYouTube'sfourchartswillshowthemostpopularArabicmusiccontentandprovideaninsightintohowaudiencesareconnectingwithnewreleases.ReutersTheNationalSep27,2021YouTubewilllaunchmusicchartsintheUAE,SaudiArabiaandEgyptonWednesday,listingthetopartistsandsongsinacollectionupdatedonaweeklybasis.YouTubeChartsisdesignedtooffertheArabicmusicindustryamorestreamlinedandtransparentapproachtomeasuringthepopularityofreleases.Theonlinevideo-sharingandsocialmediaplatformhaslongbeenalaunchpadforestablishedandemergingnamesfromtheArabworld,andhasexperiencedasurgeinsuccessfulmusicchannelsfromtheregioninthepastfouryears.AccordingtoYouTube,asofAugust2021,therewere170musicchannelswithmorethanonemillionsubscribers;agrowthof800percentwhencomparedtothe18channelspresentin2017.YouTubeChartswillshowthetopartistsandsongsinacollectionoflistsupdatedonaweeklybasis.Photo:YouTube“Ihaveseenfirst-handtheimpactYouTubehashadontheArabicmusicindustry,”saidLilianaAbudalo,headofmusicfortheMiddleEastandNorthAfricaatYouTube.“TherehasbeenagreatshiftinhowartistsreleasetheirworkintermsofproductionandpromotiononYouTube.Artistsnowexperimentwithnewsongformatsandusedifferentfeaturestoengagewiththeirfans.YouTubeChartswillhelpemergingandestablishedartistshighlighttheirsuccessandwithmorethantwobillionmonthlyloggedinusers,YouTubeChartswillofferamoreholisticrepresentationofasong'sperformance.”YouTubeChartswillcomprisefourcharts,andwillbeavailableonYouTubeMusic,aswellascharts.youtube.com.TheTop100Songswillshowthemost-playedsongs,includingofficialmusicvideos,user-generatedcontentandlyricsvideos.TheTop100Artistswilllistthemost-playedartists,andtheTop100MusicVideoswilllistthemostpopularofficialmusicvideos.TheTop100listswillbeupdatedeverySunday,andtheTop20Trendingcategorywillshowwhat’snewandhotinmusic,providinganinsightintohowaudiencesareconnectingwithnewreleases.TarekAmin,directorofYouTubefortheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica,said:“CreatorsarethebackboneofYouTube.ThisalsoincludesthemassivecommunityofartistswhochooseYouTubetoreleasetheirsongs,interactwiththeiraudiences,andexperimentwithnewsongformats.“WhetherthroughShorts,YouTubeStudio,orYouTubeCharts,wewillcontinuetoequipcreators,includingartists,withtoolstoelevatetheirworkonYouTubeandacceleratetheirsuccessonourplatform.”ReadmoreFromJackieChantoKraftwerk:whichartistshavesungofficialsongsforExpo?Representativesfromseveralmajormusiccompaniesintheregionrespondedfavourablytothelaunch.“YouTubeMusicchartsisagreatplatformforourartistshereintheMiddleEast,"saidMoeHamzeh,managingdirectorofWarnerMusic.It’sawayforfanstoseeataglancewhichsongsarepoppingacrosstheregion,andwehopethatleadstothemdiscoveringmoreabouttheartistsbehindthesongsandtherestoftheirmusic;andthat’sanothertooltohelpusbuildourartists’careers.”MohamedGaber,vicepresidentofMazzikaGroup,saidYouTubeChartswillofferanovelwaytokeeptrackofhowreleasesarebeingreceived.“Whilewhat’strendingshowsabriefsnapshotofcurrentreleases,IbelieveYouTubeputsitselfonthefrontofartistandreleaseanalysisbyintroducingYouTubeMusicCharts,whichwillreflectreleasepositioningeveryweek,”hesaid.YouTubepremiereditssubscriptionservices,YouTubeMusicandYouTubePremiumintheMiddleEastandNorthAfricain2019,launchingoneofthemostcomprehensiveArabicmusiclibrariesintheregion.Today,YouTubePremiumandYouTubeMusichavemorethan50millionusersaroundtheworld.Updated:September27th2021,8:30AMMusicUAESaudiSaudiArabiaEDITOR'SPICKSCop26:UAEoutlinesvisionforsustainableeconomicgrowthatheartofclimateactionCop26FooFighterstocloseAbuDhabiF1withepicrockshowMusicFilipinotouseDh10millionjackpotwintopayforson'ssurgeryUAEInsideAbuDhabi'sNationalAquariumwith46,000creaturesFamilyTheWestshouldbeexcitedabouttheGulf'slinkswithAsiaCommentMOREFROMTHENATIONALFooFighterstocloseAbuDhabiF1withepicrockshowWhatAbuDhabi'sstatusasaUnescoCityofMusicmeansHowtoseeAbuDhabi'sPoliceBandperformliveeveryweekSouthKoreanfusiongroupsEODoBandonbringingChosunpoptotheUAE