Rema’s 2022 single “Calm Down” becomes the first Afrobeats song in history to earn over one billion on-demand streams in the U.S.
Widely regarded as the best-selling Afrobeats song of all time, “Calm Down” initially didn’t achieve its chart-topping peak when it was first released in Feb. 2022. However, the remix with American singer, Selena Gomez in Aug. 2022 catapulted the song to stardom.
It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs charts and remained at the top spot for a record-breaking 58 weeks; it also maintained the top spot at Billboard Global Excl. US charts, the Canadian Hot 100 chart, and soared to a No. 3 high on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Calm Down (Remix) also received numerous awards from the Headies, iHeartRadio, the MTV VMAs, and Billboard, transforming Rema into an international phenomenon.
With the song still breaking barriers, two years after its release, it is no wonder that the Afrobeats wave is taking over the world, inspiring cultures, and breeding a new generation of pioneer artists.