Rema's 'Calm Down' becomes the first African song to spend 1 year on the Billboard Hot 100

By Sunmonu Halimat Mausi

Nigerian superstar Rema has recorded another landmark feat with his hit single 'Calm Down'.

Rema is one of the biggest African artists right now on the global stage with his mega-hit single 'Calm Down' topping charts and getting award nominations in multiple countries all over the world.

The single has recorded another landmark feat as it becomes the first African song to spend 52 weeks (one calendar year) on the Billboard Hot 100.

'Calm Down' with Selena Gomez (the remix) dropped five spots to NO. 11 (chart week September 9, 2023). The mega smash hit enters its 52nd week on the chart after peaking at NO. 3 which is the highest charting Nigerian song and the second highest charting African song behind Hugh Masekala's 1968 single 'Grazing in the Grass' which reached NO. 1.

Since its release in February 2022 as one of the lead singles off Rema's debut album 'Raves & Roses', 'Calm Down' has enjoyed massive success which was further propelled by the Selena Gomez-assisted remix.

The song is the most streamed Afrobeats song in Spotify history, the most viewed music video by a Nigerian artist on YouTube, and the biggest African song globally.

Rema's 'Calm Down' was also recently nominated for Song of the Year and the Collaboration of the Year at the 2023 VMAs.