REMA AND SELENA GOMEZ ‘CALM DOWN’ MARKS HISTORIC NO. 1 ON POP AIRPLAY CHART
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By Adeniyi Onaara
This is the first time an afrobeats song has topped both the Pop Airplay and Billboard U.S. Songs charts.
The song “Calm Down” by Rema and Selena Gomez tops the Billboard Pop Airplay chart (dated May 13).
Rema becomes the list’s first leader with the release of the song on Jonzing World/Mavin/SMG Music/Virgin/Interscope Records. Gomez now has four Pop Airplay No. 1 songs under her belt, adding to the previous three that she scored consecutively in 2015–16: “Hands to Myself” (for one week in April 2016), “Same Old Love” (for two weeks, January 2016), and “Good for You,” with A$AP Rocky (for two, September–October 2015).
After becoming each artist’s first No. 1, “Calm Down” captures the top spot on the Rhythmic Airplay chart for a second week. It also jumps 24-16 on Adult Pop Airplay and rises 35-34 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.
The original version of “Calm Down” was released by Nigerian singer Rema in February 2022 as a single off his debut solo LP, Rave & Roses. The song’s Gomez remix debuted in August of last year, and the official video debuted in September.
The longest reign since the chart’s inception a little over a year ago, “Calm Down” has topped the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart in collaboration with music festival and international brand Afro Nation for 35 weeks (through the May 6-dated poll). It makes history as the first song to top both charts.
“I think the magic behind this track lies in the combination of the fresh sounding Afrobeat, paired with the familiarity of Selena Gomez,” claims Matt Mony, program director of Pop Airplay reporting. Jackson, Mississippi, which, according to Mediabase, which provides Luminate data for Billboard’s airplay charts, has played “Calm Down” more than 1,100 times since it was originally played in August 2022.
“I believe that records like this have a tremendous opportunity to reach a completely new audience with the strategy of bringing a familiar voice to an unfamiliar sound.”
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