Rema’s ‘Rave & Roses’ Makes History as the First African Album to Top 3 Billion Spotify Streams
Nigerian sensation Divine Ikubor, better known as Rema, has etched his name into global music history. His debut album, Rave & Roses (Ultra), has become the very first African album to surpass a staggering 3 billion streams on Spotify.
This incredible feat was confirmed last Thursday by global music analytics platforms, affirming Rema’s dominance over fellow African artists on Spotify’s streaming charts.
Interestingly, the lion’s share of that streaming total comes from a single track: the massively popular Calm Down (Remix) featuring Selena Gomez. Between the original version and the remix, the song alone boasts over 2 billion streams, while the remaining 20 tracks on the album collectively account for less than 1 billion.
Originally released in 2022 via Mavin Records and Jonzing World, Rave & Roses (Ultra) is an expanded version of Rema’s debut project, blending vibrant Afrobeats with pop and trap, and boosted by key international collaborations that drove its worldwide impact.
Calm Down had already broken ground in 2023 by becoming the first African song ever to hit 1 billion streams on Spotify, cementing Rema’s status as a global face of Afrobeats.
As it stands, Rave & Roses (Ultra) currently holds the throne as the most-streamed African album on Spotify. Trailing just behind is South African star Tyla’s self-titled debut, which has amassed over 2 billion streams.
Other heavyweight Nigerian artists have also made their mark with billion-stream milestones, names like Burna Boy (with albums African Giant, Love, Damini), Wizkid (Made in Lagos: Deluxe Edition), and CKay (CKay the First), all part of the rising global influence of African music