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Middle East Streaming Service Anghami Feeling The Local Love

07/12/2020891 views0

Music heads in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have explained why they love homegrown streaming service Anghami. The first legal streaming service in the Arab world, Anghami offers Arabic and international music to stream and download.

Launched in November 2012, the music platform has grown steadily in the MENA region. It has a huge music library of more than 30 million songs available to more than 70 million users.

Hand set against purple lights holding mobile phone displaying Anghami

Local Matters

An Anghami report – Music Streaming in MENA: Why It Matters To Be Local – reveals key insights about music streamers in the region. It reveals 80% of music streamers in the region view Anghami as a distinctive local brand they feel close to. Its variety of Arabic and local music is a top reasons why users feel an affinity to the platform.

“Not only is Anghami viewed as the most trustworthy brand among music streaming platforms, it is also viewed as the best when it comes to recognising Arab users’ identity,” says the report. “An identity that is not based solely on language but also on culture, traditions and faith.”

In a region where more than 28% of the population is aged between 15 and 29, Anghami enjoys 70% music streaming penetration in the UAE. It has a 35% share of monogamous users in the UAE – well ahead of Spotify and Deezer. Meanwhile, 40% of users in Saudi Arabia do not use any other music streaming platforms, according to the report’s findings.

Market Maturity

Man with sunglasses and beanie hat listening to music on Anghami

“After years of sustained growth, music streaming has reached market maturity in the MENA region,” adds the report. “It is a vibrant, innovative and competitive industry and has the potential to take even greater leaps forward in the near future. Although the market has reached maturity, that maturity does not mean we have reached market saturation in the MENA region.

“The likes of Deezer and YouTube Music may have expanded their geographic footprint into the market but huge potential remains, especially in Saudi Arabia. Unlocking that potential will ensure continued growth for years to come.”

“The Middle East music space is evolving rapidly,” commented Mike Fairburn, General Manager of Sony Music Entertainment Middle East. “The future is very exciting. Having regionally based music companies focused on developing the local industries in all our regional countries is driving this growth. There’s never been a better time to align with music in the region.”