The post, shared Sunday on the magazine’s official X account, referenced a June 2025 ranking titled “The 25 Biggest One-Hit Wonders of the 21st Century,” where Rema was placed at No. 6 based on the U.S. chart performance of his 2022 global smash hit Calm Down, particularly its remix featuring American pop star Selena Gomez.
“After releasing the original “lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-wo-wo-wo-wo”-ing version of “Calm Down” in 2023, Nigeria’s Rema noticed it breaking on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.
He took a swing and recruited Gomez for the female vocal and, shockingly, she agreed. “I had my fingers crossed,” he told Billboard,” the article reads.
According to Billboard, while the original version of Calm Down gained traction on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, the remix propelled it into mainstream success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The publication noted that although Rema has since recorded six top-10 entries on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart as of June 7, 2025, he has not returned to the Hot 100.
“The No. 3-peaking ‘Calm Down’ was obviously not veteran pop superstar Gomez’s only hit, but Rema has yet to make it to the Hot 100 again, although he has landed six top 10s on U.S. Afrobeats Songs, through the June 7, 2025, chart.”
The ranking quickly sparked debate online, with critics arguing that the label fails to reflect Rema’s broader international success.
Many pointed to his extensive catalogue, including tracks such as Dumebi, Iron Man, and Woman, as well as his debut album Rave & Roses, which reached the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart.
Supporters also highlighted his global tours, festival appearances at events like Coachella and Wireless Festival, and collaborations with artists such as Chris Brown and 6lack.
Others, however, defended Billboard’s rankings, noting that the classification appears to be strictly based on performance within the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, rather than global streaming numbers or international chart achievements.
The renewed attention has reignited discussions about the limitations of U.S.-centric metrics in measuring the global reach of Afrobeats, a genre that has expanded significantly beyond American chart frameworks in recent years.
Rema has not publicly responded to the ranking.
Source:VanguardNgr
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh