Breaking Down Rolling Stone's Best Arabic Pop Songs of the 21st Century | Shik Shak Shook Ones
The Rolling Stone's 50 Best Arabic Pop Songs of the 21st Century was a big and a controversial ranking to put together. Luckily, Shik Shak Shook One's very own Danny Hajjar was up to the task and will break down the logic behind his choices for the ranking. Joined by special guest Alya Fetyani who's done loads for the Arabic music industry while at Spotify, and his co-host Deana Soni, he rewinds to tell us about what it was like putting this ranking together. Danny reveals how he, along with 15 panelists (including both Deana and Alya), defined what makes a song "Arabic" and on what basis they chose the songs that made it onto the list. Not without heated conversations and a bit of backlash, Danny shares his favorite reactions to the list so far and the conversations it has sparked. Plus, bonus mentions to some of the up-and-coming artists that he says he would definitely include if he repeated the process in 10-year's time.
Check out the ranking on Rolling Stone 👉https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-arabic-pop-songs-1235000979/abdul-majeed-abdullah-mn-methlak-1235002041/
Hosted by:
Deana Soni 👉 https://www.instagram.com/deana.soni/
& Danny Hajjar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/dannyghajjar/
Deana Soni is a dedicated presenter and journalist with a special focus on highlighting the cultural richness of the MENA region and fostering a deeper understanding of the diverse voices within the community. In 2020, she launched the UK's first Arabic and North African radio show, which showcased and platformed talented artists from the regions and diaspora, before creating her new platform, WASTA, in 2024. Additionally, she was the official host for the Assassin's Creed Mirage podcast, which explored medieval Iraq and its rich history. Deana also created the viral show Musconceptions, which debunked myths about Islam through comedy and garnered over 10 million views on social media.
Danny Hajjar is a music journalist based in Washington, DC writing about the emerging Arabic music scene and the new wave of artists from the Middle East, North Africa, and its diaspora communities. He runs the award-winning digital zine Sa’alouni El Nas, highlighting trends in the Arabic scene, profiling artists, and reviewing music.
Alya Fetyani is a Saudi-American professional who has worked in the global music industry for over a decade. She is the founder of I Made You A Mixtape, a crowdsourcing project for music discovery. She has also worked at Tidal and Spotify as a marketing coordinator and data Curator respectively. She is currently working as a global music strategy and cultural consultant.
Alya Fetyani 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mixtape.media/
Shik Shak Shook Ones
From Beirut to Cairo and Dubai to Casablanca, hosts Deana Hassanein Soni and Danny Hajjar are diving into the hottest topics in music coming from the Middle East, North Africa, and its global diaspora communities. Join them for spicy and unfiltered perspectives, exclusive interviews, heated debates, and in-depth insider perspectives putting the MENA music scene in context. Whether you're a music enthusiast or just curious about the MENA region's vibrant music, Shik Shak Shook Ones is your backstage pass to this exciting scene.
