MENA spans approximately 22 countries (the definitive list differs according to sources) across the Middle East and North Africa. From Algeria to Yemen, this is not one homogenous population, but a varied area, enriched by multiple languages, cultures, music genres and tastes. With an estimated population of 450 million, the MENA music market is on the radar of the world’s music industry for good reason – it hasn’t yet reached saturation, so there’s still plenty of growth opportunity.
A pre-COVID Researchnester report valued the MENA music market at $171.30m in 2018, and forecast growth at a maximum CAGR of 16.5% 2019-2027, reaching $670.03m, a 38% market share, in 2027. MENA governments are investing more focus and cash into music, developing new initiatives to nurture their own music ecosystems. In September 2017, the Saudi government announced a planned $2.7 billion investment in entertainment. There are also some important locally developed industry events and artist showcase platforms, including Lebanon’s Beirut and Beyond, Morocco’s Visa For Music initiative and the Palestine Music Expo.