Cookie Mba
The United States entertainment magazine Billboard has sparked criticism on social media after describing Nigerian singer Rema as a “one-hit wonder.”
The controversy followed a February 16, 2026, repost on X (formerly Twitter) in which Billboard reshared a June 2025 chart feature ranking Rema No. 6 on its list of the “25 Biggest One-Hit Wonders of the 21st Century.” The ranking was attributed to the global success of his hit single Calm Down, particularly the remix featuring American pop star Selena Gomez.
In its explanation, Billboard noted that although Rema has not returned to the U.S. Hot 100 chart since “Calm Down,” he has recorded six top-10 entries on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart as of June 7, 2025.
The post quickly generated reactions from fans and social media users, many of whom described the label as dismissive of the singer’s broader achievements.
One user, @MikeAgrow, wrote, “Rema has been dropping consistent bangers, selling out arenas, and putting Afrobeats on the map worldwide. One song on their chart doesn’t erase all that. Call it what it is.”
Another user, @flourish_empire, said, “What kind of downplay is that? All Rema songs are hit back to back.”
Similarly, @gtm_gtel added, “They try to kill his confidence so bad. Billboard can’t tell Africans how to do their thing. Their rate is of no use.”
Rema, who rose to prominence in 2019, has become one of Afrobeats’ most visible global ambassadors, with multiple international tours and streaming milestones. While Billboard’s classification is based on performance on the U.S. Hot 100 chart, critics argue that such metrics do not fully capture the global reach and cultural impact of African artists.
As of the time of filing this report, Rema has not publicly responded to the controversy.
