List of Arabology’s Top 30 Songs of 2020 (Includes Spotify + YouTube Playlists)

In lieu of my annual podcast in which I usually count down the Top 30 indie/alternative songs of the year, I am sharing this year a YouTube Playlist which includes Arabology's Top 30 songs of 2020.  Playlist starts with Number 1 and goes down to 30.

You can listen to the songs, in order, on Spotify below (scroll down after list) or watch all 30 music videos on YouTube.

• Listen to the Spotify list below (scroll down after list) or at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JNZRpmJuZ3ZIXjm5t3NDP 
  Note that #13,14,29,30 have been replaced by songs by same artist since they are unavailable on Spotify
  
• OR Watch all 30 music videos through our YouTube Playlist below (scroll down) or at:
  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeLWDZIrxtQZklI3a-yVeLURURwz_dJ9R

Arabology’s Top 30 Songs of 2020

Best Indie/Alternative Arabic songs that came out of the Arab world in 2020

1.   Emsallam ft. Adan Wakeem - Aref Innak  مسلّم مع عدن واكيم - عارف إنك 

2.   E M E L - Holm (A Dream) آمال مثلوثي - حلم
3.   Bu Kolthoum - Mamnoun بو كلثوم - ممنون
4.   Elsayed Agamy ft. Yusor - Raka W Raka  السيد عجمي مع يسر - راقة و راقة 

5.   Omar Kamal - Ya Rayeh Sawb Bladi عمر كمال - يا رايح صوب بلادي
6.   47SOUL - Dabke System السبعة و أربعين - دبكة سيستم
7.   Faraj Suleiman - Questions on My Mind فرج سليمان - في أسئلة براسي
8.   Shabjdeed - NKD GLG (Prod. Al Nather) شب جديد - نكد چلچ
9.   Cairokee - Kan Lak Ma’aya كايروكي - كان لك معايا
10. The Synaptik X Maysa Daw - Jowa Beiti السينابتيك مع ميساء ضو - جوا بيتي 

11. Hamed Sinno - Mashaniq حامد سنو – مشانق
12. Aziz Maraka - Mafi Mennik عزيز مرقة – ما في منك
13. El Far3i - Dry Clean (P. Arab Keyz) الفرعي - دراي كلين * إنتاج عرب كيز
14. Lynn Adib & Zeid Hamdan - Ya Habibi Ta’ala - يا حبيبي تعالَ
15. Autostrad - Istana Shwai أوتوستراد - استنى شوي
16. Marwan Asad Ft. The Synaptik X Mohamed Mansour - Qamarhen قمرهن
17. Shabjdeed - MANTIKA (Prod. Al Nather) شب جديد - منطقة
18. Tania Saleh - Ya Reit (I Wish) تانيا صالح - يا ريت
19. The Synaptik (Ft.الفرعي- El Far3i) - Dari- السينابتيك - داري 

20. Ramy Essam – Ya Habayebna (Oh You Loved Ones) رامى عصام - يا حبايبنا
21. Souad Massi - Wakfa سعاد ماسي - واقفة 
22. Nour Khan - Hazeena نورخان - حزينة
23. Jamaet Khair Ft. Aziz - El Hob El Bekir جماعة خير مع عزيز - الحب البكر
24. Tamer Nafar - Ili Al-Haq (تامر نفار - إلي الحق (وين بصرفوها هاي؟
25. Kuwaisiana (Ft Plus Aziz) - Bara7a (براحة)
26. Naima Shalhoub - Four (Roumieh Prison Blues) (feat. Excentrik & Marcus Shelby)
27. Massar Egbari (ft Asmaa) - Raghm El Masafa رغم المسافة - مسار اجباري مع أسماء أبو اليزيد
28. Chantal Bitar - Bel Haijr El-Sehi شانتال بيطار - بالحجر الصحّي
29. E M E L + Various Artists - Kelmti Horra (My Word Is Free) - Quarantine Session
30. Layth Sidiq – Grief Is a Journey (Instrumental) ليث صديق – الحزن رحلة 

You can watch all 30 music videos play in order below or by going to this YouTube Playlist link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeLWDZIrxtQZklI3a-yVeLURURwz_dJ9R

Or, listen on Spotify below or at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JNZRpmJuZ3ZIXjm5t3NDP 

Songs number 13,14,29,30 different on Spotify (same artist but original song unavailable on Spotify)

 

Looking forward to going back to creating new podcasts in 2021.  Happy New Year.

Arabology Interviews Jordanian Novelist Fadi Zaghmout (February 2018)

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/fadizaghmout

I am proud to share this radio interview which I conducted on Feb 21, 2018 with Jordanian novelist فادي زغموت Fadi Zaghmout whose first two novels, both best sellers in the Middle East, managed to defy and subvert various notions of gender and sexuality in the Arab world. In this interview, Fadi talks about his 2 groundbreaking novels (both available in English translation) while giving us a preview of his third, forthcoming novel "Laila and the Lamb."

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/fadizaghmout

Listen/share/download the interview at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/fadizaghmout

Fadi Zaghmout is a gender activist, blogger, and author. His first two novels were best-sellers in the Middle East, and his third novel "Laila and the Lamp" is forthcoming from Egyptian publisher Kotob Khan. Fadi holds an MA in Creative Writing and Critical Thinking from Sussex University in the UK. He blogs at thearabobserver.wordpress.com and tweets as @fadizaghmout

Arabology Interviews Amir Eid of 'Cairokee' Band

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/amireid

Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti interviews Amir Eid, lead vocalist/songwriter/guitarist for the Egyptian band Cairokee, which came to prominence during/following the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 and whose latest best-selling album "Noaata Beida نقطة بيضا 2017" featured the song "Kont Faker"--a track that topped Arabology's Top 20 Songs of 2017. Listen to the interview below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/amireid 

Recorded at KZSU 90.1 FM (Stanford University) in February 2018, this interview features various Cairokee song segments as Amir Eid discusses his musical influences, his career, and the reception of Cairokee's latest album in the Middle East and the West.

Cairokee's band members include Amir Eid (vocals & rhythm guitar), Tamer Hashem (drums), Sherif Hawary (Lead guitar), Adam El-Alfy (bass guitar) and Sherif Mostafa (Keyboard). More info at cairokee.com

يمكنكم الآن الاستماع الى المقابلة الاذاعية التي اجريتها منذ يومين مع المغني والمؤلف الموسيقي الشهير أمير عيد من فرقة كايروكي المصرية عبر الرابط أدناه. تم بث هذا الحوار خلال البرنامج الثقافي "عربولوجي" الذي يقدمه الدكتور رمزي سلطي عبر اذاعة جامعة ستانفورد في كاليفورنيا.

New Arabology Podcast Showcases Top 20 (Alternative) Arabic Songs of 2017

The latest episode of Arabology (aired February 2018) featured the Top 20 Alternative/Indie Arabic Songs of 2017--according to an unofficial poll of selected Stanford students and KZSU 90.1 FM listeners.  You can listen to the show below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/top2017



Now in its 7th year, Arabology is a radio program that is hosted by Dr. Ramzi Salti, Lecturer at Stanford University, showcasing music and other cultural productions from/about the Arab world.  The program airs on KZSU 90.1 FM (Stanford University) and previous podcasts can be found here.

The massive amount of talented musicians from the Arab world who emerged and re-emerged in 2017 made for a particularly competitive chart this year and included fiercely independent musicians and singers from all over the globe, including Muzdawaj (Jordan), Amine Souikra + Khawla Kayour (Morocco), Alsarah & the Nubatones (Sudan), Ahmad Zoubi (Jordan), Mahmoud Badrawy (Egypt), Temenik Electric ft Mehdi Haddjeri (Algeria), Mahmood Jrere and Tamer Naffar (Palestine/Israel), 47SOUL (Bilad El Sham), Blaak Heat (France/USA) Ft Fareed Al-Madain (Jordan), Mirage (Jordan), Hana Malhas (Jordan), Kabreet (Yemen/Germany), Tamer Qarrain (Jordan) Ft Lara Elayyan, Mashrou' Leila (Lebanon) + Hercules and Love Affair (USA/Belgium), Mike Massy ft Malek El Yaman (Lebanon), Emsallam (Jordan), Yasmine Hamdan (Lebanon), Tania Saleh (Lebanon), and Maryam Saleh (Egypt) + Tamer Abu Ghazaleh (Palestine) + Maurice Louca (Egypt).

The show also featured amazing instrumentals (which served as soundbeds) by The Spy from Cairo, Rasasawt (ft Kamel Badarneh), City of Djinn, Blaak Heat, Maghnatees, Hello Psychaleppo, DJ Lethal Skillz & Beatlalipos, Abdullah Miniawy, Ramy Mishriky, and Imed Alibi.  These instrumentals will be played in full on a future show.

Here is the list of Arabology's Top 20 Songs of 2017 (starting from #20 and ending with #1) 

Arabology 11.4: Top 20 Alternative Arabic Songs of 2017

Counted down from #20 to #1 Song of the Year (last row)

Chart Position	Artist	Song	Album	Label
Intro Music:  Spy from Cairo “Sahir” from Nothing New Under the Sun on Wonderwheel Recordings
#20	Mashrou Leila + Hercules & Love Affair	Are You Still Certain?	Omnion	Big Beat/ Atlantic Rec
#19	Muzdawaj	Ala Bali (Vocal Mix) على بالي	Muzdawaj	Khaled Nweiran
Music:  Spy from Cairo “Sirens of the Nile” from Open Sesame on Wonderwheel Recordings
#18	Amine Souikra Ft Khawla Kayour	7ali Ma3ak حالي معك	The Code	Amine Souikra Ezzanaidi
#17	Alsarah & the Nubatones	Ya Watan (Captain Planet Remix)	Manara Remixed	Wonderwheel Recordings
#16	Ahmad Zoubi	Ghorbeh غربة	Single	Ahmad Zoubi
Music: Spy from Cairo “Open Sesame” from Sirens of the Nile/Open Sesame on Wonderwheel Recs
#15	Mahmoud Badrawy	Mati7sibhash ماتحسبهاش  (Acoustic)	Single	Richard Elhaj
#14	Temenik Electric Ft Mehdi Haddjeri	Zakia	Inch’Allah Baby	Nomad Café Production
Music: Rasasawt (ft Kamel Badarneh) “Qalandia Gate” from Music for Checkpoints album
#13	Mahmood Jrere	I’m from There انا من هناك	Rhythm of the Tribe أيقاع القبيلة	Mahmood Jrere
#12	Tamer Naffar	Johnny Mashi	Single	Tamer Naffar
Music: City of Djinn “Hakawati” from City of Djin on Somnimage (1:06:02)
#11	47Soul	Mo Light رف الطير	Balfron Promise	Cooking Vinyl Limited
Music: Blaak Heat “Al-Andalus” from The Arabian Fuzz 7” on Svart Records
#10	Blaak Heat Ft Fareed Al-Madain	Marr El Kallam مر الكلام	Arabian Fuzz 7”	Svart Records
Music: Maghnatees “Madar (Orbit)” from Maghnatees album  ©Ghassan Birumi (1:23:40)
#9	Mirage Ft Dina Ra’ad Yaghnam	Ghawali غوالي	Banatalghaim	Mirage Records © K flicks
#8	Hana Malhas	Nasi ناسي	Single	Universal Music MENA
#7	Kabreet	Tefham تفهم	Bidayat بدايات	Kabreet
#6	Tamer Qarrain Ft Lara Elayyan	Let Go!  هلا تركنا	A Call for Joy  دعوة للفرح	A Call for Joy
Music: Hello Psychaleppo “Bulbul” from Toyour album © Hello Psychaleppo (1:54:25)
#5	Mike Massy + Malek El Yaman	Qalbi قلبي	Single	Malek El Yaman
Music: DJ Lethal Skillz & Beatlalipos “Under Pressure تحت الضغط “ from Iqa3 Mokhtalef
#4	Emsallam (Prod. The Archiducer)	Khanaka خانك الطرف الطموح	Postcolonialism ما بعد الاحتلال	Msallam Hdaib
#3	Maryam Saleh Maurice Louca Tamer Abu Ghazaleh	Teskar Tebki تسكر تبكي	Lekhfa  الاخفاء	Mostakell
Music: Abdullah Miniawy “Leaving Munchen” from Ihsan Means Beauty © Abdullah Miniawy
#2 TIED	Yasmine Hamdan	Balad بلد	Al Jamilat الجميلات	Ipecac Rec
	Tania Saleh	Happy about Something  فرحاً بشيء ما	Intersection تقاطع	Kirkelig Kulturverksted
Music: Ramy Mishriky “Intrepide” (Single) on Baci Recordings
Music: Imed Alibi “Solo Percussions” from Salhi album © 2017 Salhi (2:44:24)
#1	Cairokee	Kont Faker كنت فاكر	Noaata Beida نقطة بيضا	Egyptlink

Listen to Arabology 11.4 Podcast (Feb 2018) below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/top2017