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
|
