TikTok remains the primary launchpad for viral music in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, with 84% of songs that entered the Billboard Global 200 in 2024 going viral on the platform before charting, according to a report from 0to8, a UAE-based music label. 

0to8’s research shows that the time required for a track to reach 100,000 TikTok posts dropped from approximately 340 days in 2020 to 48 days in 2025. Once a track gains traction on TikTok, Spotify, and YouTube algorithms amplify demand through recommendations, playlists, and autoplay.

UGC (user-generated content) accounts for approximately 60% of brand engagement on TikTok, and users are more than 20% more likely to engage with user-created trends than branded content, according to 0to8.

Multilingual Tracks Gain Streaming Traction

Tracks in Hindi, Arabic, Russian, and English are gaining significant traction across Spotify and Shazam in the UAE. Korean pop and Brazilian youth funk performed in Portuguese are also rising in popularity, reflecting the market’s multilingual character.

“The UAE represents a new model for music markets worldwide,” said Kirill Smetkov, co-founder and CEO of 0to8. “Audience behavior here reflects true global consumption patterns, where language is no longer a barrier and discovery is driven by digital engagement.”

Hit Cycles Compress as Streaming Peaks Arrive Earlier

Many tracks now reach peak streams within the first month after release. After five to six months, daily streams often decline by 80-90%. Electronic music posts on TikTok increased 45% year-over-year, generating over 13 billion global views.

“It’s no longer enough to make a track go viral,” said Artem Shargin, co-founder and COO of 0to8. “Our focus is on working with artists over time and helping them build real careers rather than becoming one-hit projects.”

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