Billboard, the prominent US entertainment magazine, drew sharp criticism online after it reshared a June 2025 article that classified Nigerian Afrobeats artist Rema as a one-hit wonder.
Billboard shared the article on Sunday, February 15, 2026, via its X account. The post revived a list titled “The 25 Biggest One-Hit Wonders of the 21st Century.” Fans and critics quickly reacted to the resurfaced content.
The list placed Rema at number six. Billboard highlighted his collaboration with American pop star Selena Gomez on the remix of “Calm Down.” The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became one of the most-streamed Afrobeats tracks worldwide.
In the original piece, Billboard noted that the original version of “Calm Down” gained traction on the US Afrobeats Songs chart. However, the remix with Gomez drove mainstream success. The magazine pointed out that Rema had not returned to the Hot 100 since then. It acknowledged his six top-10 entries on the US Afrobeats Songs chart as of June 7, 2025.
Social media users accused Billboard of disrespect and of ignoring Rema’s broader achievements. Critics highlighted his sold-out global tours, his sophomore album HEIS, and hits such as “Dumebi,” “Iron Man,” “Soundgasm,” and “Charm.” Many argued that the US-centric Hot 100 metric failed to capture Rema’s international impact in Africa, Europe, and beyond.
Billboard described one-hit wonders as classics shaped by timing, culture, and business factors. It viewed the status positively for artists who achieved massive success with a single track. The magazine focused on acts with exactly one Hot 100 hit in a lead role since the start of the 21st century.
The incident sparked discussions about global music metrics. Supporters of Rema emphasized his festival appearances at Coachella and Wireless, collaborations with artists like Chris Brown and 6lack, and his role in elevating Afrobeats worldwide. Rema did not publicly respond to the ranking or the backlash.
