A trailblazing music initiative that allows MENA’s iconic natural landscapes to be heard for the first time ever

• Sounds of the Land uses unique sounds from diverse topographies across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
• Through this innovative music initiative, Billboard Arabia aims to have the sounds of these iconic landscapes featured in future chart-topping hits
• Billboard Arabia is partnering with gamma. to produce the first Sounds of the Lands album

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 06 March 2024: Billboard Arabia, a platform dedicated to covering music, culture and entertainment, has announced the launch of Sounds of the Land, a groundbreaking initiative that pays tribute to the landscapes of the Arab world, celebrating the region’s rich natural beauty through music.

To bring this first-of-its-kind project to life, Billboard Arabia analysed maps and used topographic techniques to extract data from five different iconic regions in MENA. This data was then transformed into unique sounds and carved onto vinyl recordings, allowing the diverse landscapes to be heard as an artistic expression for the first time. 

These sample sounds offer the music community a unique opportunity to unlock their creativity and passion. Billboard Arabia invites artists and music producers to join this journey by creating their version of 1-minute tracks inspired by the Sounds of the Land. The goal is to have the sounds of these iconic landscapes featured and credited in future chart-topping hits.

The samples are currently available for download on the website, soundsoftheland.com, and on Billboard Arabia’s official Soundcloud account, soundcloud.com/billboardarabia and can be remixed and re-worked to create a sample bank to be made available for music enthusiasts globally to use in the future.

The website features 20 captivating samples that showcase the beauty and diversity of the Arab world, from the vast green landscapes and valleys to the sand dunes, mountains and much more, all the while utilizing unique sounds from the topographies of iconic locations across MENA.

These samples include: 

• Sounds of Al Ula: Situated in the heart of Saudi Arabia, where continents converge, Al Ula embodies the fusion of civilizations and the magnificence of nature. 
• Sounds of Tafilah: Located in Jordan’s southern highlands, Tafilah is a lush oasis surrounded by arid land, with a history as rich as the roots of its olive groves. 
• Sounds of Tinghir: Nestled in Morocco, between the towering High Atlas and the rugged Little Atlas, Tinghir is an oasis carved by the flowing waters of the Todra and Dades Rivers. 
• Sounds of the Kadisha Valley: Rising from the Lebanese highlands, the Kadisha Valley showcases nature's beauty and enduring sanctity. 
• Sounds of Luxor: This ancient city rises from the desert plains of Egypt to tell the story of the “Valley of the Kings”.

As part of this initiative, Billboard Arabia is partnering with gamma., a modern media and technology enterprise founded by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef, to create a unique body of work spotlighting Arab music culture. This partnership, with the engagement of the music community at-large, will result in the production of a 10-track Sounds of the Land album. Each song will have its moment as all ten will be released separately throughout the year, celebrating the diverse culture of Arab music and building collaborations between world-class producers and MENA talent.

Billboard Arabia has become a go-to destination for Arab artists and Arabic music enthusiasts. This is due to its ongoing efforts to develop the music market in the MENA region and support for emerging and established artists, enabling them to reach a wider audience within the region and beyond.