Over the years, various Arab countries have taken the spotlight in Western music videos. Did you know about these 8?
1. 'When You Came Into My Life' by Scorpions was shot in Beirut
The Scorpions iconic 1996 music video was shot in Beirut's then bullet riddled Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel, one of the country’s premier hotels.
At the height of the 1975-1990 Civil War, the Phoenicia was destroyed and closed for nearly 25 years, but was later rebuilt to its former glory.
2. 'Believer' by Major Lazer was set in Egypt
Major Lazer (who you may know from Justin Bieber's Cold Water) released a music video on Jan 3 that depicts the struggle of Syrian children amidst the war.
Shot in Egypt, the video has since garnered over 1.4 million YouTube views.
3. Dubai was the perfect location for 'So Much' by Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa loved Dubai so much that he shot the music video to his song "So Much" in the United Arab Emirates in May 2016. The video includes scenes of the rapper getting up-close-and-personal with tigers, feeding giraffes and dancing amid the sand dunes.
4. 'Echoes' by The Klaxons was shot in Egypt's White Desert
Award-winning rock band, The Klaxons shot their music video for Echoes in the middle of the White Desert of Egypt.
The location presents an otherworldly setting that sets an apocalyptic, sci-fi feel to the song’s synths, frantic guitars, and chanting vocals.
5. 'Flash' by Tinie Tempah was also shot in Dubai
Dubai with all its yacht-sailing, Mercedez-Benz' riding, over-the-top parties makes the list again with British rapper, Tinie Tempah's Flash.
The video, which features other landmarks like Dubai's Meydan Racecourse, Atlantis The Palm and Burj Al Arab makes for an enticing visual experience.
6. 'Bad Girls' by M.I.A. was set in Morocco
In 2012, M.I.A. set the world ablaze with Bad Girls. We think that it may be due to the fact that it was shot in Ouarzazate, Morocco.
The video sends out a message of solidarity to the Women to Drive movement in Saudi Arabia, a campaign to advocate for female's right to drive in public.
The video has garnered over 90 million views.
7. 'Indiana Jones' by The Piano Guys was shot in Jordan's Petra
American musical group The Piano Guys set out to conquer the seven wonders of the world "with music" in 2013.
Three years later, they made it to Jordan's Petra, otherwise known as the "Rose City", as part of their archaeological conquest.
The video till date has over 1 million views on YouTube.
8. 'Do It Again' by the Chemical Brothers played out in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco
Directed by Michael Haussman, this Chemical Brothers music video was shot in Morocco, mainly in the Atlas Mountains.
It takes place in Morocco and is centered around a little boy and his older brother. Want to know what happens? Watch it.