NRJ Oriental

NRJ Oriental is the network's dedicated channel for Maghreb and Middle Eastern pop, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. The playlist swings from raï veterans like Khaled and Cheb Mami to the French-Algerian pop-rap of Soolking, then slips into Arabic-language hits from Cairo and Beirut. That mix tells you exactly who it's for: the diaspora and anyone raised on both sides of the Mediterranean. It's a radio station in France, not a world music seminar. Mornings lean bright and vocal-heavy, all big choruses and wedding-ready hooks. Evenings get looser: more raï, more chaabi. Not for everyone. But i…