Usually Arabic POP singers use their own dialects (Egyptians, Lebanese', Algerians, ppl from the Arabic gulf.....they all use their local dialects even here in Algeria we have a great number of dialects) rarely Formal Arabic.
The thing it may confuse you, so I think that for a beginner songs won't help much.

For more help, feel Free to ask ;-)
Take care,

هناك كثير من الأغاني الجيده al good and i can help you me name feras eamel:feras-000@maktob.com

there are 2 style of arabe songs
good
and
not good
in good there are many many songs
like basstanak for ilissa(libanaise singel)i wait you
tassawar(syrian singel)assala(u imagine)
all songs for najoi karam very nice
ahmad esherif(tunisian singel)sahran maak
................u can just see one of arabic music channels tehre are a lot

take this website
www.hibamusic.com
chab khaled and chab fodèle are the best
good luck

Hey 'Sara ‘:
I think that even other Arabs won't understand the Raï Slang :-) So, what about a non-Arab Speaker?!
I hate these singers; they have a very strange lyrics and sometimes dirty meanings.

Look what i head in one of this guy called khaled songs:

أنا البحر عليا وأنت اللا = Anaa El bhar alia wnti el-laa
If we translate it word to word it gives:
The sea upon me, and not upon you!! No sense. Hahaha :p
But it has a close meaning to this: No worry about me, the worry is about you.
Even with this translation, it cannot be understood 100%.

Another example:
أنا نعمّر راسي = Anna n'amar rasii = I fill my head !
It means: I drink Alcohol/beer!

Another example: أنا نقلش عمري = ana nkalach oumri (the word نقلش, was known just recently as a slang to cherish, neither other Arabs use this word)
Means: I cherish my life (here life could be his own life or his beloved)

Such Algerian slang songs are mixed up with French words, what makes it very local.

As a beginner, I advice you to keep away from the dialects and slang as far as possible ;-)

conara de vaneda khaled mania

There are many arab chanel for arabic music
there are ancien songs

leila mourad
souad hassni(zozo)

Hi Tom,

There is a weekly top of the Arab charts podcaston RadioMonte Carlo Doualiya.

It's all in Arabic, but you'll hear the top songs of the Arab world.

Go to
http://www.mc-doualiya.com/rmcommunar/dynamiques/podcasting.aspx?rubrique=rmradioar

and click on the very first stream/download icon
برنامج "سباق الأغاني"، اضغط على هذه الوصل

Brian

i know a singer named Amr Diab :) a friend of mine sent me his song called '' Hawalek ''. In fact I dont know what the title means but it's so lively ;)

hi Tom,
I recommand you to listen to lebanese music of 70's and 80's such as the songs of Fairuz and Marcel Khalife (especially if you look for literal arabic music coupled with nice melodies), here is a link for Fairuz: http://www.ahyasalam.com/index.htm?lang=AR&artistid=30
M.Khalife: http://www.ahyasalam.com/index.htm?lang=AR&artistid=72
both of them has a huge popularity and are considered among the best arabian singers of all times.

alfara'ana team their song called "sebony a'aish"فريق الفراعنه (سبونى اعيش)
MTM team from Egypt
BUT why do you want to know them?