Arabic pop music
Encyclopedia
Arabic pop music or Arab pop is a subgenre of Pop music
and Arabic music.
Arab pop is mainly produced in Cairo
, with Beirut
as a secondary center. It is an outgrowth of the Arabic film industry, also predominantly located in Cairo.
The primary style is a genre that synthetically combines pop melodies with elements of different Arab regional styles, called ughniyah or in English "Arab song". It uses Western string instruments including the guitar
as well as traditional Middle Eastern instruments.
Another aspect of Arab pop is the overall tone and mood of the songs. The majority of the songs are in a minor key, and themes tend to focus on longing, melancholy, strife, and generally love issues.
Most music is recorded in studios as is Western Pop music
. But also several live albums have been popular such as with Asalah and Egypt
ian legend Umm Kulthum.
Most music is released on CD in the album
format. Singles are not released separately, but just airplay is common. In some countries where certain types of music is banned by Islamic law, such as Iran
, bootleg
tape is most common.
There are no official charts or certifications due to the loose nature of the business and bootlegging. Ringtone charts are occasionally made, but due to bootlegging, they are also highly inaccurate. There are several awards in different countries awarded in different ways according to their organizations.
In fact bootlegging is so common most bootleggers have their own brands. They are so bold that they usually put contact info on the front of the CDs. Bootlegging is such a major problem that most artists don't rely on royalties for income. Most of the actual musical income comes from ringtone downloads which is more prevalent than in the West. Other income comes from endorsements deals and live performances.
Live performances are mainly brokered through the record label. This includes traditional performances such as at arenas or major media events. However performances at weddings and private parties are common no matter the level of fame.
Unlike with the West there are rarely managers
, agents
or PR systems
. Record Labels are usually mega corporations that control music videos, music channels, and distribution as well as the artists' careers, such as endorsement deals or booking gigs
. Producers and writers are usually affiliated with certain labels.
An aspiring Arab singer creates a video demo and sends them to satellite channels that specialize in that area. It is then up to a record label to see them on such a program and sign them.
Several other artists have also rose to fame via other forms of exposure—either having a famous parent musician (such as Asalah
) or having been famous in some other area (such as 'Miss Lebanon' Haifa Wehbe
).
themes for instance resulting in a Western sounding melody sung in Arabic; with occasional trilling.
Most Arab pop concentrates on romantic themes, hence the frequent use of words like habibi and qalbi
. Explicit references to sexuality and things forbidden by Islam
, including alcohol
, are rare. So is overt mention of politics, reflecting the limited democratic traditions in the region, but international conflicts such as the Gulf War
often inspire songs such as "Saddam Saddam", a 1991 hit in spiritual support of Saddam Hussein
.
Although tame by Western standards female Arab popstars have been known to cause controversy with their sexuality. Playful lyrics, skimpy costumes, and dancing have led to quite a bit of criticism in the more conservative Islamic countries. Artists such as Samira Said
, Nancy Ajram
, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Latifa
, Assala, Amal Hijazi
and Haifa
have all come under fire at one time or another for the use of sexuality in their music. This has led to bans on their music and performances in certain countries; particularly in Haifa's case. In 2002 a video by Samira Said
Youm Wara Youm was banned by Egyptian Parliament for being 'too sexy' like Nancy Ajram
in 2003. In addition Amal Hijazi
's music video of "Baya al Ward
" was heavily criticised and banned on a few music channels. Such extremes are rare but smaller actions are not uncommon towards Arab female popstars.
is made. Music videos generally are the same as they are in the West with a small storyline and dance scenes.
Music channels are popular in the Middle East
, and North Africa
where some 40 Arab music channels exist. Rotana
is the most popular company running six TV channels, a record label, and a roster of more than 100 of the Arab top pop artist.
Performances occur as they do in the West. As with the music videos, female artist are criticized for their suggestive dancing and skimpy costumes. Haifa Wehbe
and Nancy Ajram
tend to sell concerts out based on such reputations.
Most fans of Arabic Pop live in the Arab World
. Arabis pop also has found fans in communities of expats particularly in France
, the United Kingdom
, Australia
, Canada
, and the United States
. Further fan bases come from Western belly dance
fans.
Critics of Arab pop music tend to be more strict Muslim
s (particularly in the Gulf countries and Yemen
), conservative Islamists, and Nationalists as well as clerics. Many say that Arabic pop is responsible for the Westernization
of Arab culture and youth. They also tend to say it degrades women, and brings bad examples to youth such as drugs, alcohol, and sex.
At this point the performers would tend to write lyrics though not always. Music was written by others. Both lyrics and music were in much more traditional Arabic styles and songs tended to last well over 10–30 minutes. Several of Umm's songs were measured in hours and not minutes. Performances were broadcast over radio and live tours were conducted.
Due to the length of the songs they could have been compared more so to Western Jazz
for their improvisation and Opera
for their traditional elements and length.
, Dalida
and Fairuz
rose to fame during this period.
and the death of the early artists such as Umm Kulthum, western sounding Arabic pop began to take shape.
Artists such as Dalida
began to produce disco
sounding songs with success. By the early 1980s artists such as Samira Said
rose to fame with their Western sounding Arab Pop. By the mid to late 1990s a style of Arab Pop Princesses rose to prominence defining the genre as it's now known today. Artists such as Sherine
, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Diana Haddad
, Amr Diab
, Ragheb Alameh, Rashed Almajed and Nancy Ajram
rose to fame using traditional Arab instruments, Western melodies, suggestive dance moves, and skimpy outfits and scandals.
in the past few years especially the French
Top 20, although it is harder to spread due to most of the popular songs being in various Arabic dialects. However many artists speak several languages and have songs in various languages, especially French
and Spanish
. Nevertheless, it is rare to have more than a few lines in the other languages. Even rarer is a line in English
.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and Arabic music.
Arab pop is mainly produced in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, with Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
as a secondary center. It is an outgrowth of the Arabic film industry, also predominantly located in Cairo.
The primary style is a genre that synthetically combines pop melodies with elements of different Arab regional styles, called ughniyah or in English "Arab song". It uses Western string instruments including the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
as well as traditional Middle Eastern instruments.
Another aspect of Arab pop is the overall tone and mood of the songs. The majority of the songs are in a minor key, and themes tend to focus on longing, melancholy, strife, and generally love issues.
Songwriting, recording and distribution formats
The road to Arab stardom is much different than in the Western world. Traditionally a certain producer creates the full song from music to lyrics no matter the talents of the performer.Most music is recorded in studios as is Western Pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. But also several live albums have been popular such as with Asalah and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian legend Umm Kulthum.
Most music is released on CD in the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
format. Singles are not released separately, but just airplay is common. In some countries where certain types of music is banned by Islamic law, such as Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
tape is most common.
There are no official charts or certifications due to the loose nature of the business and bootlegging. Ringtone charts are occasionally made, but due to bootlegging, they are also highly inaccurate. There are several awards in different countries awarded in different ways according to their organizations.
In fact bootlegging is so common most bootleggers have their own brands. They are so bold that they usually put contact info on the front of the CDs. Bootlegging is such a major problem that most artists don't rely on royalties for income. Most of the actual musical income comes from ringtone downloads which is more prevalent than in the West. Other income comes from endorsements deals and live performances.
Live performances are mainly brokered through the record label. This includes traditional performances such as at arenas or major media events. However performances at weddings and private parties are common no matter the level of fame.
The business side
There are vast differences between the Western Music Business and the Arabic Music Business.Unlike with the West there are rarely managers
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
, agents
Talent agent
A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, film directors, musicians, models, producers, professional athletes, writers and other people in various entertainment businesses. Having an agent is not required, but does help the artist in getting jobs...
or PR systems
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
. Record Labels are usually mega corporations that control music videos, music channels, and distribution as well as the artists' careers, such as endorsement deals or booking gigs
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
. Producers and writers are usually affiliated with certain labels.
An aspiring Arab singer creates a video demo and sends them to satellite channels that specialize in that area. It is then up to a record label to see them on such a program and sign them.
Several other artists have also rose to fame via other forms of exposure—either having a famous parent musician (such as Asalah
Asalah Nasri
Assala Mostafa Hatem Nasri is a Syrian musical artist.- Early life and career :Asalah was born in Damascus, Syria to a middle class couple. Mostafa Nasri, Asalah's father, was a revered Syrian composer and singer. Asalah began her musical career by performing patriotic, religious, and children's...
) or having been famous in some other area (such as 'Miss Lebanon' Haifa Wehbe
Haifa Wehbe
Haifa Wehbe born in Mahrouna, Lebanon on March 10, 1976 is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer born to a Lebanese father and Egyptian mother who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later through the release of her debut album Houwa El-Zaman in 2002...
).
Characteristics and themes
The sound of Arab pop differs by artist, but usually incorporates Arab styled instruments and music with Western melodies and beats. A common way is to continually mix Arabica music with Pop musicPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
themes for instance resulting in a Western sounding melody sung in Arabic; with occasional trilling.
Most Arab pop concentrates on romantic themes, hence the frequent use of words like habibi and qalbi
Qalbi
Qalbi, قلبي, also transcribed albee and galbi, is the Arabic word for "my heart." It is used as a term of endearment....
. Explicit references to sexuality and things forbidden by Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, including alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
, are rare. So is overt mention of politics, reflecting the limited democratic traditions in the region, but international conflicts such as the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
often inspire songs such as "Saddam Saddam", a 1991 hit in spiritual support of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
.
Although tame by Western standards female Arab popstars have been known to cause controversy with their sexuality. Playful lyrics, skimpy costumes, and dancing have led to quite a bit of criticism in the more conservative Islamic countries. Artists such as Samira Said
Samira Said
Samira Said is an Egyptian-Moroccan singer.-Early career:Samira Said was born and raised in Rabat. She began singing at the age of 9 and she was discovered on a music program on Royal Moroccan TV, "Mawaheb," alongside another popular singer, Aziza Jalal, when she was 17. She was quickly...
, Nancy Ajram
Nancy Ajram
Nancy Nabil Ajram is a multi-platinum Lebanese singer and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. With the support of her father, Nancy began performing as a child and released her first studio album by the age of 15...
, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Latifa
Latifa
Latifa Bint Alayah Al Arfaoui , better known as Latifa , is an Arab pop music singer, Latifa standing for gentle in Arabic.-Early life:...
, Assala, Amal Hijazi
Amal Hijazi
Amal Hijazi is a Lebanese singer, model and pop icon. She is currently one of the most active Lebanese singers and has given a number of concerts throughout the world and has made countless TV appearances. After her lengthy career as a fashion model, Hijazi released her debut album, Akher Gharam...
and Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
have all come under fire at one time or another for the use of sexuality in their music. This has led to bans on their music and performances in certain countries; particularly in Haifa's case. In 2002 a video by Samira Said
Samira Said
Samira Said is an Egyptian-Moroccan singer.-Early career:Samira Said was born and raised in Rabat. She began singing at the age of 9 and she was discovered on a music program on Royal Moroccan TV, "Mawaheb," alongside another popular singer, Aziza Jalal, when she was 17. She was quickly...
Youm Wara Youm was banned by Egyptian Parliament for being 'too sexy' like Nancy Ajram
Nancy Ajram
Nancy Nabil Ajram is a multi-platinum Lebanese singer and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. With the support of her father, Nancy began performing as a child and released her first studio album by the age of 15...
in 2003. In addition Amal Hijazi
Amal Hijazi
Amal Hijazi is a Lebanese singer, model and pop icon. She is currently one of the most active Lebanese singers and has given a number of concerts throughout the world and has made countless TV appearances. After her lengthy career as a fashion model, Hijazi released her debut album, Akher Gharam...
's music video of "Baya al Ward
Baya al Ward (song)
Baya al Ward is a love-ballad written by Elias Naher for Amal Hijazi's album of the same name. The song was a blockbuster hit and was produced by Rotana. It was charted strongly throughout the Arab world and gained critical acclaim from both fans and critics alike. On the other hand, it was...
" was heavily criticised and banned on a few music channels. Such extremes are rare but smaller actions are not uncommon towards Arab female popstars.
Videos and performance
As stated above, videos are generally the way Arab popstars are discovered. Once famous a single is chosen and a music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
is made. Music videos generally are the same as they are in the West with a small storyline and dance scenes.
Music channels are popular in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
where some 40 Arab music channels exist. Rotana
Rotana Records
Rotana Records is the Arab World's largest record label. It is owned by the Rotana Group, established by the Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who sometimes personally signs artists to the label. Rotana Records is part of a huge media empire that includes a film production company, a magazine in...
is the most popular company running six TV channels, a record label, and a roster of more than 100 of the Arab top pop artist.
Performances occur as they do in the West. As with the music videos, female artist are criticized for their suggestive dancing and skimpy costumes. Haifa Wehbe
Haifa Wehbe
Haifa Wehbe born in Mahrouna, Lebanon on March 10, 1976 is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer born to a Lebanese father and Egyptian mother who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later through the release of her debut album Houwa El-Zaman in 2002...
and Nancy Ajram
Nancy Ajram
Nancy Nabil Ajram is a multi-platinum Lebanese singer and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. With the support of her father, Nancy began performing as a child and released her first studio album by the age of 15...
tend to sell concerts out based on such reputations.
Demographics of Arabic Pop
Though particularly popular among the youth and young adult Arab population, Arabic pop has also found an audience with older fans as well.Most fans of Arabic Pop live in the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
. Arabis pop also has found fans in communities of expats particularly in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Further fan bases come from Western belly dance
Belly dance
Belly dance or Bellydance is a "Western"-coined name for a traditional "Middle Eastern" dance, especially raqs sharqi . It is sometimes also called Middle Eastern dance or Arabic dance in the West, or by the Greco-Turkish term çiftetelli...
fans.
Critics of Arab pop music tend to be more strict Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s (particularly in the Gulf countries and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
), conservative Islamists, and Nationalists as well as clerics. Many say that Arabic pop is responsible for the Westernization
Westernization
Westernization or Westernisation , also occidentalization or occidentalisation , is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in such matters as industry, technology, law, politics, economics, lifestyle, diet, language, alphabet,...
of Arab culture and youth. They also tend to say it degrades women, and brings bad examples to youth such as drugs, alcohol, and sex.
Early days: 1920s-1950s
The early days of Arabic pop where more a traditional style of music. Artists such as Umm Kulthum made it acceptable for females to perform. She is now considered an Arabic music legend.At this point the performers would tend to write lyrics though not always. Music was written by others. Both lyrics and music were in much more traditional Arabic styles and songs tended to last well over 10–30 minutes. Several of Umm's songs were measured in hours and not minutes. Performances were broadcast over radio and live tours were conducted.
Due to the length of the songs they could have been compared more so to Western Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
for their improvisation and Opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
for their traditional elements and length.
Modernization: 1950s-1970s
During this period Arab pop began to emerge though the older style of the Early Days was still prevalent and extremely popular. Songs began to become more westernized in sound and length (now around 5–20 minutes). Such artists as Abdel Halim HafezAbdel Halim Hafez
Abdel Halim Ali Shabana commonly known as Abdel Halim Hafez , is among the most popular Egyptian and Arab singers and performers. In addition to singing, Halim was also an actor, conductor, business man, music teacher and movie producer...
, Dalida
Dalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
and Fairuz
Fairuz
Nouhad Wadi Haddad , famously known as Fairuz is a Lebanese singer who is widely considered to be the most famous living singer in the Arab world and one of the best known of all time...
rose to fame during this period.
Arab Pop today: 1970s-Present
In the 1970s with the rise of Western artists such as ABBAABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
and the death of the early artists such as Umm Kulthum, western sounding Arabic pop began to take shape.
Artists such as Dalida
Dalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
began to produce disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
sounding songs with success. By the early 1980s artists such as Samira Said
Samira Said
Samira Said is an Egyptian-Moroccan singer.-Early career:Samira Said was born and raised in Rabat. She began singing at the age of 9 and she was discovered on a music program on Royal Moroccan TV, "Mawaheb," alongside another popular singer, Aziza Jalal, when she was 17. She was quickly...
rose to fame with their Western sounding Arab Pop. By the mid to late 1990s a style of Arab Pop Princesses rose to prominence defining the genre as it's now known today. Artists such as Sherine
Sherine
Sherine is an Egyptian singer and actress from Egypt, Cairo. Sherine began her career with the single Ah Ya Leil in 2002, and has since released several albums that include 2 EPs and 3 LPs.- Early life :...
, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Diana Haddad
Diana Haddad
Diana Joseph Fouad Haddad is a Lebanese singer and television personality with Emirati citizenship. Mainly known as Diana Haddad, she is one of the most popular and successful singers in the Arab World and has been so since the late 1990s...
, Amr Diab
Amr Diab
Amr Abdol-Basset Abdol-Azeez Diab is an Egyptian singer and composer of geel music; the contemporary face of Egyptian el-geel pop music, according to World Music. Diab is the best-selling Arab recording artist of all time, according to Let's Go Egypt...
, Ragheb Alameh, Rashed Almajed and Nancy Ajram
Nancy Ajram
Nancy Nabil Ajram is a multi-platinum Lebanese singer and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. With the support of her father, Nancy began performing as a child and released her first studio album by the age of 15...
rose to fame using traditional Arab instruments, Western melodies, suggestive dance moves, and skimpy outfits and scandals.
Arabic Pop outside the Arab world
Arabic pop has continually charted in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in the past few years especially the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Top 20, although it is harder to spread due to most of the popular songs being in various Arabic dialects. However many artists speak several languages and have songs in various languages, especially French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. Nevertheless, it is rare to have more than a few lines in the other languages. Even rarer is a line in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
External links
- List of Arabic Music Videos - Scoopspy.com
- Arabic Songs
- Music and modernization in the Arab world - Reason Magazine
- A Little War Music - by Robert ChristgauRobert ChristgauRobert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
for the Village Voice, 1991 - Flamenco and Arabic Pop - A popular radio show