Music of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
The Netherlands
has multiple music
al traditions. Contemporary Dutch popular music (Nederpop
) is heavily influenced by music styles that emerged in the 1950s, in the United Kingdom
and United States
. The style is sung in both Dutch and English. Some of the latter exponents, such as Golden Earring
and Shocking Blue
, have attained world wide fame.
More traditional Dutch music however is a genre known as "Levenslied
", meaning Song of/about life. These songs have catchy, simple rhythms and melodies, and are always built up on couplets and refrains. Themes are often sentimental and include love
, death
and loneliness
.
Traditional Dutch musical instruments such as the accordion
and the barrel organ
are essential to levenslied, though in recent years many levenslied-artists also use synthesizers and guitars. Artists in this genre include Koos Alberts and the late André Hazes
and Willy Alberti
.
(April or May, 1562–October 16, 1621) was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. Sweelinck was a master improviser, and acquired the informal title of the "Orpheus of Amsterdam." Over 70 keyboard works of his have survived, and many of them may be similar to the improvisations that residents of Amsterdam around 1600 were likely to have heard. Even his vocal music, which is more conservative than his keyboard writing, shows a striking rhythmic complexity and an unusual richness of contrapuntal devices.
His influence was international. Some of his music appears in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
, which otherwise mainly contains the work of English composers. Sweelinck wrote variations on John Dowland
's internationally famous Lachrimae Pavane, and John Bull
, the English keyboard composer, wrote a set of variations on a theme of Sweelinck, indicating the close connection between the different schools of composition across the North Sea
.
Jacob van Eyck
(ca. 1590–1657) was a blind recorder and organ virtuoso, who composed a unique collection of flute music.
Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer
(1692–1766) was an accomplished baroque composer, whose work Concerti Armonici erroneously was attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
. Igor Stravinsky
used Unico's music for Pulcinella
.
Alphons Diepenbrock
(September 2, 1862 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands - April 5, 1921). He created a musical idiom which, in a highly personal manner, combined 16th-century polyphony with Wagnerian chromaticism, to which in later years was added the impressionistic refinement that he encountered in Debussy's music.
Willem Pijper
(1894–1947) is generally considered one of the most important figure in modern Dutch music. Between 1918 and 1922 he grew into one of the more advanced composers in Europe. In each successive work he went a step further and, from 1919, Pijper's music can be described as atonal. However, Pijper remained a composer of strong emotional character, to which his Third Symphony (1926) bears witness. In Pijper's later works the harmonic expression seems at times to approach monotonality. As a teacher Pijper had a great influence on modern Dutch music, teaching many prominent Dutch composers of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. He was senior master of instrumentation in the Amsterdam Conservatoire, and from 1930 until his death in 1947 he was Head of the Rotterdam Conservatoire.
Ton de Leeuw
(born Rotterdam, 16 November 1926 - died Paris, 31 May 1996) is known for his experiments with microtonality. He wrote one opera, Antigone (1990–1991).
Lex van Delden
(1919–1988) was an important composer.
Louis Andriessen
(born Utrecht: June 6, 1939) is a composer whose early works show experimentation with various contemporary trends: post war serialism
(Series, 1958), pastiche
(Anachronie I, 1966–67), and tape (Il Duce, 1973). Andriessen's mature music combines the influences of Stravinsky
and American minimalism
. His harmonic writing eschews the consonant modality of much minimalism, preferring post war European dissonance
, often crystallised into large blocks of sound. Large scale pieces such as De Staat [‘Republic’] (1972–76), for example, are influenced by the energy of the big band music of Count Basie
and Stan Kenton
and the repetitive procedures of Steve Reich
, both combined with bright, clashing dissonances. Andriessen's music is thus anti-Germanic and anti-Romantic
, and marks a departure from post war European serialism and its offshoots. He has also played a role in providing alternatives to traditional performance practice techniques, often specifying forceful, rhythmic articulation
s, and amplified, non-vibrato
, singing. Other notable works include Workers Union (1975), a melodically indeterminate piece "for any loud sounding group of instruments"; Mausoleum (1979) for 2 baritones and large ensemble; De Tijd [‘Time’] (1979–81) for female singers and ensemble; De Snelheid [‘Velocity’] (1982-3), for 3 amplified ensembles; De Materie [‘Matter’] (1984–88) a large four part work for voices and ensemble; collaborations with filmmaker and librettist
Peter Greenaway
on the film M is for Man, Music, Mozart and the operas Rosa: A Horse Drama (1994) and Writing to Vermeer (1998); and the recent La Passione (2000–02) for female voice and ensemble.
Significant composers after Andriessen include Klaas de Vries
(b. 1944), Jacob Ter Veldhuis
, a.k.a. JacobTV (b. 1951), Guus Janssen
(b. 1951) and Cornelis de Bondt
(b. 1953).
, is the musical line that is danced to. This means that though the music itself may sound fast, the dances are usually quite moderate to slow in tempo
. The dances themselves are mainly group dances rather than individual or dual dances. Clogs are often worn during dances; however, Dutch clog dancing is very different from its more modern counterpart. It is virtually impossible to perform highly active dances with Dutch clogs (which are entirely made from wood, not just the sole) and hence the clogs function as additional percussion, by stamping rhythmically.
In the early 19th century, rural Dutch folk began moving to cities like Amsterdam
and Rotterdam
, bringing with them folk traditions. Many of their songs and dances, however, began to dwindle in popularity. In the early part of the 20th century, however, a number of urban intellectuals travelled to the countrysides to record with local musicians, a process paralleled in other European countries, such as Spain
.
In the 1970s, the Netherlands underwent a roots revival
, led by artists like Gerard van Maasakkers, Jos Koning, Dommelvolk and RK Veulpoepers BV, Fungus and Wolverloi. Many of the folk songs performed by these musicians was collected by Cobi Schreijer and Ate Doornbosch, the latter of whom broadcast them on his radio
program Onder de groene linde (Under the green lime).
It was in about 1974 that the Dutch folk revival peaked, a year marked by the first recording of Fungus and the birth of Wargaren from the band Pitchwheel.
The mainstream popularity of the Dutch roots revival was short-lived, but it continued in Friesland
, where a handful of groups, starting with Irolt in the mid-1970s, sang in the West Frisian language
. Frisian folk music has survived thus, aided in part by the Aaipop Festival in Nylân and annual festival in Joure
. At Joure's festival, established in 1955, participants dress in 19th century-style clothes and perform traditional music and dance like the skotsploech ensembles.
Modern revivalists include the Groningen
band Törf, Folkcorn, Pekel and Twee Violen en een Bas, Lirio
, Dubius, Mus, Matzko, Wè-nun Henk.
Moluccan
-Dutch musicians like Tala Mena Siwa and the Moluccan Moods Orchestra have had some success with pop-based Moluccan music, while kaseko
, a style from the former Dutch colony of Surinam, has also seen mainstream popularity, primarily due to musicians like William Souvenir and Carlo Jones.
In the first decade of the 21st century there was an upsurge of Neofolk
by bands such as H.E.R.R.
and Omnia
.
attracts artists from international acclaim.
Misha Mengelberg
(born June 5, 1935) is a jazz pianist
and composer
. He was the pianist on Eric Dolphy
's last album, Last Date (1964). Also featuring on that record was the drummer Han Bennink
, and together with Piet Noordijk they formed a quartet which had a number of different bassists. They played at the Newport Jazz Festival
in 1966. In 1967 he co-founded the Instant Composers Pool, an organisation which promoted avant garde Dutch jazz performances and recordings, with Han Bennink
and Willem Breuker
.
Mengelberg has played with a large variety of musicians. He has often performed in a duo with compatriot Bennink, and with other musicians including Derek Bailey, Peter Brötzmann
, Evan Parker
, Anthony Braxton
.
Han Bennink
(born April 17, 1942) is a jazz drummer
, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist. Through the 1960s he drummed with a number of American musicians visiting the Netherlands, including Dexter Gordon
, Sonny Rollins
and Eric Dolphy
. He subsequently became a central figure in the emerging European free improvisation
{or free jazz
} scene. From the late 1960s he played in a trio with saxophonist Peter Brötzmann
and Belgian pianist Fred Van Hove
, which became a duo after Van Hove's departure in 1976. Through much of the 1990s he played in Clusone 3 (also known as the Clusone Trio), a trio with saxophonist and clarinetist Michael Moore and cellist Ernst Reijseger
. He has often played duos with Mengelberg and collaborated with him alongside other musicians.
As well as playing with these long-standing groups, Bennink has performed and recorded solo (such as Tempo Comodo (1982)) and played with many free improvisation and free jazz luminaries including Derek Bailey, Conny Bauer
, Don Cherry
and Alexander von Schlippenbach
, as well as more conventional jazz musicians.
Willem Breuker
(born November 4, 1944 - died July 23, 2010) was a jazz bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist
, and bass clarinet
ist. Since 1974 he led the 10-piece Willem Breuker Kollektief, which performed jazz in a theatrical and often unconventional manner, drawing elements from theater and vaudeville
.
- to this day extremely popular. In the 70s there were many performers, of which Rob de Nijs
stood out. The 80s were for André Hazes
and less Koos Alberts. The 90s were dominated by Marco Borsato. Other well known names throughout the years were Jan Smit
, Frans Bauer
, Gerard Joling
, Gordon, Guus Meeuwis
and René Froger
.
In addition, there is a large group of bands that compose and perform pop and rock songs in the Dutch language. That started in the 70s with Polle Eduard, Bots and Normaal - which sang in dialect. Late 70s and early 80s there was a big boom of bands that used the Dutch language in their songs. Well known representatives from that period: Doe Maar
, Het Goede Doel, Frank Boeijen Groep and Toontje Lager, and during the late 80s De Dijk
, The Scene
and Tröckener Kecks.
In the 90s there was a second boom Acda en de Munnik
, Bløf
, Van Dik Hout
and IOS.
bands from the late 1950s, like The Tielman Brothers and the Blue Diamonds
. They played rock guitar instrumentals when most of the Netherlands's youth had hardly heard of rock 'n' roll. They stemmed from the Indo community in The Hague and were pivotal in earning that city the title of Beatstad ('Beat city') in later years. With 60s bands like Golden Earring
and Shocking Blue
, and Kane
and Anouk in the 90s, The Hague became synonymous for mainstream rock. The Dutch normally referred to this as swag.
More progressive music emerged in the 1960s in Amsterdam. In 1964 (see 1964 in music
), The Outsiders
were the first Dutch psychedelic rock
band
to become successful. Well known was the 'Haagse Scene' - many of the popular bands of the 60s came from The Hague, such as Shocking Blue
, which topped the US charts in 1970 with "Venus", Golden Earring
, Q65, The Motions, Earth & Fire. Other representatives from this period: the Cats
, Tee Set
, Bintangs, Sandy Coast, Cuby & the Blizzards
and Brainbox
.
George Baker acquired international fame with the songs Little Green Bag
(1969), and "Una Paloma Blanca" (1975).
From the late 1960s the post war generation gained political influence. Many state subsidized rock venues opened all over the country. These clubs, like Amsterdam's Paradiso
and Melkweg
, were stepping stones for many alternative rock
bands on their first European tour and the Dutch crowd stayed well informed about new British and American acts.
In the 70s some artists stood out. Herman Brood
became the ultimate Rock 'n Roll icon. He even scored a hit in the US with Saturday Night. He became the epitome of the "rock'n'roll junkie" he sang about. As an artist he was in the media until his suicide in 2001. Other bands from the 70s: Gruppo Sportivo
, Massada, Vitesse, Solution
, the Nits
, Focus
and still Golden Earring
with their greatest hit ever: "Radar Love
, also Top 10 in the US.
The late 70s and early 80s gave many one hit wonders and some bands that lasted longer. Girl groups Luv'
and Dolly Dots
but also disco bands Spargo and Time Bandits
were most successful. Together with the Golden Earring
, which scored some of their biggest hits with "Twilight Zone' and "When The Lady Smiles
". The Nits
developed a large audience outside the Netherlands, including Finland
, Switzerland
, Germany
, France
, Belgium
, Greece
and Canada
and in 1989 were the first Dutch band to play in the (then still) Soviet Union
. Urban Dance Squad
was a cross-over band, combining hip-hop with funk and rock. The band's minor American success proved to be influential. Their music style (rapcore
) influenced bands like Rage Against the Machine
. Van Halen
was created by Edward Van Halen who was of Dutch heritage.
The 90s produced international hits like 2 Unlimited
, 2 Brothers On The 4th Floor
, and Vengaboys
. However, the 90s was also the start of the DJ-era. Ferry Corsten
, DJ Tiësto
, Armin van Buuren, DJ Jean
and Bart Claessen started their careers in the 90s and became the stars of their era.
Dutch bands in the 00s are The Sheer
, Naked Shepherd, Krezip, Di-rect and Johan
.
Current pop acts include Esmee Denters
, Anouk, Eva Simons
, Ilse De Lange and DJ acts Don Diablo
.
bands such as Within Temptation
, The Gathering
, After Forever
, Delain
and Epica
. They became successful in the late 90s and in the beginning of the new millennium. However, bands like Supersister and Kayak
(who had a hit with Ruthless Queen) were already internationally successful in the 70s. In the 80s Vandenberg
was internationally successful.
Also Lead guitarist of Van Halen
and drummer Edward Van Halen and Alex Van Halen
are from The Netherlands
, has had some success. Bands like Gorefest
, Pestilence
, Asphyx
, Altar and Sinister
were and are well-known both in and outside of Europe. At the present, bands like God Dethroned
, Pyaemia
, Disavowed
, Prostitute Disfigurement
, Hail of Bullets
, The Monolith Deathcult, Inhume
, Rompeprop, Legion of the Damned
and Severe Torture
enjoy a similar status.
, Carach Angren
and Cirith Gorgor are some of the most well-known. Israeli group Melechesh
have also made the Netherlands their permanent base of operations. Viking/folk metal band Heidevolk
are also gaining popularity.
, Deinonychus
, The Gathering
and to a certain extent Asphyx
.
.
Tedje en de Flikkers, a group of homosexuals ("flikkers" is Dutch
for "faggots") from Nijmegen, was one of the most infamous punk formation of the Netherlands. They sprang from the left wing and gay movements that thrived in Nijmegen during the 70s and 80s. Their provocative performances (politically more than musically) often literally resulted in orgies of sex, drugs and noise. They existed only for three years (1977–1980).
The Ex is an Amsterdam
group of musicians making something that could be called punk
. De Heideroosjes is also a well-known Dutch punk rock
group, singing in Dutch
, English
, German
and Limburgish
.
and Jovink en de Voederbietels from Gelderland
, Rowwen Hèze
and Neet Oét Lottum from Limburg
, Mooi Wark from Drenthe and Jitiizer from Friesland.
Musically, the music played by such bands can be described as a rowdy, straight-forward style of rock music, inspired by bands such as ZZ Top
, Motörhead, AC/DC
and Creedence Clearwater Revival
. At other times, influences from pop music and folk music (for instance the case with Rowwen Hèze) can be heard.
Not rarely, these bands display a lot of humorous elements in their repertoire, lyrics and live performances. An example is the repertoire of the WC Experience, which contains cover songs from bands such as Queen
, Guns 'n' Roses and Madness
, only the lyrics are replaced by different, rather silly lyrics in their own dialect. Also, the name of 'Band Zonder Banaan' means "Band without a Banana", and is a humorous play on the name of a famous Dutch pop-band, BZN
(Band Zonder Naam, or 'Band Without a Name'). The name "Jovink en de Voederbietels" is a contraction of the names of the two founding band members (Hendrik Jan Lovink en Gijs Jolink), and "voederbietel" is a Dutch word for a food trough on a farm.
Boerenrock bands tend to perform at local festivities and concerts in big tents in rural areas, rather than in concert halls in bigger cities. An event where a lot of Boerenrock music can be heard, and a famous event amongst Boerenrock bands and fans, is the yearly Zwarte Cross ('Black Motocross') which is organized by members of 'Jovink en de Voederbietels'. The event is a mixture of several motocross related activities and a rock festival.
was formed and independent record label Excelsior Recordings
released albums of Dutch indie rock
bands like Caesar
, Ghost Trucker, Alamo Race Track
, Johan
, Spinvis
, Gem
, Bauer
, Daryll-Ann
, zZz
and many others. After 2000 Voicst
was formed and became popular after a beer commercial hit single for Heineken
. After leaving Zoppo and forming Avec-A musician Yuri Landman
received international attention as an experimental luthier
for famous experimental rock
bands. Dutch noise rock
acts are The Ex, Gone Bald
, The Moi Non Plus, Adept
, Bonne Aparte, Feverdream. Post rock: We vs Death, Electro punk: Aux Raus. In Holland the indie music scene
is mainly present in Amsterdam
, Rotterdam
, The Hague
, Groningen and Utrecht
. A cross media platform called Subbacultcha! hosts nights in venues where many international touring avant garde rockbands like Health
, Enon
, Miracle Fortress
, Mahjongg
, These Are Powers
, Pre
perform as well as local indie and noise rock acts like The Moi Non Plus, Bonne Aparte, Adept
, Hospital Bombers, Pfaff. Subbacultcha! also publishes a musical magazine with in depth interviews with the touring bands and arranges instant recording sessions in a studio in the Vondelpark
with those bands.
In The Hague a yearly festival State-X New Forms
happens in Paard van Troje
.
called gabber. The style was developed in reaction to the commercialization of house music and was heavily influenced by early hardcore from Frankfurt
and New York
. The DJs stripped the music of what they perceived as excess sounds, Songs were reduced to a high-speed monotonous beat, of sometimes over 260 beats per minute. One of the tracks often cited as the first gabber track is "Yaaaah" by Amsterdam
-based D-Shake. He was also to be the first to use the term gabber in a 1990 Dutch TV program. Important gabber groups and DJs are the Rotterdam Terror Corps
, The Dark Raver and Neophyte
. Gabbers distinguish themselves through hair (bald heads) and clothes (Australian and Cavello).
Now, gabber is usually called hardcore. Gabber also spawned happy hardcore
, an offshoot of gabber. Important groups and DJs in happy hardcore include Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo, Party Animals
, Flamman & Abraxas, and Scooter
.
The Netherlands has also spawned many Eurodance
acts, such as 2 Unlimited
, Alice Deejay
, the Venga Boys, the Two Brothers on the 4th Floor and Twenty Four Seven.
Many of the world's top trance
DJs are Dutch, such as Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten
and DJ Tiësto
. The DJ Magazine Top 10 has been dominated by the Dutch for many years. In 2010 three of the 10 DJ's were Dutch. DJ Tiesto has been awarded best Dj for three times in a row by DJ Magazine and is still present in the top 10. Armin van Buuren (also Dutch) has taken over his first place, doing this for four years in a row.
Many foreign DJs live in and operate from the Netherlands. Drum and bass
is also popular in the Netherlands, artists including Noisia
and Black Sun Empire
. The Netherlands is home to many of the largest trance events on earth, including Sensation
and Trance Energy
.
Other popular DJ's from the Netherlands are Afrojack, Laidback Luke, Fedde le Grand and Sander van Doorn.
The Dutch have through the years also made quite a reputation for themselves with their booming underground scene. A multitude of small independent recordlabels, event organizations and artists have cropped up through the years. Artists such as Speedy J
, the Acid Junkies, Orlando Voorn
, Miss Djax, Unit Moebius, and I-F
all gained international recognition, paving the way for several new electronic artists from the Lowlands.
in the Netherlands. The Urban Dance Squad
, led by Rude Boy
(who later also played with Junkie XL
), produced an original mix of rock
and rap
, laying the foundation for the nu metal
hype of the late 90s and early 00s. Def La Desh and the Fresh Witness, led by Wendy Wright, brought rap with vocals to the forefront, with groups like TLC following. The Osdorp Posse
were the founders of Dutch rap or nederhop. Their frontman, Def P (Pascal Griffioen), switched from English to Dutch in 1988, which made him the first to rap in Dutch. That year, Def P, IJsblok, King and Seda formed the Osdorp Posse. Over the years, they explored all sides of hiphop, from poetic hiphop to politically engaged hiphop. They introduced several Anglicisms in the Dutch language, such as moederneuker ("motherfucker"). Other important Dutch rappers are Pete Philly & Perquisite, Extince
(Peter Kops), Kempi
, Brainpower
(Gert-Jan Mulder), Opgezwolle
, Spookrijders, Polderkartel, Typhoon, and Def Rhymz
(Dennis Bouman). Currently, Nicolay
is one of the leading hip hop producers to come out of the region.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
has multiple music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
al traditions. Contemporary Dutch popular music (Nederpop
Nederpop
Nederpop is a Dutch term that was invented by the mid-1970s to describe the Dutch pop music scene of the 1960s and 1970s that was gaining worldwide attention, exemplified by bands such as Shocking Blue, Golden Earring and Focus....
) is heavily influenced by music styles that emerged in the 1950s, in 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...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The style is sung in both Dutch and English. Some of the latter exponents, such as Golden Earring
Golden Earring
Golden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings . They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and...
and Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band from The Hague, the Netherlands, formed in 1967. Their biggest hit, "Venus", went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1970, and the band had sold 13.5 million discs by 1973, but the group disbanded in 1974.-Members:...
, have attained world wide fame.
More traditional Dutch music however is a genre known as "Levenslied
Levenslied
A levenslied is a highly sentimental Dutch-language sub-genre of pop music. Typical levenslied-lyrics are very sweet, highly sentimental and about subjects such as love, misery and far-away, sunny, exotic holiday places.A typical levenslied has catchy, simple rhythms and melodies, with many pop...
", meaning Song of/about life. These songs have catchy, simple rhythms and melodies, and are always built up on couplets and refrains. Themes are often sentimental and include love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
and loneliness
Loneliness
Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling in which a person feels a strong sense of emptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships. However, it is a subjective experience...
.
Traditional Dutch musical instruments such as the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
and the barrel organ
Barrel organ
A barrel organ is a mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated...
are essential to levenslied, though in recent years many levenslied-artists also use synthesizers and guitars. Artists in this genre include Koos Alberts and the late André Hazes
André Hazes
André Gerardus Hazes was a Dutch singer in a genre called levenslied which is a form of emotional folk music about everyday life sung in the Dutch language. André Hazes was one of the most successful singers in this genre...
and Willy Alberti
Willy Alberti
Willy Alberti , born Carel Verbrugge, was a Dutch singer, who sang in Dutch and Italian. He was also an actor and a radio and TV personality....
.
Classical and contemporary classical music
Jan Pieterszoon SweelinckJan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. He was among the first major keyboard composers of Europe, and his work as a teacher helped establish the north German organ...
(April or May, 1562–October 16, 1621) was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. Sweelinck was a master improviser, and acquired the informal title of the "Orpheus of Amsterdam." Over 70 keyboard works of his have survived, and many of them may be similar to the improvisations that residents of Amsterdam around 1600 were likely to have heard. Even his vocal music, which is more conservative than his keyboard writing, shows a striking rhythmic complexity and an unusual richness of contrapuntal devices.
His influence was international. Some of his music appears in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a primary source of keyboard music from the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods in England, i.e., the late Renaissance and very early Baroque. It takes its name from Viscount Fitzwilliam who bequeathed this manuscript collection to Cambridge University in 1816...
, which otherwise mainly contains the work of English composers. Sweelinck wrote variations on John Dowland
John Dowland
John Dowland was an English Renaissance composer, singer, and lutenist. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep" , "Come again", "Flow my tears", "I saw my Lady weepe" and "In darkness let me dwell", but his instrumental music has undergone a major revival, and has...
's internationally famous Lachrimae Pavane, and John Bull
John Bull (composer)
John Bull was an English composer, musician, and organ builder. He was a renowned keyboard performer of the virginalist school and most of his compositions were written for this medium.-Life:...
, the English keyboard composer, wrote a set of variations on a theme of Sweelinck, indicating the close connection between the different schools of composition across the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
.
Jacob van Eyck
Jacob van Eyck
Jonkheer Jacob van Eyck was a Dutch nobleman and musician. He was one of the best-known musicians in The Netherlands in the seventeenth century as a carillon player, expert in bell casting and tuning, organist, recorder virtuoso, and composer.Van Eyck was born blind into a noble family in the...
(ca. 1590–1657) was a blind recorder and organ virtuoso, who composed a unique collection of flute music.
Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer
Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer
Unico Willem van Wassenaer, Count of the Empire, was a Dutch diplomat and composer....
(1692–1766) was an accomplished baroque composer, whose work Concerti Armonici erroneously was attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was an Italian composer, violinist and organist.-Biography:Born at Iesi, Pergolesi studied music there under a local musician, Francesco Santini, before going to Naples in 1725, where he studied under Gaetano Greco and Francesco Feo among others...
. Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
used Unico's music for Pulcinella
Pulcinella
Pulcinella, ; often called Punch or Punchinello in English, Polichinelle in French, is a classical character that originated in the commedia dell'arte of the 17th century and became a stock character in Neapolitan puppetry....
.
Alphons Diepenbrock
Alphons Diepenbrock
Alphonsus Johannes Maria Diepenbrock was a Dutch composer, essayist and classicist.-Life and work:...
(September 2, 1862 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands - April 5, 1921). He created a musical idiom which, in a highly personal manner, combined 16th-century polyphony with Wagnerian chromaticism, to which in later years was added the impressionistic refinement that he encountered in Debussy's music.
Willem Pijper
Willem Pijper
Willem Pijper ; Zeist, 8 September 1894 - Utrecht, 18 March 1947) was a Dutch composer, music critic and music teacher.-Life:Pijper was born at Zeist, near Utrecht, on 8 September 1894 of strict Calvinist working-class parents. His father, who sometimes played psalm accompaniments on the harmonium,...
(1894–1947) is generally considered one of the most important figure in modern Dutch music. Between 1918 and 1922 he grew into one of the more advanced composers in Europe. In each successive work he went a step further and, from 1919, Pijper's music can be described as atonal. However, Pijper remained a composer of strong emotional character, to which his Third Symphony (1926) bears witness. In Pijper's later works the harmonic expression seems at times to approach monotonality. As a teacher Pijper had a great influence on modern Dutch music, teaching many prominent Dutch composers of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. He was senior master of instrumentation in the Amsterdam Conservatoire, and from 1930 until his death in 1947 he was Head of the Rotterdam Conservatoire.
Ton de Leeuw
Ton De Leeuw
Antonius Wilhelmus Adrianus de Leeuw was a Dutch composer. He was known for his experiments with microtonality....
(born Rotterdam, 16 November 1926 - died Paris, 31 May 1996) is known for his experiments with microtonality. He wrote one opera, Antigone (1990–1991).
Lex van Delden
Lex van Delden
-Early life and education:Born Alexander Zwaap in Amsterdam as the only child of Wolf Zwaap, a school-teacher, and his wife Sara Olivier, Lex van Delden took piano-lessons from an early age - first from Martha Zwaga and later from the celebrated pianist, Cor de Groot...
(1919–1988) was an important composer.
Louis Andriessen
Louis Andriessen
Louis Andriessen is a Dutch composer and pianist based in Amsterdam. He teaches composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague...
(born Utrecht: June 6, 1939) is a composer whose early works show experimentation with various contemporary trends: post war serialism
Serialism
In music, serialism is a method or technique of composition that uses a series of values to manipulate different musical elements. Serialism began primarily with Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique, though his contemporaries were also working to establish serialism as one example of...
(Series, 1958), pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
(Anachronie I, 1966–67), and tape (Il Duce, 1973). Andriessen's mature music combines the influences of Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
and American minimalism
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
. His harmonic writing eschews the consonant modality of much minimalism, preferring post war European dissonance
Consonance and dissonance
In music, a consonance is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance , which is considered to be unstable...
, often crystallised into large blocks of sound. Large scale pieces such as De Staat [‘Republic’] (1972–76), for example, are influenced by the energy of the big band music of Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
and Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
and the repetitive procedures of Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
, both combined with bright, clashing dissonances. Andriessen's music is thus anti-Germanic and anti-Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
, and marks a departure from post war European serialism and its offshoots. He has also played a role in providing alternatives to traditional performance practice techniques, often specifying forceful, rhythmic articulation
Articulation (music)
In music, articulation refers to the musical direction performance technique which affects the transition or continuity on a single note or between multiple notes or sounds.- Types of articulations :...
s, and amplified, non-vibrato
Vibrato
Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and...
, singing. Other notable works include Workers Union (1975), a melodically indeterminate piece "for any loud sounding group of instruments"; Mausoleum (1979) for 2 baritones and large ensemble; De Tijd [‘Time’] (1979–81) for female singers and ensemble; De Snelheid [‘Velocity’] (1982-3), for 3 amplified ensembles; De Materie [‘Matter’] (1984–88) a large four part work for voices and ensemble; collaborations with filmmaker and librettist
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
Peter Greenaway
Peter Greenaway
Peter Greenaway, CBE is a British film director. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Flemish painting in particular...
on the film M is for Man, Music, Mozart and the operas Rosa: A Horse Drama (1994) and Writing to Vermeer (1998); and the recent La Passione (2000–02) for female voice and ensemble.
Significant composers after Andriessen include Klaas de Vries
Klaas de Vries (composer)
Klaas de Vries is a Dutch composer. De Vries teaches composition at the conservatory of Rotterdam and can be described as influential in the Dutch musical life.-Biography:...
(b. 1944), Jacob Ter Veldhuis
Jacob ter Veldhuis
Jacob ter Veldhuis, also known as Jacob TV, is a Dutch avant-garde classical composer. Ter Veldhuis favors tonal, melodic compositions, avoiding the dissonance of some recent classical music. Many of his works build melodies around samples of the human voice, as in Steve Reich's composition...
, a.k.a. JacobTV (b. 1951), Guus Janssen
Guus Janssen
Guus Janssen is a Dutch composer of contemporary music and a recording artist. A pianist and harpsichordist, he is also active as a jazz performer....
(b. 1951) and Cornelis de Bondt
Cornelis de Bondt
Cornelis de Bondt is a Dutch composer. Born in The Hague, de Bondt attended the Royal Conservatory there and currently teaches composition and music theory at the same institution.-References:...
(b. 1953).
Folk
Dutch folk music, is characterized by simple straightforward bass motives heavily supplemented with fast, often happy, melody. (Click here for an example.) Uncommon among other European folk, in Dutch music the bass line, not the melodyMelody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
, is the musical line that is danced to. This means that though the music itself may sound fast, the dances are usually quite moderate to slow in tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. The dances themselves are mainly group dances rather than individual or dual dances. Clogs are often worn during dances; however, Dutch clog dancing is very different from its more modern counterpart. It is virtually impossible to perform highly active dances with Dutch clogs (which are entirely made from wood, not just the sole) and hence the clogs function as additional percussion, by stamping rhythmically.
In the early 19th century, rural Dutch folk began moving to cities like Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, bringing with them folk traditions. Many of their songs and dances, however, began to dwindle in popularity. In the early part of the 20th century, however, a number of urban intellectuals travelled to the countrysides to record with local musicians, a process paralleled in other European countries, such as Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
In the 1970s, the Netherlands underwent a roots revival
Roots revival
A roots revival is a trend which includes young performers popularizing the traditional musical styles of their ancestors. Often, roots revivals include an addition of newly-composed songs with socially and politically aware lyrics, as well as a general modernization of the folk sound.After an...
, led by artists like Gerard van Maasakkers, Jos Koning, Dommelvolk and RK Veulpoepers BV, Fungus and Wolverloi. Many of the folk songs performed by these musicians was collected by Cobi Schreijer and Ate Doornbosch, the latter of whom broadcast them on his radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
program Onder de groene linde (Under the green lime).
It was in about 1974 that the Dutch folk revival peaked, a year marked by the first recording of Fungus and the birth of Wargaren from the band Pitchwheel.
The mainstream popularity of the Dutch roots revival was short-lived, but it continued in Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
, where a handful of groups, starting with Irolt in the mid-1970s, sang in the West Frisian language
West Frisian language
West Frisian is a language spoken mostly in the province of Friesland in the north of the Netherlands. West Frisian is the name by which this language is usually known outside the Netherlands, to distinguish it from the closely related Frisian languages of Saterland Frisian and North Frisian,...
. Frisian folk music has survived thus, aided in part by the Aaipop Festival in Nylân and annual festival in Joure
Joure
Joure is a town in the Dutch province of Friesland. With 13,000 inhabitants, it is the largest town in the municipality of Skarsterlân.-History:...
. At Joure's festival, established in 1955, participants dress in 19th century-style clothes and perform traditional music and dance like the skotsploech ensembles.
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
band Törf, Folkcorn, Pekel and Twee Violen en een Bas, Lirio
Lirio
Lirio is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km south of Milan and about 20 km southeast of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 153 and an area of 1.7 km²....
, Dubius, Mus, Matzko, Wè-nun Henk.
Moluccan
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
-Dutch musicians like Tala Mena Siwa and the Moluccan Moods Orchestra have had some success with pop-based Moluccan music, while kaseko
Kaseko
Kaseko is a musical genre from Suriname, a fusion of African, European and American styles. The term kaseko derives from casser le corps which referred to a swift dance during the period when slavery was legal in the region...
, a style from the former Dutch colony of Surinam, has also seen mainstream popularity, primarily due to musicians like William Souvenir and Carlo Jones.
In the first decade of the 21st century there was an upsurge of Neofolk
Neofolk
Neofolk is a form of folk music-inspired experimental music that emerged from post-industrial music circles. Neofolk can either be solely acoustic folk music or a blend of acoustic folk instrumentation aided by varieties of accompanying sounds such as pianos, strings and elements of industrial...
by bands such as H.E.R.R.
H.E.R.R.
H.E.R.R. is a Dutch / English band that was founded in 2002 by Michiel Spapé . Other core members are Miklos Hoffer and, from the second album onwards, Troy Southgate . Musically, they have been described as neofolk, minimalist, Neoclassical and martial...
and Omnia
Omnia (band)
Omnia is a self-described "neoceltic pagan folk" band based in The Netherlands and whose members over the years have had Irish, Dutch, Cornish, Belgian and Persian backgrounds...
.
Jazz
The North Sea Jazz FestivalNorth Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam...
attracts artists from international acclaim.
Misha Mengelberg
Misha Mengelberg
Misha Mengelberg is a Dutch jazz pianist and composer. He won the Gaudeamus International Composers Award in 1961.-Biography:...
(born June 5, 1935) is a jazz pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He was the pianist on Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy
Eric Allan Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flutist, and bass clarinetist. On a few occasions he also played the clarinet and baritone saxophone. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the 1960s...
's last album, Last Date (1964). Also featuring on that record was the drummer Han Bennink
Han Bennink
Han Bennink is a Dutch jazz drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured his playing on clarinet, violin, banjo and piano....
, and together with Piet Noordijk they formed a quartet which had a number of different bassists. They played at the Newport Jazz Festival
Newport Jazz Festival
The Newport Jazz Festival is a music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. It was established in 1954 by socialite Elaine Lorillard, who, together with husband Louis Lorillard, financed the festival for many years. The couple hired jazz impresario George Wein to organize the...
in 1966. In 1967 he co-founded the Instant Composers Pool, an organisation which promoted avant garde Dutch jazz performances and recordings, with Han Bennink
Han Bennink
Han Bennink is a Dutch jazz drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured his playing on clarinet, violin, banjo and piano....
and Willem Breuker
Willem Breuker
Willem Breuker was a Dutch jazz bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist, and bass clarinetist....
.
Mengelberg has played with a large variety of musicians. He has often performed in a duo with compatriot Bennink, and with other musicians including Derek Bailey, Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann is a German artist and free jazz saxophonist and clarinetist.Brötzmann is among the most important European free jazz musicians. His rough, lyrical timbre is easily recognized on his many recordings.-Early life:...
, Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
, Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton is an American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, pianist, and philosopher. Braxton has released well over 100 albums since the 1960s...
.
Han Bennink
Han Bennink
Han Bennink is a Dutch jazz drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured his playing on clarinet, violin, banjo and piano....
(born April 17, 1942) is a jazz drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist. Through the 1960s he drummed with a number of American musicians visiting the Netherlands, including Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
, Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins
Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins is a Grammy-winning American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. A number of his compositions, including "St...
and Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy
Eric Allan Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flutist, and bass clarinetist. On a few occasions he also played the clarinet and baritone saxophone. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the 1960s...
. He subsequently became a central figure in the emerging European free improvisation
Free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician involved. The term can refer to both a technique and as a recognizable genre in its own right....
{or free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
} scene. From the late 1960s he played in a trio with saxophonist Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann is a German artist and free jazz saxophonist and clarinetist.Brötzmann is among the most important European free jazz musicians. His rough, lyrical timbre is easily recognized on his many recordings.-Early life:...
and Belgian pianist Fred Van Hove
Fred Van Hove
Fred Van Hove is a Belgian jazz musician and a pioneer of European free jazz. He is a pianist, accordionist, church organist, and carillonist, an improviser and a composer...
, which became a duo after Van Hove's departure in 1976. Through much of the 1990s he played in Clusone 3 (also known as the Clusone Trio), a trio with saxophonist and clarinetist Michael Moore and cellist Ernst Reijseger
Ernst Reijseger
ERNST REIJSEGER Cellist and composer Ernst Reijseger plays the cello from the age of seven and began as a performing cellist and improviser in 1969. From that time on he developed his own musical vocabulary...
. He has often played duos with Mengelberg and collaborated with him alongside other musicians.
As well as playing with these long-standing groups, Bennink has performed and recorded solo (such as Tempo Comodo (1982)) and played with many free improvisation and free jazz luminaries including Derek Bailey, Conny Bauer
Conny Bauer
Konrad "Conny" Bauer is a free jazz trombonist. He is the brother of the trombonist Hannes Bauer....
, Don Cherry
Don Cherry (jazz)
Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
and Alexander von Schlippenbach
Alexander von Schlippenbach
Alexander von Schlippenbach is a German jazz pianist and composer.-Biography:...
, as well as more conventional jazz musicians.
Willem Breuker
Willem Breuker
Willem Breuker was a Dutch jazz bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist, and bass clarinetist....
(born November 4, 1944 - died July 23, 2010) was a jazz bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, and bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
ist. Since 1974 he led the 10-piece Willem Breuker Kollektief, which performed jazz in a theatrical and often unconventional manner, drawing elements from theater and vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
.
Pop music in Dutch language
Many Dutch artists have become popular by singing songs in their own language. It started with Peter Koelewijn in the late 50s, the first to sing Rock and Roll in Dutch. In the 60s it was mainly Boudewijn de GrootBoudewijn de Groot
Boudewijn de Groot is a famous Dutch singer/songwriter. He is known for the songs "Welterusten Meneer de President" , "Land van Maas en Waal" , "Jimmy" and "Avond" among others...
- to this day extremely popular. In the 70s there were many performers, of which Rob de Nijs
Rob de Nijs
Rob de Nijs is a Dutch singer and actor, active since the 1960s.-1962-68:De Nijs, backed by The Lords, released his first single in 1962, Ritme van de Regen. In 1966 he embarked on a joint circus-tour with Johnny Lion...
stood out. The 80s were for André Hazes
André Hazes
André Gerardus Hazes was a Dutch singer in a genre called levenslied which is a form of emotional folk music about everyday life sung in the Dutch language. André Hazes was one of the most successful singers in this genre...
and less Koos Alberts. The 90s were dominated by Marco Borsato. Other well known names throughout the years were Jan Smit
Jan Smit (singer)
Johannes Hendricus Maria "Jan" Smit is a Dutch pop music and schlager singer. He scored his first number one position in the Dutch charts with Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen in 1997...
, Frans Bauer
Frans Bauer
Frans Bauer is a Dutch singer of "het levenslied" .-Biography:From an early age, Frans Bauer was determined to become a singer. His great idols are Julio Iglesias, Elvis Presley and Koos Alberts...
, Gerard Joling
Gerard Joling
Gerard Jan Joling is a Dutch singer and television presenter. Known for his high tenor voice, he rose to fame in the late 80's and released a string of singles including "Ticket to the Tropics", "Love is in your Eyes", and his biggest hit, "No more boleros", a song that reached the top 10 in...
, Gordon, Guus Meeuwis
Guus Meeuwis
Gustaaf Stephanus Modestus "Guus" Meeuwis is a Dutch singer and songwriter. As part of the band Vagant, he scored several hits in the Netherlands and Flanders during the '90s and first decade of the 2000s.-Biography:...
and René Froger
René Froger
René Froger is a Dutch singer.He was born and spent his first years in the Jordaan, a neighbourhood in Amsterdam. His father, Bolle Jan, had a cafe that Froger started performing in. He began with Ted de Braak and Mini en Maxi and in 1987 he released his first single, Love Leave Me...
.
In addition, there is a large group of bands that compose and perform pop and rock songs in the Dutch language. That started in the 70s with Polle Eduard, Bots and Normaal - which sang in dialect. Late 70s and early 80s there was a big boom of bands that used the Dutch language in their songs. Well known representatives from that period: Doe Maar
Doe Maar
Doe Maar was a Dutch ska band with punk and reggae influences. Their career ran from 1978 to 1984 and they were one of the most successful pop bands in Dutch history. Doe Maar translates as Go Ahead or Just do it, a phrase mostly used in a deprecatory, sulky manner.-Early years:Doe Maar was formed...
, Het Goede Doel, Frank Boeijen Groep and Toontje Lager, and during the late 80s De Dijk
De Dijk
De Dijk is a Dutch rock band which formed in 1981. The band is named after the Zeedijk, a street in their hometown Amsterdam. Their music can be described as a mixture of soul, blues and rock 'n roll, with lyrics sung only in Dutch...
, The Scene
The Scene
The Warez scene, mostly referred to as The Scene is a term of reference used to describe an underground community of people that specialize in the distribution of copyrighted material, including television shows and series, movies, music, music videos, games , applications , ebooks, and pornography...
and Tröckener Kecks.
In the 90s there was a second boom Acda en de Munnik
Acda en De Munnik
Acda en De Munnik is a Dutch cabaret and music duo, Thomas Acda and Paul de Munnik . Their songs are generally seen as simply and expertly arranged, so that the attention of the listener automatically is drawn to the lyrics. The lyrics are mostly about love, youth and life. Acda en de Munnik’s...
, Bløf
Bløf
BLØF is an award-winning four-piece Dutch rock band from Vlissingen, Zeeland, the Netherlands, which has become popular regionally and internationally for its music, its frequent collaborations with bands from other parts of the world, willingness to incorporate other genres into their "sound", and...
, Van Dik Hout
Van Dik Hout
Van Dik Hout are a Dutch pop group from Den Helder in the north of the Netherlands. They formed in the late 1980s as a school band, but moved later to Amsterdam where they rechristened themselves into Van Dik Hout....
and IOS.
Rock and pop music
Pioneers of Dutch rock were the so-called IndorockIndorock
Indorock is a musical genre, originating in the 1950s in the Netherlands and Europe. It is a fusion of Indonesian and Western music, and has roots in Kroncong .Indo Rock, Rock 'n roll 50's 60's style....
bands from the late 1950s, like The Tielman Brothers and the Blue Diamonds
Blue Diamonds
The Blue Diamonds were a Dutch 1960s doo-wop duo, best known for their million-selling chart-topping single, "Ramona". Indo brothers Ruud de Wolff and Riem de Wolff founded the group shortly after immigrating to the Netherlands in 1949...
. They played rock guitar instrumentals when most of the Netherlands's youth had hardly heard of rock 'n' roll. They stemmed from the Indo community in The Hague and were pivotal in earning that city the title of Beatstad ('Beat city') in later years. With 60s bands like Golden Earring
Golden Earring
Golden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings . They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and...
and Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band from The Hague, the Netherlands, formed in 1967. Their biggest hit, "Venus", went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1970, and the band had sold 13.5 million discs by 1973, but the group disbanded in 1974.-Members:...
, and Kane
Kane (Dutch band)
Kane is a Dutch rock band. The group consists of the two original members, Dinand Woesthoff and Dennis van Leeuwen . Their music can be described as "guitar rock"...
and Anouk in the 90s, The Hague became synonymous for mainstream rock. The Dutch normally referred to this as swag.
More progressive music emerged in the 1960s in Amsterdam. In 1964 (see 1964 in music
1964 in music
-Events:*January 1 – Top of the Pops is broadcast for the first time, on BBC television.*January 3 – Footage of the Beatles performing a concert in Bournemouth, England is shown on The Jack Paar Show....
), The Outsiders
The Outsiders (Dutch band)
The Outsiders were a Dutch band from Amsterdam. Their period of greatest popularity in the Netherlands was from 1965–67, but they released records until 1969...
were the first Dutch psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
to become successful. Well known was the 'Haagse Scene' - many of the popular bands of the 60s came from The Hague, such as Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue
Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band from The Hague, the Netherlands, formed in 1967. Their biggest hit, "Venus", went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1970, and the band had sold 13.5 million discs by 1973, but the group disbanded in 1974.-Members:...
, which topped the US charts in 1970 with "Venus", Golden Earring
Golden Earring
Golden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings . They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and...
, Q65, The Motions, Earth & Fire. Other representatives from this period: the Cats
The Cats
The Cats were a rock band from Volendam, The Netherlands. Together with BZN, they were key figures of what came to be called the Palingsound , an umbrella for artists residing in Volendam...
, Tee Set
Tee Set
Tee Set was a pop rock band formed in 1966 in Delft, Netherlands.The group recorded a single in 1969 entitled "Ma Belle Amie", which was a hit in their native country, selling over 100,000 copies...
, Bintangs, Sandy Coast, Cuby & the Blizzards
Cuby & the Blizzards
Cuby + Blizzards – also known as Cuby & the Blizzards – are a Dutch blues group that formed in 1964 around Harry Muskee and Eelco Gelling...
and Brainbox
Brainbox
Brainbox is a Dutch rock group from the late 1960s/early 1970s. It was founded in Amsterdam by guitarist Jan Akkerman, drummer Pierre van der Linden and singer Kazimir Lux . Their debut single was "Down Man", which established their progressive blues sound...
.
George Baker acquired international fame with the songs Little Green Bag
Little Green Bag
"Little Green Bag" is a 1969 song written by Dutch musicians, Jan Visser and George Baker , and recorded by the George Baker Selection at the band's own expense. The 7" single debut of the George Baker Selection was released by the label Negram. The B-side was "Pretty Little Dreamer"...
(1969), and "Una Paloma Blanca" (1975).
From the late 1960s the post war generation gained political influence. Many state subsidized rock venues opened all over the country. These clubs, like Amsterdam's Paradiso
Paradiso (Amsterdam)
Paradiso is an iconic rock music venue and cultural center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.-History:It is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century and that was used until 1965 as the meeting hall for a liberal Dutch religious group known as the "Vrije...
and Melkweg
Melkweg
The Melkweg is a popular music venue and cultural center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It is located on the Lijnbaansgracht, near the Leidseplein, a prime nightlife center of Amsterdam. It is housed in a former warehouse and is divided into a number of spaces of varying sizes...
, were stepping stones for many alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
bands on their first European tour and the Dutch crowd stayed well informed about new British and American acts.
In the 70s some artists stood out. Herman Brood
Herman Brood
Hermanus "Herman" Brood was a Dutch musician, painter and media personality. Initially a musician who achieved artistic and commercial success in the 1970s and 1980s, and called "the Netherlands' greatest and only rock 'n' roll star," later in life he became a well-known painter.Known for his...
became the ultimate Rock 'n Roll icon. He even scored a hit in the US with Saturday Night. He became the epitome of the "rock'n'roll junkie" he sang about. As an artist he was in the media until his suicide in 2001. Other bands from the 70s: Gruppo Sportivo
Gruppo Sportivo
Gruppo Sportivo are a Dutch pop band, from The Hague, formed in 1976, who enjoyed some measure of international success in the late 1970s and 1980s...
, Massada, Vitesse, Solution
Solution
In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of only one phase. In such a mixture, a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent. The solvent does the dissolving.- Types of solutions :...
, the Nits
The Nits
Nits are a Dutch pop group, founded in 1974. Their musical style has varied considerably over the years, as has their line-up with the core of Henk Hofstede , Rob Kloet, drummer, Robert Jan Stips , keyboards.Their biggest hit in the Netherlands was "Nescio" , a tribute to...
, Focus
Focus (band)
Focus is a Dutch rock band which was founded by classically trained organist/flautist Thijs van Leer in 1969, and is most famous for the instrumental pieces "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia"...
and still Golden Earring
Golden Earring
Golden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings . They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and...
with their greatest hit ever: "Radar Love
Radar Love
"Radar Love" is a song by the Dutch rock band Golden Earring. Music critic Bill Lamb rates this among his "top 10 driving songs" due to its lyrics about driving all night and its pulse-quickening, up-tempo beat. The single version of "Radar Love" reached #13 in the US...
, also Top 10 in the US.
The late 70s and early 80s gave many one hit wonders and some bands that lasted longer. Girl groups Luv'
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
and Dolly Dots
Dolly Dots
Dolly Dots were a popular Dutch girl band in the 1980s. With their style of upbeat dance/pop, they scored many hits throughout Europe. The sextet consisted of Angela Groothuizen, Angéla Kramers, Anita Heilker, Esther Oosterbeek, Patty Zomer and Ria Brieffies....
but also disco bands Spargo and Time Bandits
Time Bandits (band)
Time Bandits are a Dutch band from the 1980s, best known for their song "Endless Road," which was played extensively in Europe.- The band :The band was formed in 1981 by Dutch born Alides Hidding, who wrote all songs and sang lead vocals...
were most successful. Together with the Golden Earring
Golden Earring
Golden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings . They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and...
, which scored some of their biggest hits with "Twilight Zone' and "When The Lady Smiles
When the Lady Smiles
"When the Lady Smiles" is a 1984 song by Dutch band Golden Earring. It was the first single from their album N.E.W.S. . Following their top 10 "Twilight Zone", "When the Lady Smiles" was a U.S. chart disappointment, only reaching #76 on The Billboard Hot 100 chart...
". The Nits
The Nits
Nits are a Dutch pop group, founded in 1974. Their musical style has varied considerably over the years, as has their line-up with the core of Henk Hofstede , Rob Kloet, drummer, Robert Jan Stips , keyboards.Their biggest hit in the Netherlands was "Nescio" , a tribute to...
developed a large audience outside the Netherlands, including Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 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...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and 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 in 1989 were the first Dutch band to play in the (then still) Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Urban Dance Squad
Urban Dance Squad
Urban Dance Squad was a Dutch rap rock band formed after what was originally intended as a one-time jam-session at a festival in Utrecht on December 20, 1986...
was a cross-over band, combining hip-hop with funk and rock. The band's minor American success proved to be influential. Their music style (rapcore
Rapcore
Rapcore is a subgenre of rap rock fusing vocal and sometimes instrumental elements of hip hop with punk rock .-History:...
) influenced bands like Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
. Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
was created by Edward Van Halen who was of Dutch heritage.
The 90s produced international hits like 2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited is a Dutch Eurodance/Hi-NRG act formed in 1991. The project was the brainchild of Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde, and was fronted by a Dutch duo, rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth. During five years of enormous worldwide popularity, the act scored 16 chart...
, 2 Brothers On The 4th Floor
2 Brothers on the 4th Floor
2 Brothers on the 4th Floor is a Eurodance band, consisting of the Dutch brothers Martin and Bobby Boer. Since their creation in 1990, the group has been fronted by Dutch singer Desire Claudette.-Early career, 1990-1993:...
, and Vengaboys
Vengaboys
Vengaboys are a Eurodance pop group based in Amsterdam. The brainchild of two Dutch producers Wessel van Diepen and Dennis van den Driesschen , they enjoyed commercial success in the late 1990s. They are best known for their two UK number one singles, "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!" and "We're Going...
. However, the 90s was also the start of the DJ-era. Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
, DJ Tiësto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
, Armin van Buuren, DJ Jean
DJ Jean
DJ Jean is a Dutch disc jockey most popular for his space countdown themed single "The Launch". He has been an influential figure in the electronic music scene since the early 1990s. He is prolific, and releases three or more compilation compact discs per year...
and Bart Claessen started their careers in the 90s and became the stars of their era.
Dutch bands in the 00s are The Sheer
The Sheer
The Sheer is a Dutch band playing pop and melodic rock music.They had some success with the single Right Now and the debut album The Keyword Is Excitement! in their homecountry, both produced by Daniel Presley. Their third single entitled "The Girl That Lost Her Mind" came in at #40 in the Dutch...
, Naked Shepherd, Krezip, Di-rect and Johan
Johan (band)
Johan was a Dutch band based around singer/guitarist Jacco de Greeuw. Their music has been primarily influenced by bands such as The Beatles, Crowded House, and The Byrds.-Biography:...
.
Current pop acts include Esmee Denters
Esmée Denters
Esmée Denters is a Dutch singer-songwriter. She was a regular cover-artist on video-sharing website YouTube on which she covered songs by contemporary musicians like Justin Timberlake and Natasha Bedingfield....
, Anouk, Eva Simons
Eva Simons
Eva Simons is a Dutch recording artist. She first came to public attention in 2004 after winning the Dutch version of the reality TV contest Popstars as part of the short lived girlband Raffish...
, Ilse De Lange and DJ acts Don Diablo
Don Diablo
Don Diablo is a Dutch record producer, songwriter, artist, DJ. His parents named him after Don van Vliet .-Biography:...
.
Symphonic Rock and Hard Rock
The Netherlands are also known for symphonic metalSymphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
bands such as Within Temptation
Within Temptation
Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic gothic metal/rock band founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. Their music is described as symphonic metal, although their earlier material, such as Enter, was gothic metal. In an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a...
, The Gathering
The Gathering (band)
The Gathering is a Dutch alternative rock band, founded in 1989 by brothers Hans and René Rutten and vocalist Bart Smits in the small city of Oss, North Brabant....
, After Forever
After Forever
After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
, Delain
Delain
Delain is a Dutch symphonic metal band. The band was founded by the ex-keyboardist of Within Temptation, Martijn Westerholt.-Founding:Delain was founded by Martijn Westerholt and Charlotte Wessels. Westerholt is the ex-keyboardist and brother of one of the founders of Within Temptation, Robert...
and Epica
Epica (band)
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. They are known for their symphonic sound and the use of female vocals and male growls performed by Simone Simons and Mark Jansen, respectively. All six members write...
. They became successful in the late 90s and in the beginning of the new millennium. However, bands like Supersister and Kayak
Kayak (band)
Kayak are a Dutch progressive rock band formed in 1972 in the city Hilversum by Ton Scherpenzeel and Pim Koopman. In 1973, their debut album "See See The Sun" was released, including 3 hit singles. Their main popularity was in the Netherlands, with their top hit reaching #6 on the Dutch charts in...
(who had a hit with Ruthless Queen) were already internationally successful in the 70s. In the 80s Vandenberg
Vandenberg
Vandenberg is a variation on the Dutch and Flemish surname "van den Berg", literally meaning "from the mountain", "from the hill". It may refer to:-People:* Adrian Vandenberg, Dutch guitarist who has worked with Whitesnake...
was internationally successful.
Also Lead guitarist of Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
and drummer Edward Van Halen and Alex Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Alexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
are from The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Death Metal
Similarly, in the last decade of the previous century a more extreme variety of metal, death metalDeath metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, has had some success. Bands like Gorefest
Gorefest
Gorefest was a Dutch band from the Zeeland region of the Netherlands which was founded in 1988 as a death metal outfit by De Koeyer, Harthoorn, van Schaik and Hoogendoorn.-History:...
, Pestilence
Pestilence (band)
Pestilence is a death metal band from the Netherlands founded in 1986. Later they incorporated more jazz and fusion elements into their music. After disbanding in order to pursue other musical directions in 1994, Pestilence has reunited in 2008...
, Asphyx
Asphyx
Asphyx is a Dutch death/doom band that was formed in Overijssel in 1987.-Biography:The band was formed in 1987 by Bob Bagchus and Tonny Brookhuis. Eric Daniels was found as a second guitarist and Chuck Colli joined on vocals and bass guitar; this line up released the Enter the Domain demo...
, Altar and Sinister
Sinister (band)
Sinister is a death metal band from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, assembled in 1988, disassembled in 2003, and reassembled in 2005 by Adrie Kloosterwaard on vocals and Alex Paul on guitar...
were and are well-known both in and outside of Europe. At the present, bands like God Dethroned
God Dethroned
-Biography:God Dethroned was formed in 1991 by singer and guitar player Henri Sattler, with Hans Leegstra and Ard de Weerd. Sattler and Leegstra had previously been in Dysentery; Leegstra, quickly after the band formed, left the music scene altogether. They recorded a demo, Christ Hunt, in 1991,...
, Pyaemia
Pyaemia
Pyaemia is a type of septicaemia that leads to widespread abscesses of a metastatic nature. It is usually caused by the staphylococcus bacteria by pus-forming organisms in the blood. Apart from the distinctive abscesses, pyaemia exhibits the same symptoms as other forms of septicaemia...
, Disavowed
Disavowed
Disavowed is a death metal band from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Esbjerg, Denmark.-Biography:Inspired by bands like Suffocation, Pyrexia, Vader and Dying Fetus, Disavowed was formed in 2000 from the remnants of Nocturnal Silence. With the goal to write music that is brutal, yet well structured,...
, Prostitute Disfigurement
Prostitute Disfigurement
- Biography :Prostitute Disfigurement started out as a 3-piece near the end of 2000, under the name of Disfigure. They were joined by Roel van Kruysdijk on guitars, just before making their demo recordings...
, Hail of Bullets
Hail of Bullets
Hail of Bullets is a Dutch death metal band from Amersfoort. The band's lyrical content deals with the Second World War. The band has released two albums via Metal Blade Records.-Albums:*…Of Frost and War...
, The Monolith Deathcult, Inhume
Inhume (band)
- Members :* Ben Janssen - guitar, Skullhog* Roel Sanders - drums, God Dethroned, Snaggletoöth* Loek Peeters - bass, Skullhog* Dorus van Ooij - vocals* Joost Silvrants - vocals Cliteater- Discography :* Demo 1 demo...
, Rompeprop, Legion of the Damned
Legion of the Damned (band)
Legion of the Damned is a thrash metal/death metal band from the Netherlands. The band was formed in 2004 following the demise of Occult and the departure of former singer Rachel Heyzer. Lyrically the band tend to focus on horror motifs, dark occult and religious themes and apocalyptic events...
and Severe Torture
Severe Torture
Severe Torture is a death metal band from the Netherlands, formed in 1997 by drummer Seth van de Loo and bassist Patrick Boleij.-History:The band was formed in 1997 by Thijs van Laarhoven on guitar, Seth van de Loo on drums, Erik de Windt on vocals, Jelle on guitar and Patrick Boleij on bass guitar...
enjoy a similar status.
Black Metal
Several black metal bands have risen to prominence from the Netherlands recently. Urfaust, Funeral Winds, LugubreLugubre
Lugubre is a black metal band from Friesland. It started as a solo project in 1999 by Striid. He started to spread his "anti-human" black metal with his first demo "Kriich" in 1999, which was released by At War Records...
, Carach Angren
Carach Angren
Carach Angren is a symphonic black metal band from the Netherlands, formed by two members of Vaultage. Their style is characterised by prominent use of orchestral arrangements...
and Cirith Gorgor are some of the most well-known. Israeli group Melechesh
Melechesh
Melechesh is a Assyrian-Armenian black metal band that originated in Jerusalem. Ashmedi started the band as a solo project in 1993. In the following year, guitarist Moloch and drummer Lord Curse were added to the line-up...
have also made the Netherlands their permanent base of operations. Viking/folk metal band Heidevolk
Heidevolk
Heidevolk is a folk/viking metal band from the Netherlands. The lyrical themes of their music are inspired by nature, the history of Gelderland, and the history of Germanic mythology. All of their lyrics are in their native language, Dutch...
are also gaining popularity.
Doom Metal
Dutch doom metal bands include Officium TristeOfficium Triste
Officium Triste is a doom metal band from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. They refer to their style often as Rotterdoom. It is largely inspired by bands like My Dying Bride and early Anathema, but the last album is slower and more melodic. The vocals are mostly intelligible death grunts but with...
, Deinonychus
Deinonychus (band)
Deinonychus was a Dutch doom metal band formed in 1992 by Marco Kehren. There is a close relationship between Deinonychus and the German band Bethlehem: Kehren provided vocals on S.U.I.Z.I.D., Reflektionen aufs Sterben and Profane Fetmilch lentzt elf krank, while Bethlehem bassist and lyricist...
, The Gathering
The Gathering (band)
The Gathering is a Dutch alternative rock band, founded in 1989 by brothers Hans and René Rutten and vocalist Bart Smits in the small city of Oss, North Brabant....
and to a certain extent Asphyx
Asphyx
Asphyx is a Dutch death/doom band that was formed in Overijssel in 1987.-Biography:The band was formed in 1987 by Bob Bagchus and Tonny Brookhuis. Eric Daniels was found as a second guitarist and Chuck Colli joined on vocals and bass guitar; this line up released the Enter the Domain demo...
.
Punk
Ivy Green was among the first punk bands, originating from HazerswoudeHazerswoude
Hazerswoude is a former municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland. It contained the towns of Hazerswoude-Dorp and Hazerswoude-Rijndijk, and the villages Groenendijk and Bent....
.
Tedje en de Flikkers, a group of homosexuals ("flikkers" is Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
for "faggots") from Nijmegen, was one of the most infamous punk formation of the Netherlands. They sprang from the left wing and gay movements that thrived in Nijmegen during the 70s and 80s. Their provocative performances (politically more than musically) often literally resulted in orgies of sex, drugs and noise. They existed only for three years (1977–1980).
The Ex is an Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
group of musicians making something that could be called punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
. De Heideroosjes is also a well-known Dutch punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group, singing in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, 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...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Limburgish
Limburgish language
Limburgish, also called Limburgian or Limburgic is a group of East Low Franconian language varieties spoken in the Limburg and Rhineland regions, near the common Dutch / Belgian / German border...
.
Boerenrock
Some bands create a kind of rock music sometimes called "Boerenrock" ('farmers rock'). These bands mix rock and pop music with regional influences, sometimes sung in the regional dialect, and lyrics influenced by life in rural areas. Examples include BZB (Band Zonder Banaan) and WC Experience from Noord-Brabant, NormaalNormaal
Normaal is a rock band from the Netherlands, more specifically from the Achterhoek region, and sing in the local dialect. The band started in 1975 as a reaction to disco and glamrock. They have since gained national fame, and have had more top 40 hits in the Dutch chart than any other band, despite...
and Jovink en de Voederbietels from Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
, Rowwen Hèze
Rowwen Hèze
Rowwen Hèze is a band from the small village of America in the south of the Netherlands. They are one of the biggest bands singing in a northern dialect of Limburgish. The band was founded in 1985.-Music:...
and Neet Oét Lottum from Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, Mooi Wark from Drenthe and Jitiizer from Friesland.
Musically, the music played by such bands can be described as a rowdy, straight-forward style of rock music, inspired by bands such as ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
, Motörhead, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
and Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
. At other times, influences from pop music and folk music (for instance the case with Rowwen Hèze) can be heard.
Not rarely, these bands display a lot of humorous elements in their repertoire, lyrics and live performances. An example is the repertoire of the WC Experience, which contains cover songs from bands such as Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Guns 'n' Roses and Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
, only the lyrics are replaced by different, rather silly lyrics in their own dialect. Also, the name of 'Band Zonder Banaan' means "Band without a Banana", and is a humorous play on the name of a famous Dutch pop-band, BZN
BZN
BZN was a Dutch band.-History:BZN started out as a pop-rock band in their native Volendam in 1966, playing early-Bee Gees-like harmony pop...
(Band Zonder Naam, or 'Band Without a Name'). The name "Jovink en de Voederbietels" is a contraction of the names of the two founding band members (Hendrik Jan Lovink en Gijs Jolink), and "voederbietel" is a Dutch word for a food trough on a farm.
Boerenrock bands tend to perform at local festivities and concerts in big tents in rural areas, rather than in concert halls in bigger cities. An event where a lot of Boerenrock music can be heard, and a famous event amongst Boerenrock bands and fans, is the yearly Zwarte Cross ('Black Motocross') which is organized by members of 'Jovink en de Voederbietels'. The event is a mixture of several motocross related activities and a rock festival.
Indie rock
In the 90s indie rock band Bettie ServeertBettie Serveert
Bettie Serveert are a Dutch indie-rock band. Their name translates to "Bettie Serves", or "Service to Bettie", which is the title of a book written by Dutch tennis player Betty Stöve, who made it to the Wimbledon ladies singles final in 1977.-Genesis:...
was formed and independent record label Excelsior Recordings
Excelsior Recordings
Excelsior Recordings is an independent record label located in Utrecht, Netherlands, born out of a love - for 7" vinyl, and anger - over almost-famous Dutch band’s Daryll-Ann's luck. First up was a single release; Nothing sucks like Electrolux...
released albums of Dutch indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
bands like Caesar
Caesar (band)
Caesar was an indie rock trio from Amsterdam consisting of Roald van Oosten, Marit de Loos and Sem Bakker. The band was founded in 1994. Caesar released four studio albums, plus one retrospective release in 2006, Before My Band Explodes....
, Ghost Trucker, Alamo Race Track
Alamo Race Track
Alamo Race Track is a rock band from Amsterdam, Netherlands. They have released three full-length albums. Their current effort, Unicorn Loves Deer, was released on March 21, 2011 in their native country.-Early days :...
, Johan
Johan (band)
Johan was a Dutch band based around singer/guitarist Jacco de Greeuw. Their music has been primarily influenced by bands such as The Beatles, Crowded House, and The Byrds.-Biography:...
, Spinvis
Spinvis
Spinvis is a Dutch one-man project centred around Erik de Jong . Using experimental, lo-fi music, Spinvis became an instant success in his home country, earning two gold records in the process and performing sold-out tours in both the Netherlands and Belgium.-Spinvis:In 2001, Erik de Jong, or...
, Gem
Gem (band)
GEM is a band from Utrecht, The Netherlands. The five-piece, founded in 2003, plays energetic rock, mixing grit with melody. GEM has released two albums of which Escapades is the newest.-Biography:...
, Bauer
Bauer (Dutch band)
Bauer is a band founded in 1999 by former Bettie Serveert drummer Berend Dubbe and based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The band writes upbeat electronic music.-Discography:...
, Daryll-Ann
Daryll-Ann
Daryll-Ann was a Dutch rock band stemming from Ermelo, a small rural village in the east of the Netherlands. Between 1992 and 2004 the band released six studio albums, plus one live album. Daryll-Ann was the first signing of Dutch label Excelsior Recordings...
, zZz
ZZz
Juan Manuel Silveyra zZz is a Dutch band from Amsterdam, founded in 2001, formed by Björn Ottenheim and Daan Schinkel. On their first album, the instruments of the band only consisted of an organ and a drumkit. They have since incorporated other electronic and live elements into their sound. The...
and many others. After 2000 Voicst
Voicst
Voicst are a three-piece indie rock band hailing from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. "Voicst" was the name of a stray cat at the band's very first practice space in Amsterdam.- Band members :* Tjeerd Bomhof * Sven Woodside...
was formed and became popular after a beer commercial hit single for Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
. After leaving Zoppo and forming Avec-A musician Yuri Landman
Yuri Landman
Yuri Landman is a Dutch experimental luthier who has made several experimental electric string instruments for a list of artists including Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Liars, Jad Fair of Half Japanese and Liam Finn...
received international attention as an experimental luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
for famous experimental rock
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
bands. Dutch noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
acts are The Ex, Gone Bald
Gone Bald
Gone Bald is a noise rock band from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The band was founded in Zagreb, Croatia in 1994. Soon thereafter, the band hitch-hiked to Amsterdam and that's where the band still lives, even though singer/guitarplayer Razorblade Jr is the only original member left after numerous...
, The Moi Non Plus, Adept
Adept
An adept is an individual identified as having attained a specific level of knowledge, skill, or aptitude in doctrines relevant to a particular author or organization.-H. P. Blavatsky:...
, Bonne Aparte, Feverdream. Post rock: We vs Death, Electro punk: Aux Raus. In Holland the indie music scene
Indie music scenes
An independent music scene is a localized independent music-oriented community of bands and their fans. Local scenes can become a key role in musical history and lead to influential genres, for example No Wave from New York City, Madchester from Manchester and Grunge from...
is mainly present in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Groningen and Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
. A cross media platform called Subbacultcha! hosts nights in venues where many international touring avant garde rockbands like Health
HEALTH (band)
Health is an American noise rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band's 2007 release with Crystal Castles charted at position nine in the UK indie singles chart.- History :...
, Enon
Enon
Enon was an indie rock band founded by John Schmersal, Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon. Currently, Enon is situated in Philadelphia, though the band is known for being part of the New York music scene.-Biography:...
, Miracle Fortress
Miracle Fortress
Miracle Fortress is a Canadian indie rock band based in Montreal. The band is primarily a project of songwriter Graham Van Pelt. Van Pelt also a member of Think About Life.-Band history:...
, Mahjongg
Mahjongg (band)
将麻 is a two-piece band based in Chicago, Illinois formerly known as "Mahjongg," consisting of multi-instrumentalist Hunter Husar and drummer Josh Johannpeter...
, These Are Powers
These Are Powers
These Are Powers is an experimental music group from Brooklyn, New York and Chicago, Illinois. The band mixes polyrhythm with samples and other electronic sounds and noise rock.-History:...
, Pre
Pre (band)
Pre, often written as PRE, is a British noise rock band on Skin Graft Records and Lovepump United. It is based in London and was formed around 2005 with singer Akiko Matsuura, known for taking the stage in only her underwear and extensive stage diving. Pre includes former members of Todd and Seafood...
perform as well as local indie and noise rock acts like The Moi Non Plus, Bonne Aparte, Adept
Adept (band)
Adept is a Swedish post-hardcore band from Trosa.-Formation:Adept was founded in 2004 and consists of musicians Robert Ljung , Jerry Repo Filip Brandelius and Gabriel Hellmark . In their first year, they released their first demo, Hopeless Illusions, recorded and sold on their own...
, Hospital Bombers, Pfaff. Subbacultcha! also publishes a musical magazine with in depth interviews with the touring bands and arranges instant recording sessions in a studio in the Vondelpark
Vondelpark
The Vondelpark is a public urban park of 47 hectares in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located in the stadsdeel Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, west from the Leidseplein and the Museumplein. The park was opened in 1865 and originally named the "Nieuwe Park", but later renamed to "Vondelpark", after the 17th...
with those bands.
In The Hague a yearly festival State-X New Forms
State-X
State-X New Forms is an independent festival for independent music culture such as avant garde music, noise rock, indie rock, IDM, held in The Hague, in The Netherlands, since 2004. The festival is a fusion of the two festivals State-X and New Forms both of which were held for 6 years...
happens in Paard van Troje
Paard van Troje
Paard van Troje is a venue in The Hague, Netherlands founded in 1972 with the support of the alderman of culture from The Hague. Currently located at the Prinsegracht.-History:The Paard van Troje began as a centre for youth culture...
.
Electronic/Dance music
In the early 90s, Dutch DJ's developed a style of electronic dance musicElectronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
called gabber. The style was developed in reaction to the commercialization of house music and was heavily influenced by early hardcore from Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The DJs stripped the music of what they perceived as excess sounds, Songs were reduced to a high-speed monotonous beat, of sometimes over 260 beats per minute. One of the tracks often cited as the first gabber track is "Yaaaah" by Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
-based D-Shake. He was also to be the first to use the term gabber in a 1990 Dutch TV program. Important gabber groups and DJs are the Rotterdam Terror Corps
Rotterdam Terror Corps
Rotterdam Terror Corps is a Dutch gabber group formed in 1993 that is known for its hard beats and is considered by many as a pioneer in the genre, for instance they created landmark songs such as, "God is a gabber", "Masters of Hardcore", "Unleash Hell" and "Rotterdam Hooligan"...
, The Dark Raver and Neophyte
Neophyte (band)
Neophyte is a hardcore, or gabber, group formed in 1992 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The three original members are Jeroen Streunding , Danny Greten and Robin van Roon....
. Gabbers distinguish themselves through hair (bald heads) and clothes (Australian and Cavello).
Now, gabber is usually called hardcore. Gabber also spawned happy hardcore
Happy hardcore
Happy hardcore, also known as happycore, is a genre of music typified by a very fast tempo , often coupled with solo vocals and sentimental lyrics. Its characteristically 4/4 beat "happy" sound distinguishes it from most other forms of hardcore techno, which tend to be "darker". It is typically in...
, an offshoot of gabber. Important groups and DJs in happy hardcore include Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo, Party Animals
Party Animals (musical group)
Party Animals are a pop-gabber group from The Netherlands. The band was created by producers Jeff Porter, Jeroen Flamman together with vocalists MCs Remsy, Evert van Buschbach, Patrick de Moor, Dennis Adam and Paul Grommé...
, Flamman & Abraxas, and Scooter
Scooter
-Vehicles:*Kick scooter, a two-wheeled non-motorized vehicle, primarily a child's play thing, designed to have the rider primarily in the standing position, propelled by a rider pushing off the ground...
.
The Netherlands has also spawned many Eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
acts, such as 2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited is a Dutch Eurodance/Hi-NRG act formed in 1991. The project was the brainchild of Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde, and was fronted by a Dutch duo, rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth. During five years of enormous worldwide popularity, the act scored 16 chart...
, Alice Deejay
Alice DeeJay
Alice DeeJay was an electronic music group, who achieved success from 1999 to 2002.-Members:The group consisted of record producers Pronti , Kalmani and DJ Jurgen with Marc Lee-Smith remixing and the DJ's From Mars lead singer Judith Anna Pronk...
, the Venga Boys, the Two Brothers on the 4th Floor and Twenty Four Seven.
Many of the world's top trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
DJs are Dutch, such as Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
and DJ Tiësto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
. The DJ Magazine Top 10 has been dominated by the Dutch for many years. In 2010 three of the 10 DJ's were Dutch. DJ Tiesto has been awarded best Dj for three times in a row by DJ Magazine and is still present in the top 10. Armin van Buuren (also Dutch) has taken over his first place, doing this for four years in a row.
Many foreign DJs live in and operate from the Netherlands. Drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
is also popular in the Netherlands, artists including Noisia
Noisia
Noisia, stylized as NOISIΛ , is a Dutch Electronic music trio consisting of members Nik Roos, Martijn van Sonderen and Thijs de Vlieger from Groningen, The Netherlands. They now produce a wide variety of music including drum and bass, dubstep, breakbeat and house music...
and Black Sun Empire
Black Sun Empire
Black Sun Empire is the stage name of a team of Dutch disc jockeys and Drum & Bass music producers Rene Verdult and brothers Milan and Micha Heyboer....
. The Netherlands is home to many of the largest trance events on earth, including Sensation
Sensation (event)
Sensation is an indoor electronic dance music event which originated in the Netherlandsand organized by ID&T. The original event, which ran exclusively in the Amsterdam ArenA for a period of five years until 2005, is now located throughout Poland, Spain, Austria, Chile, Germany, Belgium, Hungary,...
and Trance Energy
Trance Energy
Energy is a Dutch dance event featuring Electronic Dance Music DJs from around the world. It is organized by ID&T and has been held from 1999 to the present day in various venues in the Netherlands twice a year. Traditionally, there was a "small" edition and a big edition each year...
.
Other popular DJ's from the Netherlands are Afrojack, Laidback Luke, Fedde le Grand and Sander van Doorn.
The Dutch have through the years also made quite a reputation for themselves with their booming underground scene. A multitude of small independent recordlabels, event organizations and artists have cropped up through the years. Artists such as Speedy J
Speedy J
Speedy J , is a Dutch electronic music producer based in the city of Rotterdam. His breakthrough came with the release in 1992 of the minimal techno track Pullover...
, the Acid Junkies, Orlando Voorn
Orlando Voorn
Orlando Voorn is a Dutch DJ and electronic music producer. As a solo artist he has released work since the early 80s under a large amount of aliases containing Balance, Frequency, Baruka, Basic Bastard, Fix, Dope Dog, Boy, Stalker and The Nighttripper...
, Miss Djax, Unit Moebius, and I-F
I-F
I-f is the stage name of Ferenc E. van der Sluijs, a Dutch producer and DJ based in The Hague. He is a former member of the Dutch electro-pioneers Unit Moebius....
all gained international recognition, paving the way for several new electronic artists from the Lowlands.
Rap
Several Dutch groups have played an important role in the development of rap and hiphopHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
in the Netherlands. The Urban Dance Squad
Urban Dance Squad
Urban Dance Squad was a Dutch rap rock band formed after what was originally intended as a one-time jam-session at a festival in Utrecht on December 20, 1986...
, led by Rude Boy
Rude boy
Rude boy, rudeboy, rudie, rudi or rudy are common terms used in Jamaica. In the 1960s it was also used for juvenile delinquents and criminals in Jamaica, and has since been used in other contexts...
(who later also played with Junkie XL
Junkie XL
Tom Holkenborg , better known as Junkie XL or JXL, is a Dutch musician. He uses the name JXL in cases where the term "Junkie" might cause offense. XL is for "Xpanding Limits"....
), produced an original mix of rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, laying the foundation for the nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
hype of the late 90s and early 00s. Def La Desh and the Fresh Witness, led by Wendy Wright, brought rap with vocals to the forefront, with groups like TLC following. The Osdorp Posse
Osdorp Posse
Osdorp Posse was one of the first rap groups to produce rap music in Dutch language. ‘The Posse’ was formed in 1989 by Def-P , King , IJsblok and Seda...
were the founders of Dutch rap or nederhop. Their frontman, Def P (Pascal Griffioen), switched from English to Dutch in 1988, which made him the first to rap in Dutch. That year, Def P, IJsblok, King and Seda formed the Osdorp Posse. Over the years, they explored all sides of hiphop, from poetic hiphop to politically engaged hiphop. They introduced several Anglicisms in the Dutch language, such as moederneuker ("motherfucker"). Other important Dutch rappers are Pete Philly & Perquisite, Extince
Extince
Extince is one of the first Dutch language rappers to appear in the Dutch music charts.Extince was born as Peter Kops in Oosterhout, Netherlands...
(Peter Kops), Kempi
Kempi
Jerrely Slijger , better known by his stage name Kempi, is a Dutch rapper of Antillean descent. Since 2006, he has a contract at Dutch hip-hop label TopNotch.-Early life:...
, Brainpower
Brainpower
Gertjan Mulder, professionally known as Brainpower, is a bi-lingual rapper, who writes, records and performs in both the English as well as the Dutch language. The Dutch audience mainly knows him as a Dutch language rapper. He was born in Belgium and grew up in the Netherlands. He started making...
(Gert-Jan Mulder), Opgezwolle
Opgezwolle
Opgezwolle was a Dutch rap formation consisting of MCs Sticky Steez and Phreako Rico, and beatmaker DJ Dippy Delic.-Biography:In 2001 Opgezwolle competed in a contest called "De Oogst van Overijssel"...
, Spookrijders, Polderkartel, Typhoon, and Def Rhymz
Def rhymz
Def Rhymz is a Dutch rapper. He is known for his sexist, funny raps. He was the first Dutch rapper ever to hit the number 1 spot on the Dutch charts, with two songs: Doekoe in 1999 and Schudden in 2001.- References :...
(Dennis Bouman). Currently, Nicolay
Nicolay (musician)
Nicolay is an electronica, R&B and hip hop record producer from the Netherlands, better known as one half of The Foreign Exchange. Although his sound was once compared to 9th Wonder's, mainly through the association of Phonte & The Justus League, Nicolay tends to use live instruments rather than...
is one of the leading hip hop producers to come out of the region.
See also
- Andy TielmanAndy TielmanAndy Tielman was an influential Indo artist. Nicknamed the "Godfather of Indorock", he was the iconic frontman of the music style called Indorock and is considered one of the most important figures in Dutch Pop music.He was known for his wide vocal range and virtuoso guitar playing as well as...
- Culture of the NetherlandsCulture of the NetherlandsDutch culture, or the culture of the Netherlands, is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the foreign influences thanks to the merchant and exploring spirit of the Dutch and the influx of immigrants...
- Music of Bonaire and Curaçao
- Music of BelgiumMusic of BelgiumThe music of Belgium is a cultural crossroads where Flemish Dutch-speaking and Walloon French-speaking traditions mix with those of German minorities and of immigrant communities from Democratic Republic of the Congo and other distant countries....
- Clan of XymoxClan of XymoxThe band Clan of Xymox, also known as Xymox, formed in the Netherlands in 1981. Clan Of Xymox featured a trio of songwriters - Pieter Nooten, Ronny Moorings and Anke [also Anka] Wolbert - and gained success in the 1980s, releasing their first two albums on a prestigious independent UK label, a...