Sweden

Dancing With the Dansband

What is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the music of Sweden? If it’s Swedish House Mafia, you are going to want to read this blog post.

Many popular artist have come from Sweden including '80s bands like ABBA and Ace of Base as well as newly popular musicians such as Miike Snow, Shout Out Louds and José González.

But before Sweden became the starting point for these chart-topping bands and musicians, the country struck its first chords in traditional Nordic folk music along with the other Nordic countries, Scandinavia and Finland.

Nordic folk music began as the dance music for European nobility and is made up of dance rhythms usually in the minor keys. This music was traditionally not simply for listening, but mostly for dancing along with. Most of these dances are accomplished with a partner, but some dances, namely the minuet, can be danced solo. 

The most common instrument used in Nordic music is the fiddle. Other instruments include accordions and clarinets. One of the most widely used instruments in Sweden was the nyckelharpa (a type of fiddle), which has since gone out of fashion and is rarely used in contemporary folk music.

Swedish folk music went through little changes throughout the years until the 1960s, when radio and the television become extremely popular. The Swedish youth propelled a roots revival in Swedish folk music by establishing folk music clubs and bring folk music to the radio and television.

During this time, popular folk music was comprised of mainly instrumental music and focused on the polska, using more contemporary instruments.

Sweden in the 1970s became exposed to dansbandmusik, which is used mostly for dancing in pairs. The Swedish were influenced by the pair dances that had popularized American culture in the 1950s and ‘60s such as the jitterbug and foxtrot. These dances are normally to swing, jazz and rock music, which was a different musical sound for Sweden.

Throughout the decade, dansbandmusik became popular not only for pairs dancing, but also for pure enjoyment. Many dansband musicians and bands began popping up throughout Sweden and included bands like Wizex and Forbes.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that pop began infiltrating the country’s music scene. ABBA is the most popular band to come out of Sweden by gaining international success and becoming the second most successful group ever following The Beatles.

Although many other bands coming from Sweden have gained international recognition in the last two decades, Sweden also has a great underground music scene. The Knife and Jens Lekman are both popular Swedish musicians.

Lars Winnerbäck

Yes, the most popular Swedish musicians sing in English, but I made it a point to find a Swedish-singing musician. Lars Winnerbäck fit the criteria, and I couldn’t be happier that my search led me to this singer/songwriter.

Born in Stockholm, but having grown up in Linköping, Winnerbäck has released 10 studio albums and sings only in Swedish. The solo artist released his first album, Dans med svåra steg, in 1996 and has since become one of the most popular singers in Sweden.

Unless you can understand Swedish, Winnerbäck’s lyrics are incomprehensible. But one thing I love about this artist is the emotion that rings in his lyrics. According to Swedish-speaking sources, Winnerbäck sings mostly of romance and issues in society. For you indie music fans, he is like a Swedish Ben Gibbard. Not bad.

Winnerbäck’s music is largely influenced by Swedish and American musicians of the like including Bob Dylan and the Swedish singer Ulf Lundell (who has non-coincidentally been considered Sweden’s Bob Dylan).

Much of Winnerbäck’s music is on acoustic guitar and has a mellow, contemplative tone to it. Since gaining popularity in the ‘90s, the singer has landed multiple spots on the official Swedish Albums Chart. 

The musician has been writing, releasing and performing music for about 15 years now, having released his most recent album, Utanför Album 1, in 2012.

Jamaica

Reggae Is Here To Stay


Everyone has heard of reggae, and even if it isn't your cup of tea, the rhythmic music brings one specific country to mind: Jamaica. Developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s, Reggae has become a popular musical style worldwide and is fusing itself into other musical genres as well.

The most prominent instruments heard in reggae music include the drums, guitar, bass and sometimes some brass instruments. The style is based on the "skank," and before you get any ideas, this is a Jamaican term meaning off-beat. So instead of using the downbeats on a guitar as in rock and pop music, reggae focuses on the upward strokes of the guitar creating an interesting kind of jumpy sound.

Reggae owes some of its influence to traditional African music, but the official genre originated from a mix of ska and rocksteady which is described by a soulful and rhythmic sound similar but not exact to reggae.

Ska is one of the earlier precursors to reggae, developed in the early 1950s in Jamaica. The musical genre is also created by focusing on the off-beats, but it is more jazzy than reggae. Ska music hit its prime in the early 1960s during the Jamaican independence movement, during which it became a symbol of Jamaica's sense of individuality.

Rocksteady followed the ska movement with a much slower rhythmic quality. The fusion of these two genres produced reggae which borrowed qualities from each style of music. As modern musical styles gained more popularity in Jamaica, reggae lent itself out to other genres such as punk, which became big in the '80s.

Reggae music has often been criticized for its controversial lyrics. Although some reggae musicians choose to sing about the usual topics of love and relationships, some of the more original musicians, such as Bob Marley, sang about political and social issues.

Within the diverse genre, there are different types of reggae music. The earliest type of reggae is sometimes considered "skinhead reggae" because it became very popular among the working class in the UK in the late 1960s. The Pioneers and John Holt are two of the more popular reggae artists during this era.

In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, a more refined style of reggae called "roots" reggae became popular. It is also the more recognizable style of reggae music as it was made popular by the notable musicians, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.

Along with being more refined, "roots" reggae is also more complex, with tricky drum patterns and more experimental guitar and keyboard riffs. The lyrics of "roots" reggae don't stray far from the genre's original messages, as many of these musicians sang about issues such as slavery, spirituality and poverty, keeping their native country close in thought.

Today, reggae has fused itself with many other styles of music, especially hip hop and rap. Many Jamaican DJs have included reggae in their mash-ups as well as giving the genre a more electronic or new-wave sound. Reggae has also spread to musicians all over the world who have incorporated the basis of the genre in their music. The good thing about reggae, though, is because of its distinguishable sound, it will always stand out in music.

Bob Marley


Hailing from the country itself, Jamaican singer/songwriter Bob Marley was one of the most highly esteemed reggae musicians. With dozens of well-known hits, Bob Marley has spread many messages regarding social and political issues, especially the Rastafari Movement, through his music.

Bob Marley began his music career playing ska and rocksteady music with the band, Bob Marley and The Wailers. While playing alongside Peter Tosh, this band is where the two musicians developed their distinct reggae sound.

After The Wailers broke up in the mid-1970s, Bob Marley still carried on with his career. The band released a total of thirteen albums in its career.

Bob Marley breakthrough album in the United States was Rastaman Vibration, which was released in 1976 and spent some time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Another of Bob Marley's more popular albums was Babylon By Bus, which included the hit track "Jamming," a song that was popular among fans especially during live performances.

Bob Marley was openly opposed to the South African apartheid and made his distaste clear in his music. Songs such as "Redemption Song" and "Survival" express his opposition to poverty and the struggles of South Africans.

Bob Marley passed away in 1981 due to melanoma, but his legacy lives on as strongly as ever. There are many tributes to the musician all over the world in restaurants, hotels and festivals.

The late reggae singer's influence also lives on in his son's career. After his father's death, Ziggy Marley became a prominent reggae musician much like his biggest influence, Bob Marley.

Ireland

Dancing the Jig

Irish music has one of the most distinct cultural sounds. Like many other countries with a strong traditional musical influence, the Irish incorporate dancing along with their music. 

The most well known Irish dance is the jig, which is an upbeat folksy dance. The instrumentals include the flute, fiddle and accordion. From the very beginning of Irish folk music to today, the Irish use pretty much any excuse to dance and play music. This happens most commonly at weddings, holidays, street parades and even small events like someone’s birthday.

Besides the jig, polkas and waltzes are other types of Irish dances. The instrumentals include the guitar and bodhrán, which is a type of drum. 

Other than the lively string-based instrumentals, Irish musicians are also unmistakable by their richly accented vocals. Some of the more purely Irish musicians are The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners, who became known around the 1960s and have since become popular in the US.

In the latter portion of the 1900s, traditional Irish music began making way for Western styles of music including rock and even R&B. The Irish musician Van Morrison is particularly known for incorporating soul and jazz into his music.

It is no secret that the Irish are closely related to drinking and partying at pubs. A popular place for traditional Irish music and dance are pub sessions, which are simply informal gatherings or “parties” at local pubs. One of the pubs most famous for these pub sessions is O’Donoghues in Dublin, which began in the 1960s. 

Irish music has come a long way, but traditional sounds have remained very distinct in Irish songs. Although many recent Irish-American musicians tend toward more modern music, the Irish roots are evident. 

People of Irish descent in both the native country and other countries including America celebrate this part of the culture in music and in dance. 

Flogging Molly

The majority of bands descending from Ireland are English-singing musicians, and one of the most popular Irish-American bands is Flogging Molly.

The seven-member Celtic band actually hails from Los Angeles, but the lead vocalist, Dave King, was born in Dublin. Since forming in 1997, Flogging Molly has released five studio albums and one live album.  

The Irish-punk band has had an extensive career, participating in the Warped Tour, the American Fléadh Festival and has sold over a million records.

Although Flogging Molly’s lyrics are in English, the band utilizes mostly traditional Irish instrumentals. King also has a gruff Irish accent, distinguishing the band from other punk rock bands. 

Most of the band’s music is upbeat and often clamorous, with folksy influences and heavy percussion. Staying true to King’s Celtic roots, the band writes mostly pirate-themed songs such as “Seven Deadly Sins” and “Drunken Lullabies.”

Flogging Molly has been influenced by eighties Irish bands including The Pogues and The Clash, which also have a punk-Irish sound. 

Hungary

Calling All Gypsies

I am going to remain in Eastern Europe for just one more blog post; however, the musical styles of Hungary and Ukraine are hardly similar. Modern Hungarian music originates from the classic and traditional early Hungarian art form: gypsy music.

Colorful and vibrant, Hungarian gypsy music is colloquially called cigányzene. Gypsy originated during Hungary's national awakening at the end of the 18th century. People known as gypsies banded together and created this colorful and instrumental form of music. One of the most prominent characteristics of the gypsy music were the dances that went with it. The music was normally vibrant and upbeat, so the dances were also very movement-oriented, and both men and women would usually perform. Traditionally, the men would begin with a clapping sequence, and then the women would enter the scene in colorful, flowing skirts. The men and women would then partner up, and the music would pick up along with the dance moves.

Since gypsy music originally formed during a period of unrest amongst feelings of patriotism, the lyrics expressed the hardships of daily life and the longing for freedom. 

After the gypsy period, these music forms evolved into Hungarian folk music and were even passed along to Hungary's noblemen and classical composers including Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms.

The new pop culture of the 20th century introduced new instruments such as guitar, drums and electronic synthesizers. In the 1970s, Ferenc Sebö and Béla Halmos introduced Hungarian folk music to new Western music forms, and they opened the first dance house in Hungary. At these houses, electronic and rock music combined with folk music, and people taught and learned the traditional Hungarian gypsy dances. 

Dance houses began to spread throughout the country, and the groups such as the Ökrös Ensemble formed to keep the Hungarian folk music traditions alive.

Today, dance clubs still play mostly electronic music mixed with some traditional folk sounds. Hungary also holds many festivals during the year celebrating its rich music and dance culture.

Quimby


Originating in 1991 in a small Hungarian town playing covers, Quimby has since become one of the country's most popular alternative rock bands.

The band has 10 studio albums and one LP. Quimby's first three albums were all in English, but they quickly gained success in the underground music scene, particularly among college students. The band had a distinct style which has been compared to mid-1900s cabaret songs.

In 1995, the band decided to begin recording its albums in Hungarian and released its fourth album, Majom-tangó. With the language change, the band also experimented with its sound and genre, introducing some electronics and reggae. 

In the final years of the century, as Quimby's sound matured, its popularity soared. No longer an underground alt-rock band, Quimby gained wide-spread national recognition, and their fifth album, Diligramm, was named album of the year by the Hungarian Press in 1998.

As its success grew, Quimby did not cease experimenting and meddling with its sound. Another album featured a compilation of multiple genres including rap, some Spanish tunes and some bop songs.

The band has been around for 15 years now, and although Quimby has never toured internationally, it is well-known throughout Europe and regarded prominently by its native country.