Why Arabic music classics still seduce and captivate
Arabic classics are more popular than ever on streaming platforms. From Umm Kalthoum to Fairouz, this ever-growing popularity reflects a certain nostalgia, particularly among young people. A phenomenon analyzed by English-language Arab media.
Oum Kalthoum, Fairouz, Sabah, Warda. These divas embody nostalgia and unity. And in a Middle East plagued by unrest and war, the classics of mid-20th - century Arabic music are more than ever a refuge, as evidenced by their resurgence in popularity on streaming platforms. Thus, “productions from the golden age of Arabic music still stand strong even though the artists have passed away or retired. Tribute concerts are sold out. And the voices of artists of yesteryear still resonate in cafes, cars, and balconies across the region,” explains Rolling Stone Mena .
We wake up to the voice of Fairouz, and go to bed to the sound of Oum Kalthoum (1898-1975). The adage remains very true among young listeners as well, who publish a number of memes with these divas as their image or soundtrack, according to the new Middle East and North Africa edition of the music magazine . The Lebanese Fairouz, born in 1934, and the Algerian-Lebanese Warda (1939-2012) “are currently at the top of the streaming charts, with 1.52 million and 391,000 monthly listeners on Spotify respectively.”
Over the last quarter, the magazine continues, listening increased by 63.97% or 2.5 million listeners on Spotify for Wahdon (“Only
Courrier International
