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The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

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Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#51

Post by rayiner »

yawboakye wrote: post #39

American country music buff here. Until recently Ghanaian music was mostly about the lyrics—it was impossible to make music that didn’t have great lyrics about love, life, work, religion, you name it. Music was a great instructor in traditional values. For lovers of the old music American country music fits right in since it’s probably the only(?) music export from the US that doesn't glorify crime, debauchery, all t…

I realized I was in love with my now wife (we had been on a few dates at that point) while in the car listening to a country song.

I like other music fine, but I’m to old to relate to any of it.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#52

Post by thematrixturtle »

samatman wrote: post #43
corrral wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they imitate it in their own music? When I go looking for American influence in foreign pop music, most of what I find is usually hip-hop. Almost never country.

I think 'adapt' might be a better word, but absolutely they do. I agree it's not as easy to find, I have a Thai country CD from the early Naughts in storage somewhere, I bet if you went with the right searches on your streaming source of choice you'd turn it up.

Australian country music is a thing, look up eg Slim Dusty.

In Thailand, the local equivalent is luk thung.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#53

Post by betwixthewires »

rayiner wrote: post #14
betwixthewires wrote: post #9

A lot of people don't really know it, but American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide and is popular in places such as southeast Asia, Mongolia, sub Saharan Africa, even India and Latin america. Europeans and city dwelling Americans love to shit on it but the world loves it, probably because it's easy to relate to lyrically and uses pleasant melodies and simple to follow rhythms.…

I found it funny when I was growing up that my dad (Bangladeshi) listened to country music. I was more of a Dave Matthew’s guy, but as a dad myself now my dial is also stuck on WMZQ. It’s simple and easy to relate to.

I think we have the same dad.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#54

Post by betwixthewires »

guelo wrote: post #25
betwixthewires wrote: post #9

A lot of people don't really know it, but American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide and is popular in places such as southeast Asia, Mongolia, sub Saharan Africa, even India and Latin america. Europeans and city dwelling Americans love to shit on it but the world loves it, probably because it's easy to relate to lyrically and uses pleasant melodies and simple to follow rhythms.…

> American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide Sorry I'm very skeptical about this claim. According to the recording industry's annual report Pop music continues to dominate and Country is not in the top 10 https://www.ifpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IFPI-Engagin... (page 15) Also, as a city dweller, why do people like you constantly attack us about everything? That feeling of…

Who's people like me?

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#55

Post by xg15 »

guelo wrote: post #44
exolymph wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I upvoted you because I'm also skeptical about the object-level claim, but this is a little dramatic: > Also, as a city dweller, why do people like you constantly attack us about everything? That feeling of persecution is destroying us. Rural people can easily levy the same accusation in return.

Why is my comment more dramatic than saying city dwellers "love to shit on it"?

"Shitting on" a music genre is strictly less dramatic than "destroying" a group of people.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#56

Post by briandear »

vanattab wrote: post #12
selimthegrim wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am pretty sure Charley Pride is not obscure

Charley who?

Just a black country singer with 30 #1 hits and 4 Grammy awards.

He is even an award winner from the Scandinavian-American hall of fame. Pride is a legend in country music.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#57

Post by astrange »

guelo wrote: post #25
betwixthewires wrote: post #9

A lot of people don't really know it, but American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide and is popular in places such as southeast Asia, Mongolia, sub Saharan Africa, even India and Latin america. Europeans and city dwelling Americans love to shit on it but the world loves it, probably because it's easy to relate to lyrically and uses pleasant melodies and simple to follow rhythms.…

> American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide Sorry I'm very skeptical about this claim. According to the recording industry's annual report Pop music continues to dominate and Country is not in the top 10 https://www.ifpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IFPI-Engagin... (page 15) Also, as a city dweller, why do people like you constantly attack us about everything? That feeling of…

> Also, as a city dweller, why do people like you constantly attack us about everything? That feeling of persecution is destroying us.

I read it as an attack on people who "like everything but rap and country", which I associated with teenagers' Facebook profiles in the 2000s, not so much city dwellers.

There's definitely some cities associated with country-like music too.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#58

Post by twelvechairs »

jamal-kumar wrote: post #21

Another interesting African music genre: Desert Blues [1], which mostly comes out of the Western Sahara. I like this example (Title: Tinariwen (+IO:I) - Ténéré Tàqqàl (what has become of the Ténéré) ) [2] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_blues [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boiiiVh52v4

Worth noting Ali Farka Toure (the first name mentioned in the 'Desert Blues' link) didn't like people calling his music 'blues' at all - for instance see [0]

[0] https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/mar/08/guardianobituar...

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#59

Post by paulpauper »

betwixthewires wrote: post #9

A lot of people don't really know it, but American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide and is popular in places such as southeast Asia, Mongolia, sub Saharan Africa, even India and Latin america. Europeans and city dwelling Americans love to shit on it but the world loves it, probably because it's easy to relate to lyrically and uses pleasant melodies and simple to follow rhythms.…

As someone who lives in a city, shitting on country music is not something that has ever crossed my mind

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#60

Post by rufus_foreman »

yawboakye wrote: post #39

American country music buff here. Until recently Ghanaian music was mostly about the lyrics—it was impossible to make music that didn’t have great lyrics about love, life, work, religion, you name it. Music was a great instructor in traditional values. For lovers of the old music American country music fits right in since it’s probably the only(?) music export from the US that doesn't glorify crime, debauchery, all t…

>> For lovers of the old music American country music fits right in since it’s probably the only(?) music export from the US that doesn't glorify crime, debauchery

Early one morning while making the rounds

I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down

Went right home and I went to bed

I stuck that loving 44 beneath my head

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