Why I don’t like modern Arabic music

I didn’t watch all the ones you posted but the ones I watched were painful to watch and to listen to. Ugh! The high-pitched whiney singing voice grates on my nerves. The dress and dance moves are like what you would find in almost any music video on MTV or Much Music. I would imagine only straight guys would find these music videos entertaining.

Ok, so let’s look at the positive side of what you raise:

I am also a huge nostalgic in all things cultural and literary and even in business for the Arab-Muslim world but also in all things American and European. Although imperfect, a lot of the old times were better in many ways, especially talentwise.####

These videos though, although they don’t rise to the same quality as the music coming out of the 19-20th century giants like OmKalthoom or Farid or Abdelwahab or AbdelHalim or Warda or any others, they reflect our time and a new genaration with their own spin on art. Not all of it is really bad. Some of these artists owe their success to their good looks, but there are still some very talented people out there. Someone like Aline Khalaf just a few years ago made some great songs for a young performer but her recent stuff is tending dreadfully while her clips are ummm…shall we say sexed up more now. So is that a compensation? I don’t know.## ##

The last clip you offer actually wasn’t that bad musically, I thought. I just don’t know why the clip had to be in a stripper club scenario with peeping toms. I don’t get it. I could be made sensual without the cheap crap. But music wasn’t bad, objectively.## ##

The sexuality is nothing new. it has been part of performing and enterttaining from the old harems all the way to Mulsim India to Turkey to Egypt to North Africa to all European courts and Japanese Geisha other asian variations. Bellydancing is a remnant of such ‘overt sexuality.’ There is a time and a place and limits of good taste to what is ok and not. This stuff above is overdone. But sexuality and performing are hand in hand for eternity. ## ##

You won’t get singers to stand as somber and classy like Om kalthoom did, but even then, for that time,I bet you there were people who thought of her gig as ‘improper’ and her being a ‘slut’ Shifting Standards are quite a treacherous thing to manage.## ##

And above all, these videos, contrary to the backwards mentality sharia-abiding masses of 6th century savages many would like to portray Arabs like, show that Arabs and Muslims in reality are a lot closer to Western lifestyle and trends, warts and all, and that talent defficiency or new cultural trends are as rampant as a bloody reality we are trying to solve and do away with and also find some occasional respite from. ## ##

Fairuz’ voice is fantastic and a few of her songs are unforgettably great, but she is too sad of a singer and her work is very politicized, somber at times. That is fine but also, people of any ethnicity and culture want to forget about seriousness and sorrow sometimes and seek some lighthearted fun, hence the use for the videos you post about.## ##

While at the same time, safeguarding faith and traditions. People observe them to varying degrees and it is impossible to micromanage that level for every individual. You safeguard those big principles and values while you allow freedom of expression like in singing and videos and let everyone make up their own judgement call and responsibility. ## ##

Have I given both sides of the coin a little shine?

PS: What’s up with the bugs? The end of line commands are not recognized anymore after you installed the new scipts?

I was introduced to the music of Om kalthoom by my ex and she had a lovely voice. Classy yes. I have seen some music videos both American and Arabic and yes….there are those that look like soft porn and the music…blah.

OOOOH Mona,

Video clips in the Arabic world hurts. It isn’t not acceptable not only among educators and conservatives, but also some singers.
I don’t know why they make the bodies as sexual items !! The issue seems more sensitive in the Arab world more than anywhere else.
In fact, I enjoyed your examples and I will include them in my term paper in my Race and Gender in Media class.

Cheers,

Mohsen
USA

I’m new here, just passing by … wanted to put my stuff to it too … in MOST cases of those kind of songs, it’s the male Director who puts that girl in a tight costume, belly free miniskirt or whatever… as you said yourself you have no idea of these artists or what they do or think … and yes! most of them are fake… but I want to step in and say … its not ALWAYS the girl in the clip .. cuz they NEVER decide on what to wear… or how to look in a clip it’s coregraphs, directors, costume people … who dress them and make them look like sluts! sorry to say that but I cannot concure with what you said about them or the look .. but what I can concure on with you is that they are terrible terrible singers!!!

kind regards,

-Alex
Germany, (son of an Arab father!)