The
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
of
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
is a cultural mix where
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
-speaking and
Walloon French-speaking traditions mix with those of German minorities and of immigrant communities from
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
or other distant countries.
Early and classical music
Many of the major 15th- and 16th-century composers of the
Franco-Flemish School
The designation Franco-Flemish School, also called Netherlandish School, Burgundian School, Low Countries School, Flemish School, Dutch School, or Northern School, refers, somewhat imprecisely, to the style of polyphonic vocal music composition or ...
—a current of vocal
polyphony
Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...
that played a central role in European art music of the time—were born and bred in the portion of the
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
that is situated in present-day Belgium, often in
Hainaut.
[ ] The late medieval composer and music theorist
Johannes Ciconia
Johannes Ciconia ( – between 10 June and 13 July 1412) was an important Flemish composer and music theorist of trecento music during the late Medieval era. He was born in Liège, but worked most of his adult life in Italy, particularly ...
(c. 1370–1412) had been born in
Liège
Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège.
The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...
, but like many later Flemish polyphonists he spent much of his life working in
Renaissance Italy
The Italian Renaissance ( it, Rinascimento ) was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Europe and marked the trans ...
. While it remains unclear why
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
and other
Netherlandish
The Low Countries comprise the coastal Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta region in Western Europe, whose definition usually includes the modern countries of Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Both Belgium and the Netherlands derived their ...
musicians exerted such a strong influence on
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is traditionally understood to cover European music of the 15th and 16th centuries, later than the Renaissance era as it is understood in other disciplines. Rather than starting from the early 14th-century '' ars nova'', the Tr ...
throughout Europe (with a particularly strong axis developing between Liège and
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
), one possibility is the emphasis that was placed locally on music theory.
[ ]Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Du Fay ( , ; also Dufay, Du Fayt; 5 August 1397(?) – 27 November 1474) was a French composer and music theorist of the early Renaissance. Considered the leading European composer of his time, his music was widely performed and repr ...
(c. 1397–1474), who was born near Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
(he moved as a child to Cambrai
Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department and in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, regio ...
, and also worked in Italy), was a key figure of the early 15th-century Burgundian School
The Burgundian School was a group of composers active in the 15th century in what is now northern and eastern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, centered on the court of the Dukes of Burgundy. The school inaugurated the music of Burgundy.
The ...
, and he was considered by his contemporaries to be the leading composer of the age.[ ] Another influential figure was Gilles Binchois
Gilles de Bins dit Binchois (also Binchoys; – 20 September 1460) was a Franco-Flemish composer of early Renaissance music. A central figure of the Burgundian School, Binchois and his colleague Guillaume Du Fay were deeply influenced by the ...
(c. 1400–1460): probably born in Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
(or nearby Binche
Binche (; wa, Bince; Dutch: ''Bing'') is a city and municipality from Wallonia, in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Since 1977, the municipality consists of Binche, Bray, Buvrinnes, Épinois, Leval-Trahegnies, Péronnes-lez-Binche, Ressaix, an ...
) he moved to Lille
Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...
, the largest city of what is now French Flanders
French Flanders (french: La Flandre française) is a part of the historical County of Flanders in present-day France where a dialect of Dutch was or still is traditionally spoken. The region lies in the modern-day region of Hauts-de-France and r ...
, and unlike many of his contemporaries, he maintained professional connections with the Burgundian court throughout his life.[ ] Johannes Ockeghem
Johannes Ockeghem ( – 6 February 1497) was a Franco-Flemish composer and singer of early Renaissance music. Ockeghem was the most influential European composer in the period between Guillaume Du Fay and Josquin des Prez, and he was—with hi ...
(c. 1410–1497) is also considered one of the leading composers of the 15th century; a native of Hainaut, he spent most of his career working for the French court.[ ]
The migration and influence of Netherlandish composers reached its height roughly between 1480 and 1520, in a period when talented musicians from Low Countries were recruited in courts and cathedrals across the continent, effectively providing the music school of Europe.[ The music of ]Josquin des Prez
Josquin Lebloitte dit des Prez ( – 27 August 1521) was a composer of High Renaissance music, who is variously described as French or Franco-Flemish. Considered one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he was a central figure of the ...
(c. 1450–1521) was considered an aesthetic model for much of the 16th-century High Renaissance
In art history, the High Renaissance was a short period of the most exceptional artistic production in the Italian states, particularly Rome, capital of the Papal States, and in Florence, during the Italian Renaissance. Most art historians stat ...
; although referred to in his lifetime as a Frenchman (he worked in both France and Italy) he was probably born in Hainaut.[ ] Other influential composers of the period whose origins can be traces to the Belgian area of the Low Countries include (c. 1457–1505), Pierre de La Rue
Pierre de la Rue ( – 20 November 1518) was a Franco-Flemish composer and singer of the Renaissance. His name also appears as Piersson or variants of Pierchon and his toponymic, when present, as various forms of de Platea, de Robore, or de Vic ...
(c. 1452–1518), Alexander Agricola
Alexander Agricola (; born Alexander Ackerman; – 15 August 1506) was a Netherlandish composer of the Renaissance writing in the Franco-Flemish style. A prominent member of the ''Grande chapelle'', the Habsburg musical establishment, he wa ...
(c. 1445–1506), and Gaspar van Weerbeke
Gaspar van Weerbeke ( – after 1516) was a Netherlandish composer of the Renaissance. He was of the same generation as Josquin des Prez, but unique in his blending of the contemporary Italian style with the older Burgundian style of Dufay.
...
(c. 1445–c. 1516).[ Although the emigration of musicians from the Low Countries continued into the second half of the 16th century, the hegemony of Netherlandish influence was on the wane.][ One of the last truly influential figures of the era was ]Orlande de Lassus
Orlande de Lassus ( various other names; probably – 14 June 1594) was a composer of the late Renaissance. The chief representative of the mature polyphonic style in the Franco-Flemish school, Lassus stands with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palest ...
(c. 1532–1594).[ Another native of Mons, Lassus became one of the most versatile composers of the century, and (according to his entry in ''Grove'') "the best-known and most widely admired musician in Europe."][ ]
André Ernest Modeste Grétry
André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variat ...
was the most famous composer - born in what is now called Belgium - of the 18th century. The 19th century supplied composers like Henri Vieuxtemps
Henri François Joseph Vieuxtemps ( 17 February 18206 June 1881) was a Belgian composer and violinist. He occupies an important place in the history of the violin as a prominent exponent of the Franco-Belgian violin school during the mid-19th ce ...
, César Franck
César-Auguste Jean-Guillaume Hubert Franck (; 10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a French Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in modern-day Belgium.
He was born in Liège (which at the time of his birth was p ...
, Guillaume Lekeu and Eugène Ysaÿe
Eugène-Auguste Ysaÿe (; 16 July 185812 May 1931) was a Belgian virtuoso violinist, composer, and conductor. He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as Nathan Milstein put it, the "tsar".
Legend of the Ysaÿe violin
Eugène Ysaÿe ...
. At the end of the 20th century the most notable Belgian composers were Piet Swerts and Wim Mertens
Wim Mertens (; born 14 May 1953) is a Flemish Belgian composer, countertenor vocalist, pianist, guitarist, and musicologist.
Life and work
Mertens was born in Neerpelt, Belgium. He studied social and political science at the University of Leu ...
.
In the field of opera, baritones Jules Bastin and José van Dam
Joseph, Baron Van Damme (born 27 August 1940 in Brussels), known as José van Dam, is a Belgian bass-baritone.
At the age of 17, he entered the Brussels Royal Conservatory and studied with Frederic Anspach. A year later, he graduated with diplo ...
have become the most famous and internationally successful Belgian opera singers. In the lighter classical genre, Flemish singer Helmut Lotti
Helmut Lotti (born Helmut Barthold Johannes Alma Lotigiers; 22 October 1969), is a Belgian tenorGoldsmith B (2009)Belgian tenor Helmut Lotti wants to find his own style ''WDEZ''. Retrieved 23 April 2010. and singer-songwriter. Lotti performs in ...
reached international success with his interpretations of popular opera songs for large audiences.
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Belgian artists like Wieland Kuijken
Wieland Kuijken (; born Dilbeek, 31 August 1938) is a Belgium, Belgian musician and player of the viola da gamba and baroque cello.
Biography
Kuijken started his career in music in 1952 with the Brussels Alariusensemble of which he formed part un ...
and Marcel Ponseele
Marcel Ponseele (Kortrijk, 1957) is a Belgian oboist.
Ponseele studied at Bruges and other conservatories in Belgium. He has specialised in the baroque oboe and is involved in making his own instruments in 18th-century style. He is known for his p ...
contributed to the Historically informed performance
Historically informed performance (also referred to as period performance, authentic performance, or HIP) is an approach to the performance of Western classical music, classical music, which aims to be faithful to the approach, manner and style of ...
of baroque music
Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Classical period after a short transiti ...
, with their ensembles La Petite Bande
La Petite Bande is a Belgium-based ensemble specialising in music of the Baroque and Classical eras played on period instruments. They are particularly known for their recordings of works by Corelli, Rameau, Handel, Bach, Haydn, and Mozart.
Hi ...
and il Gardellino.
Jazz and blues
One of the most famous jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
instruments, the saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...
, was invented by a Belgian: Adolphe Sax
Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax (; 6 November 1814 – 4 February 1894) was a Belgian inventor and musician who invented the saxophone in the early 1840s, patenting it in 1846. He also invented the saxotromba, saxhorn and saxtuba. He played the f ...
.
Some known Belgian blues artists are Elmore D (who sings in English and Walloon dialect), and the Flemish Roland van Campenhout
Roland Van Campenhout or in short Roland (born 1944 in Boom, Belgium) is a Flemish blues musician.
Roland grew up in the Rupel area. His father, a jazzmusician, drowned when he was 5. Roland left home at the age of 14. He did not get involved ...
(also known as Roland).
In the 1930s, the Belgian gypsy
The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
guitarist Django Reinhardt
Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...
became one of the first important jazz musicians to be born in Europe, and one of the most important jazz guitarists of all time. In 1949 Toots Thielemans
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans, was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for his chromatic harmonica playing, as well as his guitar and whistl ...
joined a jam session
A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without exte ...
in Paris with Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in jazz, and first recorded several months before trumpeter Louis Armstrong. His erratic temp ...
, Charlie Parker
Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
, Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
, Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz Jazz drumming, drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in h ...
and others. He moved to the US in 1952 where he was a member of Charlie Parker's All-Stars. Toots Thielemans is often credited by jazz aficionados and jazz critics to be the greatest jazz harmonica
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...
player of the century. His music has been used in films like Midnight Cowboy
''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama (film and television), drama film, based on the 1965 Midnight Cowboy (novel), novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars ...
and Turkish delight
Turkish delight or lokum ( ota, لوقوم) is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often f ...
, and television series such as Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...
and Baantjer.
Other well known Belgian artists are Aka Moon
Aka Moon is the Belgian jazz trio of saxophonist Fabrizio Cassol, bassist Michel Hatzigeorgiou and drummer Stéphane Galland. Aka Moon combines jazz, rock, and world music. ''In Real Time'' (2001) was composed for ballet company of Anne-Teresa ...
, Bobby Jaspar
Bobby Jaspar (20 February 1926 – 28 February 1963) was a Belgian cool jazz and hard bop saxophonist, flautist and composer.
Early life
Born in Liège, Belgium, Jaspar learned to play piano and clarinet at a young age. Later, he took up ...
, Bert Joris, Philip Catherine
Philip Catherine (born 27 October 1942) is a Belgian jazz guitarist.
Biography
Philip Catherine was born in London, England, to an English mother and Belgian father, and was raised in Brussels, Belgium. His grandfather was a violinist in the ...
, Steve Houben, Octurn
Octurn is a Belgian polyrhythmic jazz ensemble led by Bo Van Der Werf ( baritone saxophone and clarinet). Its lineup as well as the composers are changed for every album. They always play with at least 3 saxophones and from 2002 they have been ...
and René Thomas.
Folk and other traditional music
Bobbejaan Schoepen
Bobbejaan Schoepen (a pseudonym of Modest Schoepen; 16 May 1925 – 17 May 2010) was a Flemish pioneer in Belgian pop music, vaudeville, and European country music. Schoepen was a versatile entertainer, entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, guita ...
has been a pioneer in Belgian vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
and pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
since the late 1940s. Not only was he the first Belgian singer to manage an international breakthrough, he was also the first to use modern equipment, a personal tourbus and a system of artist sponsoring. He also introduced the first country & western recordings in the Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
and Germany. In the 1950s Bobbejaan Schoepen
Bobbejaan Schoepen (a pseudonym of Modest Schoepen; 16 May 1925 – 17 May 2010) was a Flemish pioneer in Belgian pop music, vaudeville, and European country music. Schoepen was a versatile entertainer, entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, guita ...
recorded his own absolutely crazy folk music often singing in Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
dialect. He was also a virtuoso whistler.
From the late 1960s, Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
saw a vivid revival of traditional music (and, to a lesser degree, of traditional dances) through the efforts of musicians like Wannes Van de Velde
Wannes Van de Velde (29 April 1937 – 10 November 2008), born Willy Cecile Johannes Van de Velde, in Antwerp, was a Flemish folk singer, guitarist, musician, poet, puppeteer and artist. He is most famous for his songs ''Ik Wil deze Nacht in de ...
, Willem Vermandere
Willem Vermandere (born February 9, 1940 in Lauwe, Belgium) is a Belgian singer, Flemish cabaret artist, writer, sculptor, guitarist and painter. His songs are written and sung in the dialect of the South of West-Flanders in Belgium. His most fa ...
, Walter De Buck
Walter De Buck (13 July 1934 – 21 December 2014) was a Belgian singer, sculptor and the founder of the modern (Ghent Festival).
De Buck was born in Ghent
Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a ...
, Hubert Boone, Herman De Wit and many more. They inspired a new generation of folk musicians through their written and recorded publications, and through festivals and regular summer academies and master classes.
Walloon folk music has not had as vibrant a revival as Flemish, but artists like Coïncidence, Remy Dubois, Luc Pilartz, Rue du Village and Claude Flagel have kept the folk traditions alive.
Contrary to general evolution, there has always been great openness across the so-called linguistical barriers - there are many collaborations between Belgian musicians of different language.
Chanson
The greatest Belgian chansonnier was Jacques Brel
Jacques Romain Georges Brel (, ; 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, l ...
, whose classic songs have been covered by several international artists such as David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
, Scott Walker and Terry Jacks
Terrence Ross Jacks (born March 29, 1944) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and environmentalist, best known for his 1974 hit song " Seasons in the Sun".
Early life
Terry Jacks was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His fa ...
. Others like Salvatore Adamo
Salvatore Adamo (born November 1, 1943) is a Belgian-Italian musician, singer and composer, who is known for his romantic ballads. Adamo was born in Comiso, Sicily, Italy, and has lived in Belgium since the age of three, which is why he has dual ...
, Pierre Rapsat
Pierre Rapsat (born Pierre Raepsaet, 28 May 1948 – 20 April 2002) was a Belgian singer-songwriter who had a very successful career in his homeland and also spells of popularity in other Francophone countries. Outside these areas, he is best kno ...
, Arno
The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.
Source and route
The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a s ...
, Maurane
Claudine Luypaerts, better known as Maurane (; 12 November 1960 – 7 May 2018), was a Francophone Belgian singer and actress.
Brought to light in the 1980s with her role as Marie-Jeanne in the second version of the rock opera ''Starmania'', ...
, Axelle Red and Lara Fabian
Lara Sophie Katy Crokaert (born January 9, 1970), better known as Lara Fabian, is a Belgian-Canadian pop singer and songwriter. She has sold over 20 million records worldwide as of 2021Broadway World (2017)"Lara Fabian annule finalement sa tourn ...
have also enjoyed some success in other French-speaking countries.
The French chanson style also inspired some Dutch-speaking singers like Kor Van der Goten and Jan De Wilde
Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to:
Acronyms
* Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN
* Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code
* Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group
* Japanese Article Numb ...
.
Dialect singing
With the 1960s folk revival came a new interest into dialect singing. Pioneer Wannes Van de Velde
Wannes Van de Velde (29 April 1937 – 10 November 2008), born Willy Cecile Johannes Van de Velde, in Antwerp, was a Flemish folk singer, guitarist, musician, poet, puppeteer and artist. He is most famous for his songs ''Ik Wil deze Nacht in de ...
soon got a following, mostly in the folk and traditional styles, but eventually extending into the comedy rock of The Clement Peerens Explosition and the hip-hop of Flip Kowlier
Flip Kowlier (pseudonym of Filip Willy Mariette Cauwelier, born 15 March 1976 in Izegem, West Flanders) is a Belgian singer-songwriter. He sings in a distinct West Flemish
West Flemish (''West-Vlams'' or ''West-Vloams'' or ''Vlaemsch'' (in ...
. Others, while mostly performing in standard Dutch, will include an occasional phrase or even a complete song in dialect (ex. Johan Verminnen
Johan Maurits Verminnen (born 22 May 1951 in Wemmel, Belgium) is a Belgian singer.
Discography
*2019 ''En Daarna ga ik Vissen'' (Album)
*2016 ''Tussen een Glimlach en een Traan'' (Album)
*2014 ''Stemmen'' (Album)
*2009 ''Solozeiler'' (Album)
* ...
, ''Rue des Bouchers'' and Raymond van het Groenewoud
Raymond van het Groenewoud (born 14 February 1950) is a Belgian musician. He was born in Schaerbeek, of Dutch descent, and he sings primarily in Dutch. His biggest hits include "Vlaanderen Boven", "Meisjes", "Je Veux de l'Amour", "Zjoske Schone M ...
, ''Je veux de l'amour'').
Pop and rock
During 1950 through 1960 and following decades the most popular, enduring, commercial and critical successful Flemish singer was Will Tura
Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert (born 2 August 1940 in Veurne), known by his stage name Will Tura, is a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician (he plays the piano, guitar, drums, accordion and h ...
, whose most well known hit in Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
is "Ik ben zo eenzaam zonder jou" (1963) ("I'm so lonely without you").
The most popular and enduring artists in Flanders and the Netherlands who sing in either their Flemish dialect or standard Dutch are Eddy Wally
Eduard Van De Walle (12 July 1932 – 6 February 2016), known by his stage name Eddy Wally, was a Belgian schlager singer from Zelzate, East Flanders, and the once self-proclaimed "Voice of Europe".
As a crooner and showman, Eddy Wally toured ...
, Raymond van het Groenewoud
Raymond van het Groenewoud (born 14 February 1950) is a Belgian musician. He was born in Schaerbeek, of Dutch descent, and he sings primarily in Dutch. His biggest hits include "Vlaanderen Boven", "Meisjes", "Je Veux de l'Amour", "Zjoske Schone M ...
, Willem Vermandere
Willem Vermandere (born February 9, 1940 in Lauwe, Belgium) is a Belgian singer, Flemish cabaret artist, writer, sculptor, guitarist and painter. His songs are written and sung in the dialect of the South of West-Flanders in Belgium. His most fa ...
, De Kreuners
De Kreuners are a Flemish rock band established in 1978. They first received interest when they won the first Humo's Rock Rally
Humo's Rock Rally is a Belgian contest for rock bands, organized every second year since 1978. It is organized by the ...
, Clouseau
Inspector Jacques Clouseau (), later granted the rank of Chief Inspector, is a fictional character in Blake Edwards' farcical ''The Pink Panther'' series. He is portrayed by Peter Sellers in the original series, and also by Alan Arkin in the ...
, Gorki (band)
Gorki was a Belgian rock group, in its most recent line-up consisting of Luc De Vos ( lead singer and guitarist), Luc Heyvaerts (keyboard and clarinet), Erik Van Biesen (bass guitar), Thomas Vanelslander (guitarist) and Bert Huysentruyt (dru ...
, Noordkaap, and De Mens.
In 1959 the Belgian singer of Italian descent Rocco Granata
Rocco Granata (born 16 August 1938) is an Italian-Belgian singer, songwriter, and accordionist.
Granata was born in Figline Vegliaturo, Calabria, southern Italy; but his parents immigrated to Belgium when he was aged ten. Rocco's father was a ...
scored a big European hit with "Marina". The singing nun Soeur Sourire had an international number one hit in 1963 with Dominique
"Dominique" is a 1963 French language popular song, written and performed by the Belgian female singer Jeannine Deckers, better known as Sœur Sourire ("Sister Smile" in French) or The Singing Nun. The song is about Saint Dominic, a Spanish-bo ...
. She won a Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for best gospel recording in 1964 for the song, and was nominated for several other categories, including Album of the Year. When folk and hippie culture finally hit a chord around the world the groups The Pebbles
The Pebbles were a Belgian rock band from Hoboken, Antwerp in Belgium, who came out of the beat boom and would enjoy some international success in the late 1960s.
Biography
The band was formed in Hoboken, Antwerp by Fred "Bekky" Beekmans and ...
("Seven Horses in the Sky", "I Get Around") and The Wallace Collection
The Wallace Collection is a museum in London occupying Hertford House in Manchester Square, the former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford. It is named after Sir Richard Wallace, who built the extensive collection, along w ...
("Daydream") had considerable international success. Irish Coffee
Irish coffee ( ga, caife Gaelach) is a caffeinated alcoholic drink consisting of Irish whiskey, hot coffee and sugar, which has been stirred and topped with cream (sometimes cream liqueur). The coffee is drunk through the cream.
Origin
Differe ...
, a hard rock band from Aalst also achieved considerable local success in the same era. Due to a lack of really professional management these few pop groups failed to build out a durable international career, a trend which continued during the 1970s when the most successful artists sang in their native tongue. The only real new international successful artist was Plastic Bertrand
Roger François Jouret (born 24 February 1954), better known as Plastic Bertrand, is a Belgium, Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".
Bi ...
. (See "Punk" below).
Real international success for Belgian acts began in 1980 with the rock group TC Matic. They were quite popular in the rest of Europe with numbers like " Oh La La La" and "Putain putain
"Putain Putain" (literally "''Whore whore"'' in French, though also a common curse word) is a 1983 song by Belgian rock group TC Matic. It was written by Arno Hintjens (known by the mononym Arno) and Jean-Marie Aerts. Released on the band's albu ...
". Lead singer Arno
The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.
Source and route
The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a s ...
later started his own successful solo career. Many groups and artists had considerable success in other countries, but they usually didn't reach out much further than West Europe. Notable exceptions were Maurane
Claudine Luypaerts, better known as Maurane (; 12 November 1960 – 7 May 2018), was a Francophone Belgian singer and actress.
Brought to light in the 1980s with her role as Marie-Jeanne in the second version of the rock opera ''Starmania'', ...
, Jo Lemaire
Jo Lemaire (born 5 January 1956) is a Belgian singer and songwriter born in Gembloux, Namur. Beyond her native country, she is also popular in France, Switzerland, Canada, and the Netherlands.
Career
Jo Lemaire debuted musically in the late 1 ...
, Soulsister
Soulsister is a Belgian music band consisting of Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels that initially existed from 1986 to 1995 and, after a split, reunited in 2007. Soulsister is often designated as SoulSister, the Soul Sisters or Leyers, Michiels and ...
("The Way To Your Heart", 1987) and Vaya Con Dios ("Puerto Rico", 1988).
Indie rock
In the early 1990s many alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
bands finally started to achieve larger international acclaim and success. In Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, , a lively indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
scene sprouts where dEUS
''Deus'' (, ) is the Latin word for "god" or "deity".
Latin ''deus'' and ''dīvus'' ("divine") are in turn descended from Proto-Indo-European *'' deiwos'', "celestial" or "shining", from the same root as '' *Dyēus'', the reconstructed chief g ...
is probably the most famous, next to other people and groups like Zita Swoon
Zita Swoon is a Belgian indie rock group. They entered the music scene of Antwerp in 1993, still under the name A Beatband with the EP ''Jintro Travels The Word In A Skirt''. The group is typical of the music scene in Antwerp, with members playi ...
(formerly Moondog Jr), Evil Superstars
Evil Superstars was a Belgian indie rock band led by Mauro Pawlowski. Among its members was Millionaire and Eagles of Death Metal guitarist Tim Vanhamel.
History
Evil Superstars was formed in 1992 in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.
The original membe ...
, Kiss My Jazz
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
, Dead Man Ray
Dead Man Ray is a Belgian alternative rock band formed in 1996, originating from Berchem near Antwerp. Among its members are Daan Stuyven, Rudy Trouvé ( dEUS and others), Elko Blijweert, Wouter Van Belle, and Herman Houbrechts, who was later ...
, K's Choice
K's Choice is a Belgian rock band from Antwerp, formed in the mid-1990s. The band's core members are brothers Sam Bettens (lead vocals, guitar) and Gert Bettens (guitar, keyboard, vocals). They are joined by Bart Van Lierde (bass), Tom Lodewyckx ...
("Not an Addict
"Not an Addict" is a song by Belgian rock band K's Choice from their second studio album, ''Paradise in Me'' (1996). It was written by the band's core members—siblings Gert and Sam (then known as Sarah) Bettens—produced by Jean Blaute, and re ...
"), Admiral Freebee
Tom Van Laere (born 1975), better known by his stage name Admiral Freebee, is a Belgian singer-songwriter. He took his stage name from the Jack Kerouac novel '' On the Road''. ''Admiral Freebee'' is also the name of a ship that sank in San Fran ...
, and Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung. In the noise
Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference arise ...
genre Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, houses the pioneer band Club Moral
Club Moral is a Belgian artist collective and noise band formed in 1981 by Danny Devos and Anne-Mie van Kerckhoven based in Antwerp, Belgium. They are known for their controversial performances and imagery. In 2001 "Dylan" briefly joined the ban ...
. Ghent
Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...
also has a booming indie scene: Absynthe Minded, Das Pop
Das Pop was a Belgian band founded in Ghent by school friends Reinhard Vanbergen, Niek Meul, Lieven Moors and Bent Van Looy.
Biography
Das Pop was initially called Things to Come, but the band changed its name to Das Pop when Tom Kestens joi ...
, Millionaire, Zornik
Zornik is a Belgian rock music, rock band. It was formed in 1999 by singer and guitarist Koen Buyse, drummer Marijn Horemans and bass guitarist Kristof Vanduren.
History
The band made it in 1999 to the finals of HUMO's Rock Rally rock contest, ...
, Awaken and the successful Soulwax
Soulwax are an electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Centred around brothers David and Stephen Dewaele, other current members include Igor Cavalera and Stefaan Van Leuven. They were first noticed after the release of their album ''Much Against Eve ...
bring indie rock with a slightly rougher edge than their Antwerp fellows, while The Vogues (Brussels) have a British-influenced sound. Other popular artists are Triggerfinger, Gabriel Ríos
Gabriel Ríos (born August 25, 1978 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican singer songwriter.
Biography
Gabriel was born in Puerto Rico, to Puerto Rican parents, and was raised on the island until the age of 17. He then relocated to the cit ...
and Ghinzu
Ghinzu is a Belgian alternative rock band founded in 1999 in Brussels.
Lineup
*John Israel (also known as John Stargasm) (voice, keyboards), full name John-David Simon Israel
*Mika "Nagazaki" Hasson (bass), full name Michael Salvatore Hasson ...
.
Punk
The most well-known Belgian punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
bands are Chainsaw, The Kids ("Fascist Cops", "There will be no Next Time"), Janez Detd
Janez Detd. (short for Janez Determined) is a Belgian pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as ad ...
, Funeral Dress and Plastic Bertrand
Roger François Jouret (born 24 February 1954), better known as Plastic Bertrand, is a Belgium, Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".
Bi ...
who had a worldwide hit with "Ça Plane Pour Moi" (1978).
West Flanders
)
, settlement_type = Province of Belgium
, image_flag = Flag of West Flanders.svg
, flag_size =
, image_shield = Wapen van West-Vlaanderen.svg
, shield_size =
, image_map ...
was home to the "H8000" (pronounced "Hate-Thousand") underground hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
scene during the 1990s. Bands within the scene took heavily from heavy metal, and followed straight edge
Straight edge (sometimes abbreviated sXe or signified by XXX or X) is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs, in reaction to the excesses of punk subculture. For some, thi ...
and vegan
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...
lifestyles. Some bands helped to pioneer the development of metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
and then later on melodic metalcore
Melodic metalcore is a fusion genre, incorporating elements of melodic death metal and metalcore; it has a heavy emphasis on melodic instrumentation, distorted guitar tones, palm muting, double bass drumming, blast beats, metalcore-stylized br ...
and deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
. Some groups from the scene include Congress, Liar, Blindfold, Shortsight, Regression and Spirit of Youth. Good Life Recordings
Good Life Recordings is a Belgian independent record label which was founded in 1996 by Edward Verhaeghe, who had been the lead vocalist of Nations on Fire. The label specializes in hardcore punk bands. It has released albums by the majority of the ...
signed and released much of the music for the scene.
Metal
The most well-known Belgian metal bands include death metallers Aborted
Aborted is a Belgian death metal band formed in 1995 in Waregem. The group currently consists of vocalist, founder and only constant member Sven de Caluwé, guitarist Ian Jekelis, bassist Stefano Franceschini and drummer Ken Bedene. Although th ...
, Ostrogoth
The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the large Gothic populations who ...
, Killer
A killer is someone or something that kills, such as a murderer or a serial killer.
Killer may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
* Killer (''Home and Away''), a character from ''Home and Away''
* Killer Kane, ...
, Emeth
Emeth (Hebrew אמת : "truth," "firmness," or "veracity") is a Calormene character from C. S. Lewis's book ''The Last Battle'' from The Chronicles of Narnia series. He is a controversial character among some Christians who take the ''Chronicl ...
, Fractured Insanity, Warbeast Remains and Serial Butcher, grindcore quartet Leng Tch'e
Leng Tch'e is a Belgian grindcore band. The band describes their style as "razorgrind", a combination of grindcore with death metal, stoner rock and metalcore. The band's name is an alternate romanisation of " língchí", a method of torture an ...
, Agathocles Agathocles ( Greek: ) is a Greek name, the most famous of which is Agathocles of Syracuse, the tyrant of Syracuse. The name is derived from , ''agathos'', i.e. "good" and , ''kleos'', i.e. "glory".
Other personalities named Agathocles:
*Agathocles ...
, black metal bands Enthroned
Enthroned is a Belgian black metal band formed in Charleroi. It is one of the premier acts of the Belgian black metal scene.
History
The band was founded in 1993 by drummer Cernunnos. He soon recruited guitarist Tsebaoth and a vocalist from g ...
, Saille
Saille is a Belgian black metal band formed in 2009. The band uses classical instruments as well as traditional black metal instruments. Saille has released five studio albums so far.
History
Formation (2009-2010)
Saille started as a one-per ...
and Ancient Rites
Ancient Rites is a Belgian black metal band formed in 1988. Initially, the lineup consisted of guitar players Johan and Phillip, drummer Stefan, and Gunther Theys on bass and vocals.Rivadavia, Eduardo " Ancient Rites Biography, ''AllMusic'', M ...
, folk metal band Ithilien
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age. The third volume of ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Return of the King'', is largel ...
, heavy metal band Channel Zero and melodic black/doom metal band Amenra.
Hip-hop
Hooverphonic
Hooverphonic is a Belgian band that formed in October 1995. Though originally categorized as a trip hop group, they quickly expanded their sound to the point where they could no longer be described as a singular genre, but rather encompass altern ...
is a famous Belgian trip hop
Trip hop (sometimes used synonymously with "downtempo") is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom, especially Bristol. It has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop ...
band, which scored hits with "Mad About You" and "Vinegar and Salt".
Electronic music
The earliest Belgian electronica act was Telex
The telex network is a station-to-station switched network of teleprinters similar to a Public switched telephone network, telephone network, using telegraph-grade connecting circuits for two-way text-based messages. Telex was a major method of ...
("Moskow Diskow", "Euro-Vision
"Euro-Vision" () was the entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, performed in French by Telex.
The song was performed nineteenth on the night, following 's Trigo Limpio with "Quédate esta noche". At the close of voting, it had received 14 p ...
"). Frontman Marc Moulin
Marc Moulin (16 August 1942 – 26 September 2008) was a Belgian musician and journalist (print, radio, TV). In the early-mid seventies, he was the leader of the jazz-rock group Placebo (not to be confused with the English rock band with the sa ...
was later moved on to pursue a solo career.
At the end of the 1980s Belgium started to play a very important role in the development of Techno music
Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time (4/4) and often ch ...
. The group Technotronic
Technotronic was a Belgian electronic music project formed in 1987 by Jo Bogaert, who originally gained popularity in Europe as a solo artist with various new beat projects, including Acts of Madmen and Nux Nemo. Together with rapper Manuela K ...
had a massive international hit with Pump Up The Jam. A new genre, new beat
New beat is a Belgian electronic dance music genre that fuses elements of new wave, hi-NRG,Simon Reynolds: ''Generation Ecstasy: Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture.'' Routledge 1999, , p. 124. EBM and hip hop (e.g. scratching).Ti ...
was created and scored international hits with acts like The Confettis ("The Sound of C.", 1988). Bands like Front 242, Snowy Red, Public Relation and A Split-Second
A Split-Second is a Belgian new beat and electronic body music (EBM) band established in 1985. The band is seen as one of the pioneers of EBM and their music influenced the creation of the new beat genre.
History
The project was born in ...
played a part in making the music genre EBM popular.
In the 1990s, acts like the partially Dutch-Belgian 2 Unlimited ("No Limit") and the Flemish Lords of Acid and Praga Khan
Maurice Joseph François Engelen (born 7 January 1959), known by his stage name Praga Khan, is a Belgian electronic musician. Khan is considered one of the leading pioneers of the new beat/acid house/techno electronic dance music scene that origi ...
, were internationally successful. Other internationally renowned Belgian dance acts are 2 Many Dj's (a spin-off from the group Soulwax
Soulwax are an electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Centred around brothers David and Stephen Dewaele, other current members include Igor Cavalera and Stefaan Van Leuven. They were first noticed after the release of their album ''Much Against Eve ...
), The Glimmers (formerly Mo & Benoelie), Junior Jack
Vito Lucente (; born 31 August 1971), known by his stage name Junior Jack, is an Italian house music producer and DJ based in Belgium.
Biography
In the early years, Vito Lucente produced several acid house and Eurodance projects, mostly in ...
& Kid Creme, Sylver
The Sylver (SYstème de Lancement VERtical) is a vertical launching system (VLS) designed by DCNS and introduced in 2001.
Specifications
The basic unit of Sylver VLS is an eight-cell module fitted with two rows of 56 cm. missile cells surroundi ...
, Milk Inc., Kate Ryan
Kate Ryan (born Katrien Verbeeck, 22 July 1980) is a Belgian singer and songwriter, and the winner of a World Music Award. She began her singing career in 2001 and later found fame with a string of dance hits. These included covers, mostly of ...
, Lasgo
Lasgo were a Belgian electronic music group. The group formed in 1999 was composed of Evi Goffin, David Vervoort, Peter Luts, and Dave McCullen). Peter Luts confirmed on Belgian radio in 2008 that Evi Goffin was not returning to the band, after ...
, Ian Van Dahl
AnnaGrace, formerly Ian Van Dahl, was a Belgian progressive house, electro house, and deep house music project fronted by Belgian singer Annemie Coenen and produced by DJ and record producer Peter Luts. The project first achieved success in 2008 ...
, and Vive La Fête. The 2000s saw a proliferation of experimental electronic Belgian artists. Acts like Köhn, Ovil Bianca & Tuk got international acclaim and pioneered in the area of experimental electronic music in Belgium around the turn of the century. Jan Robbe
Jan Robbe (born 14 June 1980 in Ghent, Belgium), otherwise known by his music project aliases Atomhead, Erratic, UndaCova and Diagnostic, is an electronic music artist. He founded the experimental netlabel Entity in 2003 with friend Nico de Gols ...
, Kaebin Yield and Sedarka are key innovators of the "flashcore" sound, and others including Sickboy of the Belgian Breakcore Gives Me Wood [http://breakcoregivesmewood.wordpress.com ] collective were crucial in the development of breakcore
Breakcore is a style and microgenre of electronic dance music that emerged from jungle, hardcore, and drum and bass in the mid-to-late 1990s. It is characterized by very complex and intricate breakbeats and a wide palette of sampling sources ...
and Mashup. Nowadays, singer Stromae
Paul van Haver (; born 12 March 1985), better known by his stage name Stromae (), is a Belgian singer, rapper, songwriter and producer. He is mostly known for his music blending hip hop and electronic music. Stromae came to wide public attenti ...
has been a musical revelation in Europe and beyond, having great success. In 2015 Lost Frequencies
Felix De Laet (born 30 November 1993), known by his stage name Lost Frequencies, is a Belgian DJ and record producer. He is best known for his singles "Are You with Me" in 2014, "Reality" in 2015, and " Where Are You Now" with Calum Scott in ...
had an international hit with his reworked version of Are You with Me
"Are You with Me" is a song by American country singer Easton Corbin. The song first appeared on Corbin's second studio album, '' All Over the Road'' (2012). It was later included on Corbin's third studio album, '' About to Get Real'' (2015). A ...
, a song originally by Easton Corbin
Dan Easton Corbin (born April 12, 1982) is an American country music singer. He signed to Mercury Records Nashville in 2009 and released his self-titled debut album in March 2010, featuring the two number-one hits " A Little More Country Than Th ...
. Lately Angèle
Angèle is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
*Angèle (singer) (born Angèle Van Laeken, 1995), Belgian singer
* Angèle Dola Akofa Aguigah (born 1955), Togolese archaeologist
* Angèle Arsenault (1943–2014), Canadian-Acadi ...
has also arisen to the international stage.
African music
Since the early 1980s, African musicians have played an important part on the Belgian scene, especially those from the former Belgian colony of Congo. Congolese-Belgian Princesse Mansia M'Bila, Rwanda
Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...
n-Belgian Cécile Kayirebwa
Cécile Kayirebwa (born 22 October 1946) is a Rwandan singer. She brought her family up in Belgium, but she has toured and published albums. She is known for singing about Rwanda. She sued Rwandan radio stations in 2013 for failing to pay her roya ...
and Dieudonné Kabongo
Dieudonné Kabongo (1950 – October 11, 2011) was a Congolese-born Belgian comedian, humorist, musician, and actor. Kabongo co-starred in the 2000 film, '' Lumumba'', portraying Godefroid Munongo. He was the first comedian of African descent ...
led this wave that soon incorporated Argentine tango
Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It typically has a or rhythmic time signature, and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as AB ...
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
, Moroccan oud
, image=File:oud2.jpg
, image_capt=Syrian oud made by Abdo Nahat in 1921
, background=
, classification=
* String instruments
*Necked bowl lutes
, hornbostel_sachs=321.321-6
, hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum
, ...
and other music from around the world. The 1990s saw the emergence of Zap Mama
Zap Mama is the music act of Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Zap Mama sings polyphonic and afro-pop music, a harmonic music with a mixture of infused African vocal techniques, urban, hip hop with emphasis on voice. The worldwide success of Zap Mam ...
, a group of Congolese-Belgian women who played a fusion of Pygmy
In anthropology, pygmy peoples are ethnic groups whose average height is unusually short. The term pygmyism is used to describe the phenotype of endemic short stature (as opposed to disproportionate dwarfism occurring in isolated cases in a pop ...
and other African music with European influences.
See also
*Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
Belgium has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 63 times since making its debut as one of seven countries at the first contest in . The only countries with more appearances are (65), (64) and the (64). Belgium have been absent only th ...
* List of Belgian bands and artists
* List of Belgian classical composers
*List of best-selling Belgian music artists
The best-selling Belgian music artists cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization that has recorded global music sales of Belgian artists. This page lists those artists who have had claims made to be among the top sellers.
Belgian ...
*Popcorn (music style)
Popcorn (sometimes Belgian popcorn or oldies popcorn) is a style of music and dancing first established in Belgium in the 1970s and 1980s. The style includes a wide variety of mostly American and British recordings of pop-soul music made between t ...
*Union of Belgian Composers Union of Belgian Composers (Dutch language, Dutch: Unie van Belgische Componisten - French language, French: Union des Compositeurs Belges) is a Belgium, Belgian professional organization of composers founded in 1960. It is closely linked to the Be ...
References
*Rans, Paul. "Flemish, Walloon and Global Fusion". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East'', pp 25–30. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books.
External links
*
Audio clips: traditional music of Belgium.
Musée d'ethnographie de Genève. Accessed November 25, 2010.
BelgianMusic.be
Belgian music videos (Dutch only)
Music in Belgium - Rock, Blues & Folk
(French/English)
The Wack Attack Barrack
(English/Dutch)
Belgian Pop & Rock Archives
(English/Dutch)
Belgian & Dutch Music Archive
(Dutch only)
Metal Events in Belgium
Belgian Music on YouTube
(Extensive collection of videos from various Belgian musicians of all genres)
jazzinbelgium.com
All about the Belgian jazz scene (English/French/Dutch)
{{Music of Europe
*