Episode 62
Why is it so Hard to Find Pop Music in Other Languages?
August 4th, 2017
56 mins 26 secs
Your Hosts
About this Episode
Why does pop music matter for language learning?
- What influence does the industry have for which music gets made and which doesn't?
- Why is English such a convenient language for pop music?
- How should you incorporate pop music into your language learning routine...or should you?
- Where can language learners find music in their own target language?
- Who are our favourite artists in other languages?
Links from this Podcast Episode
- How to Use Spotify for Language Learning
- Quora: Why do non-English speaking countries listen primarily to English-sung songs instead of producing modern/pop songs in their own languages?
- Guardian: Behind the music: What it costs European acts to sing in their own languages
In dance music it's generally more important how lyrics sound than what they actually mean. Artists with English as a second language can be less judgmental about what's deemed a cliche.
- 10 Great Songs That Topped US Charts But Weren’t Performed In English
- Foreign language songs that got to Number 1 in the UK
- The Hottest German Lesson in Town: Deutschland 83 and Major Tom (PLUS Free Lyric & Vocab Sheet
- How I Built This, an NPR Podcast
- Honest Reggaeton (not 100% SFW)
The Biggest Pop Genres That Succeed in Other Languages
Latino pop
Notable collaborations include Despacito with Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, Justin Bieber, and Bailando with Enrique Iglesias, Sean Paul et al.
- Alt.Latino Podcast
- Residente by Residente), an album exploring the artist's international heritage
K-Pop
European Music and Eurovision
Check out Stromae, KRO, Prince Pi, Indochine, Robyn (in English).