Contemporary African Music is not getting the credit it deserves

raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world to Music@lemmy.world – 28 points –

I am on a binge, listening to tons of Nigerian, Ugandan and Kenian music, and I am absolutely loving it. Why is this not playing on our (Western European) radio stations regularly?

Instead I have to regularly change stations because someone is trying to torture my ears with Ed Sheeran or similar BS. :(

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Tbh it's not just African music, I find it's anything not Western. So many cool instruments that just aren't used that commonly in the mainstream. I've been really enjoying a metal band called Bloodywood as they incorporate traditional Indian instruments and I've not heard anything like it before

I do occasionally hear Indian or Arabic or Chinese / Japanese music around... It's just that until recently I hadn't ever heard the present-day (central?) African pop songs that I stumbled upon and enjoyed. But yes, the western music world is too western-centric, but at the current state of the world, that's not our biggest problem by far :/

Looked up Bloodywood (thanks for the recommendation!) and after a few songs got recommended this Māori thrash metal band, figured you might be interested too.

Thanks for reco, actually heard about Alien Weaponry first due to close proximity (I am Australian). A YouTuber called Steve Terreberry did a video reviewing a heap of culturally diverse bands that I should rewatch (it's where I found Bloodywood) just be aware his persona is pretty grating and cringe and I can only tolerate in doses. https://youtu.be/USCB3pucSJU

I remember seeing that video recommended, though I generally ignore videos that have exaggerated expressions in their thumbnail. I guess I'll give the video a watch, though the obvious answer is Sweden, which I say begrudgingly as a Norwegian.