Music of Jordan

The traditional music of Jordan has a long history. Rural zajal songs, with improvised poetry played with a mijwiz, tablah, arghul, oud, rabab, and reed pipe ensemble accompanying is popular. The transition of old cultural music into hit pop songs known worldwide. Recently, Jordan has seen the rise of prominent DJs and pop stars.

Shababa, mijwiz and yarghul

Traditional Jordanian musical instruments

Jordanian music has a diversity and a range of components that make it a popular art. Over the centuries music has evolved and so did its instruments. Jordanian music comes with a variety of instruments.

• Flute/reed pipe known as Shababa
• Mizmar
• Mijwiz
• Arghul known as Yarghul
• Oud
• Tablah
• Rebab
• Al-Mihbash
• Bagpipes known as Gerbeh
• Riq
• Daf
• Simsimiyya, found in the port city of Aqaba and the southern desert

Popular music

Generally, there are two types of Jordanian music, each with unique platforms and various tracks: cheerful/fun/happy cultural songs and strong-meaning patriotic songs. Over the years, new varieties of singers and composers have emerged.

Jordan's music formed from the strong Bedouin and sub-Arabian area. It has a diverse variety of elements which creates a unique platform. Jordanian bands and artists are blending Arab-Western electronic pop to the world stage. Over the years, a new variety of singers and composers have emerged. Over the past decades Diana Karazon and others were the most popular among the mass audience, in mid-2000s indie bands such as JadaL and others emerged and found a moderate amount of success amongst the youth in Jordan and the region. The Bedouin singer Omar Al-Abdallat (known for his patriotic song "Hashemi, Hashemi"), Diana Karazon (winner of the Arab version of Pop Idol), Toni Qattan, and singer Hani Mitwasi (the winner of the Jordan Awards 2010) are perhaps Jordan's biggest stars. Other well-known Jordanian musicians are Qamar Badwan (who won the golden prize in the 2000 Cairo Song Festival) and percussionist Hani Naser.

A new age group called Rum has gained popularity since its inception in 1998.

The indie rock scene grew thanks to artists such as Jordanian-Canadian singer-songwriter Pinwheel Valley, formerly known as KAIS (2009 - 2012), Ibrahim Baggili, and Hani Mitwasi.

In Amman, the capital of Jordan, there has been a movement of alternative music in the last decades. Rock bands that mix Western and Eastern influences are becoming more popular. Notable local music groups in this spectrum include Hayajan (2013) and Zaed Naes (2014). The local and regional scene also flourished with bands such as JadaL (2003), Autostrad (band) (2007), Akher Zapheer (2007), El Morabba3 (2008), Aziz Maraka, and others.

Rock and underground bands in the late 1990s and early 2000s were known for mixing oriental with rock or jazz music.

Jordan also has an underground heavy metal scene with bands such as Bilocate (doom/death metal), and Ajdath, who currently reside in Poland. Other bands, like Augury (black metal) and Darkcide (doom/death metal) had to stop due to lack of support or band members leaving the country.

Arabic hip hop and Arabic rap artists in Jordan have added to the music scene. These artists include names like El Far3i, Torabyeh and Sotusura. Trailblazers in the local Western hip hop scene include artists such as Last Standing Poet (2012). Newer artists include AceQuared (2016-2023).

Electronic dance music and pop music producers from Jordan have thrived in the last decade. Notable artists include Ayah Marar, known for her global hit "Thinking About You" with Calvin Harris. The Jordanian-Egyptian duo Bedouin has also broken onto the world scene, having collaborated with artists like Virgil Abloh and Black Coffee. In 2022 they recorded a hybrid live set for Cercle in Petra. Other Jordanian electronic and pop music artists include King Deco (also known as Dana Salah), and Llunr. Upcoming Jordanian electronic music artists include the progressive house duo Fairplay

Some of the more ancient musicians in Jordan are the Faqir family, which extends back more than a century.

Jordan's western radio stations, Play 99.6, Beat 102.5, and Spin 94.1, have worked towards exposing new local artists, including many Western pop singers. And of various industries and music genres, the number of female musicians and composers of Jordanian nationality is growing. Some are: Hana Malhas, Ruba Saqr, Sahar Khalifeh, Suad Bushnaq, and Zeina Azouqah.

Classical music performers and composers of Jordanian origin include Karim Said and Zade Dirani. Karim Said was born in 1988 in Amman and started studying piano when he was five. He came to the public's attention in 2009 playing concertos in London with the English Chamber Orchestra. Zade Dirani is an internationally known composer and pianist, known for his release Dime Que No (2020).

See also

• Arabic music
• Arabic pop music
• Tawfiq Al-Nimri

References

• Badley, Bill, and Zein al Jundi. "Europe Meets Asia". 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 391–395. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
• "Jordan: Arts and Literature". Cultural Profiles Project. Archived from the original on December 18, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2005.
• "Tuning in". Al-Ahram Weekly. Archived from the original on October 25, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2005.
• "Jordan Talents". Play 99.6. Archived from the original on 2008-06-02.

External links

• Sakher Hattar's Music From Jordan Playlist on Youtube
• BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): The Bedouin. Accessed November 25, 2010.
• BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Amman: Ilham Al madfai, Toni Qattan and Shou Al Ayam. Accessed November 25, 2010.
• BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Jordan – Amman: Ilham Al Madfai. Accessed November 25, 2010.
• Jordanian songs (in Arabic)