Every 26th of September, the European Union celebrates its rich diversity of languages, by promoting its linguistic heritage and, more broadly, language learning. And rich it is indeed: 24 languages are officially recognised in Europe, but more than 200 idioms and dialects are spoken across the continent! Obviously, this is also true of our music, especially when, as Europavox does, you try to focus on original, creative bands each region has to offer, from a tiny village in Croatia to a bubbling neighborhood in Madrid.
This 20-track playlist is proof that a good song doesn’t have to be written in English to make its way across borders, and that even if you don’t understand the languages these lyrics are penned in, emotions are universal. From Azahriah‘s Hungarian rap to the Italian lyrics chanted by Belgian band Ada Oda, from the Belarusian band Rap&Vogue using French as a love letter to Europe, to the Finnish rock of Teksti-TV 666, become a true polyglott in 20 songs (well, at least let’s try to !)
Things are changing though: if indeed more than 60% of the chart-reaching songs produced in the world are sung in English, according to a study published in 2019 by Nielsen Music, the institute noted clear progression for music in other languages, with Spanish lyrics representing 18% of the 200 most listened to tracks on streaming platforms during the period observed.
