Albanian Music
Albania is a Southeast European nation that was ruled by Enver Hoxha's communist government for much of the later part of the 20th century; it is now a democratic country. Even before Hoxha's reign began, Albania was long controlled by the Ottoman Empire and other conquering powers, leading to a diversity of influences that is common in the much-fragmented Balkan region and resulting in a diverse and unique musical sound. Albanians (and the ethnic-Albanian Kosovars of nearby Serbia) are commonly divided into three groupings: the northern Ghegs and southern Labs and Tosks. Turkish influence is strongest around the capital city, Tirana, while Shkodër has been long considered the center for musical development in Albania.
Music has always been a potent means of national expression for Albanians. Under Hoxha's regime, this was channeled into songs of patriotic devotion to the party; since the arrival of democracy in 1991, lyrics have come to focus on long-suppressed traditions like kurbet (seeking work outside of Albania) and support for various political parties, candidates and ideas[1]. Pop musicians have developed too, long banned under the socialists, with Ardit Gjebrea being foremost among them. Albanian popular music (këngë popullore) is generally based on Italian models
Folk music was encouraged to some degree under the socialist government, which promoted a quinquennial music festival at Gjirokastër provided that the musicians expressed frequent support for the party leaders. After the fall of socialism, Albanian Radio-Television launched a 1995 festival in Berat that has helped to continue musical traditions
MUSIC GENRE A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or "basic musical language".
Music can also be categorised by non-musical criteria such as geographical origin.
POPULAR MUSIC GENRE Blues - The Blues is a vocal and instrumental music form which emerged in the African-American community of
the United States. Blues evolved from West African spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants and has
its earliest stylistic roots in West Africa. This musical form has been a major influence on later American and Western
popular music, finding expression in ragtime, jazz, big bands, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and country music, as well
as conventional pop songs and even modern classical music. Due to its powerful influence that spawned other major musical
genres originating from America, blues can be regarded as the root of pop as well as American music.
