Lebanese Music

Lebanon may be considered the center of pop music for the Arab world. While the population is only 4 million, scores of Lebanese pop artists are popular throughout the Arabic speaking world and beyond.

The most notable Lebanese artists is of course Fairuz, who became popular during the 1960s and continues to perform to this day. The Rahbani brothers typically produced music for their sister Fairuz, in a classical Arabic style and sometimes in what might be considered a more Westernized style. Fairuz starred in many musicals about Lebanon and Palestine that dealt with the hardship of these peoples during the 1960s and 1970s. Nostalgia for a homeland is certainly a theme that arises in much of her music. Today, Fairuz is not just one of the most famous Arab singers ever, but also a cultural icon that is tied to a modern Arab and Lebanese national identity.

Other classic Lebanese artists include Sabah, Warda and Farid al-Atrache.

A number of women have attained superstardom in the more recent Lebanese pop music movement. Elissa is multimillion-dollar earning singer who has been recording for over 10 years. Nawal al-Zoghbi is another artist who has been singing for about the same amount of time. These artists were at the forefront of the Westernization of Lebanese pop musical styles, and comparing an early Nawal al-Zoghbi CD to a more recent one will illustrate this change. One artist, Najwa Karam, has been particularly stubborn about making her music and pronunciation "less Lebanese" to conform to expectations of the modern global audience.

Ragheb Alama is among the most famous male acts. He was very popular in the early 1990s and is notable for having made a huge comeback in the year 2000 with his album 'Tab Leh?.'

Modern Lebanese pop has flooded the Arabic music market with artists. The most famous currently is Nancy Ajram, who has become a prominent and controversial figure in the world of Arab pop because of her tendency to push the boundaries of sexuality. Haifa Wehbe, a former model, is another rising star in Lebanese pop and has successfully starred in some films such as "Wawa." Modern female Lebanese stars, especially those like Haifa Wehbe and Dana, are pushing the boundaries of the risque in the Arabic pop music scene and Lebanon. Many of these artists have been banned from performing in more socially conservative Arab states including Egypt because of what has been considered an overly sexual image. Although their lyrics and wardrobes may seem mild compared with the blunt sexuality of modern Western pop music, one must bear in mind that the transformation has been much more rapid and less inline with mainstream values in the Arab world.

Yuri Murqadi is another popular musician who often sings in Standard Arabic, similar to Kazem el-Saher. Here is a list of some of the most prominent Lebanese pop artists:

Nancy Ajram
Haifa Wehbe
Nawal al-Zoghbi
Elissa
Ragheb Alama
Wael Kfoury
Dana
Yuri Murqadi
Joanna Malah
Carol Samaha
Najwa Karam