What counts as urban music?
in Music ·
I guess the term "urban music" probably only made its way into our local vocabulary because someone twisted the actual concept of "urban contemporary music."
The whole idea of "urban contemporary music" actually kicked off right here in the USA back in the mid-1970s—it started when a bunch of radio stations began playing a specific vibe dominated by African American artists. So, when people say "urban contemporary music," they’re really talking about a mix of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, reggae, reggaeton, gospel, and dance...
Based on that, it seems like the term isn't really about who the audience is or where they live—or even their education level—but is strictly about the genre, the sound, and the rhythm itself...
So, if we were trying to find an American equivalent for that kind of categorization, maybe something like high-energy country or certain pop subgenres would be closer than, say, a classic rock band like Lynyrd Skynyrd or some old-school punk stuff.
The whole idea of "urban contemporary music" actually kicked off right here in the USA back in the mid-1970s—it started when a bunch of radio stations began playing a specific vibe dominated by African American artists. So, when people say "urban contemporary music," they’re really talking about a mix of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, reggae, reggaeton, gospel, and dance...
Based on that, it seems like the term isn't really about who the audience is or where they live—or even their education level—but is strictly about the genre, the sound, and the rhythm itself...
So, if we were trying to find an American equivalent for that kind of categorization, maybe something like high-energy country or certain pop subgenres would be closer than, say, a classic rock band like Lynyrd Skynyrd or some old-school punk stuff.