Houthis under fire for arresting wedding singer in Yemeni capital There are calls in Sanaa to form a union to defend the rights of singers, amid ongoing abuses and arrests targeting them by the Houthi rebel authorities. Naseh Shaker | Gulf | Sep 10, 2021 A Yemeni artist sitting atop the rubble of a collapsed buiding plays the guitar during a street performance, Taez, Yemen, Dec. 6, 2019.
Turkey’s Family Ministry moves to turn down K-pop Turkey is full of young fans of Korean pop music, angering conservatives who claim the K-pop movement encourages homosexuality. Nazlan Ertan | Turkey | Aug 30, 2021
Provocative music video leads to arrests in Iran Iran has arrested two music producers for working on Sasan Heidari Yafteh's new music video, "Tehran Tokyo." Al-Monitor Staff | Iran | Mar 12, 2021
Egyptian dancers call for protecting belly dance Several belly dancers in Egypt are leading a campaign to preserve their traditional dance from whom they describe as intruders that have sexualized the dance performance. Youssra el-Sharkawy | Egypt | Dec 9, 2020
Protests break out in Iran after death of famed singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian was a renowned singer and composer of classical music. He also notably supported the 2009 protests in the country. Al-Monitor Staff | Iran | Oct 9, 2020
Turkish music sector in hot water due to pandemic, arbitrary restrictions The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on Turkey's music industry that is already experiencing tough times due to a ban on alcohol advertising that has prevented companies from sponsoring events and festivals with their brand names. Paul Benjamin Osterlund | Turkey | Oct 9, 2020
Gazan child raps about broken dreams under siege Abdel Rahman Salih al-Shanti, an 11-year-old rapper from the Gaza Strip, has made international headlines, with English rap songs evoking Gaza’s wars and sufferings under the Israeli blockade. Taghreed Ali | Palestine | Aug 25, 2020
Lebanon's Baalbeck Festival moves world audience with dramatic online performance Lebanon's beloved Baalbeck Festival has survived various challenging times, and this year was no exception. Marita Kassis | Lebanon | Jul 7, 2020
Gaza band plays music to uplift spirits, bring hope The Street Band plays music for free in Gaza's public places, in a attempt to help Gazans forget their daily sufferings. Sanaa Saida | Originals | Jul 7, 2020
Jailed musician dies after nearly yearlong hunger strike in Turkey Grup Yorum's Ibrahim Gokcek died two days after suspending his “death fast." Al-Monitor Staff | Turkey | May 7, 2020
Facing the music of the Holocaust in Turkey Turkey has long claimed that it has saved many Jews twice in history, but how true is that? Matt A. Hanson | Turkey | Apr 1, 2020
Don't say it with music: Egyptian MP drafts new penalties for racy lyrics After the controversy over lyrics of a popular song, an Egyptian lawmaker drafted a new law that would put singers behind bars for talking dirty. David Awad | Egypt | Mar 20, 2020
Don't let the music die: Istanbul's nightlife grinds to halt due to COVID-19 Istanbul's taverns and halls close their doors as the residents of the metropolis stay in due to the coronavirus outbreak in Turkey. Kenan Behzat Sharpe | Turkey | Mar 20, 2020
Members of popular Turkish folk collective approach death on hunger strike Turkey's iconic Grup Yorum has not been able to perform since 2016 and a number of its members have been jailed on dubious terror charges. Paul Benjamin Osterlund | Turkey | Mar 18, 2020
Rap becomes battle cry of Iraqi protests Rap music has exploded among young Iraqi protesters, who bring the music with them to energize their demonstrations. Omar al-Jaffal | Iraq | Mar 11, 2020
A Yemeni artist sitting atop the rubble of a collapsed buiding plays the guitar during a street performance, Taez, Yemen, Dec. 6, 2019.
