Based on a study done by the global and world-renowned streaming service, Spotify, hip hop is actually the most listened to genre of music all over the world. This may surprise some and may not come as a surprise to many others. If you really think about it, this is not a surprise at all, and here are just a few of the reasons why:
- Hip hop is a genre which dates back to the 1960s, and was made famous in the United States, but did not take long to sweep the world and different nations.
- Rapping gave many, especially those who had faced adversity, a platform to discuss, present and communicate their personal experiences, thoughts and comments on different topics and the world we live in.
- Hip hop quickly became, and still is, a culture more than it is just a genre of music. This means that the combination of art, music, dance and clothing have created a sense of community, where hundreds of thousands of people identify with and find themselves part of.
- The subgenres and branches of hip hop are all very different and appeal to many different cultural, social and societal groups at large.
- The distinct sound of hip hop music is catchy and is easy to follow along.
- The hip hop culture and all of the different subgenres, subcultures and elements which it is comprised of, are dynamic and continue to evolve over time to encompass and reflect modern society, issues, topics, conversations and trends.
- There are hip hop artists all over the world with different sounds to discover.
- The genre is open, and welcomes and fosters collaboration by artists, and actually thrives and evolves based on this collaboration.
- The style celebrates diversity and inclusion, and is an advocate and embodies change for minorities and groups that have, and often still do, suffer oppression, discrimination and other struggles. The genre is a voice for these groups.
Hip hop is a dynamic and versatile culture which continues to evolve daily, and that is celebrated and enjoyed all over the world. It is a distinct and unique sound when it comes to music that, though drawing influence from other genres, really does stand on its own two, very distinct feet.