Music of Belgium
Encyclopedia
The music of Belgium is a cultural crossroads where Flemish Dutch
-speaking and Walloon French
-speaking traditions mix with those of German minorities and of immigrant communities from Democratic Republic of the Congo
and other distant countries.
, Orlando di Lasso, Josquin des Prez
reached European acclaim. André Ernest Modeste Grétry
was the most famous composer- born in what is now called Belgium- of the 18th century. The 19th century supplied composers like Henri Vieuxtemps
, César Franck
, Guillaume Lekeu
and Eugène Ysaÿe
. At the end of the 20th century the most notable Belgian composers were Piet Swerts and Wim Mertens
.
In the field of opera
, baritones Jules Bastin
and José van Dam
have become the most famous and internationally successful Belgian opera singers. In the lighter classical genre, Flemish singer Helmut Lotti
reached huge international success with his interpretations of popular opera songs for large audiences.
instruments, the saxophone
, was invented by a Belgian: Adolphe Sax
.
Some known Belgian no blues artists are Elmore D
(who sings in English and Walloon dialect), and the Flemish Roland van Campenhout (also known as Roland).
In the 1930s, the Belgian gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt
became one of the first important jazz musicians to be born in Europe, and one of the most important jazz guitarists of all time. In 1949 Toots Thielemans
joined a jam session
in Paris with Sidney Bechet
, Charlie Parker
, Miles Davis
, Max Roach
and others. He moved to the US in 1952 where he was a member of Charlie Parker's All-Stars. Toots Thielemans is often credited by jazz aficionados and jazz critics of being the greatest jazz harmonica
player of the century. His music has been used in films like Midnight Cowboy
and Turkish Delight
, and television series such as Sesame Street
and Baantjer
.
Other wellknown Belgian artists are Aka Moon
, Bobby Jaspar
, Bert Joris
, Philip Catherine
, Steve Houben
, Octurn
and René Thomas
has been a pioneer in Belgian vaudeville
and popmusic since the late 1940s. Not only was he the first Belgian singer to manage an international breakthrough, he was also the first to use modern equipment, a personal tourbus and a system of artist sponsoring. He also introduced the first country & western recordings in the Low Countries
and Germany. In the 1950s Bobbejaan Schoepen
recorded his own absolutely crazy folk music often singing in the dialect of his native Brussels
. He is also a virtuoso whistler.
During the 1950s and following decades the most popular, enduring, commercial and critical successful Flemish singer was Will Tura
, whose most well known hit in Flanders
is "Ik ben zo eenzaam zonder jou" (1963) ("I'm so lonely without you").
The most popular and enduring artists in Flanders and the Netherlands who sing in either their Flemish dialect or standard Dutch are Eddy Wally
, Raymond van het Groenewoud
, Willem Vermandere, De Kreuners
, Clouseau
, Gorki (band)
, Noordkaap
,and De Mens
.
Walloon folk music has not had as vibrant a revival as Flemish, but artists like Coïncidence
, Remy Dubois, Luc Pilartz, Rue du Village and Claude Flagel have kept the folk traditions alive.
, whose classic songs have been covered by several international artists such as David Bowie
, Frank Sinatra
, Scott Walker
and Terry Jacks
. Others like Salvatore Adamo
, Pierre Rapsat
, Arno
, Maurane
, Axelle Red
and Lara Fabian
have also enjoyed some success in other French-speaking countries.
scored a big European hit with "Marina". The singing nun Soeur Sourire had an international number one hit in 1963 with Dominique (song). When folk and hippie culture finally hit a chord around the world the groups The Pebbles ("Seven Horses in the Sky", "I Get Around") and The Wallace Collection ("Daydream") had considerable success in other countries. Irish Coffee
, a hard rock band from Aalst
also achieved considerable local success in the same era. Due to a lack of real professional management these few pop groups failed to build out a durable international career, a trend which continued during the 1970s when the most successful artists sang in their native tongue. The only real new international successful artist was Plastic Bertrand
. (See "Punk" below).
Real international success for Belgian acts began in 1980 with the rock group TC Matic
They were quite popular in the rest of Europe with numbers like "Oh la la la" and "Putain Putain". Lead singer Arno
later started his own successful solo career. Many groups and artists had considerable success in other countries, but they usually didn't reach out much further than West Europe. Notable exceptions were Maurane
, Jo Lemaire
, Soulsister
("The Way To Your Heart", 1987) and Vaya Con Dios
("Puerto Rico", 1988).
bands finally started to achieve larger international acclaim and success. In Antwerp, a lively indie rock
scene sprouts where dEUS is probably the most famous, next to other people and groups like Zita Swoon
(formerly Moondog Jr), Evil Superstars
, Kiss My Jazz
, Dead Man Ray
, K's Choice
("I'm Not an Addict"), Admiral Freebee
, and Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung. In the noise
genre Antwerp houses the pioneer band Club Moral
. Ghent
also has a booming indie scene: Absynthe Minded
, Das Pop
, Millionaire
, Zornik
, Awaken
and the successful Soulwax
bring indierock with a slightly rougher edge than their Antwerp fellows, while The Vogues (Brussels) have a British-influenced sound. Other popular artists are Triggerfinger
, Gabriel Ríos
and Ghinzu
.
, The Kids (Belgian band)
("Fascist Cops", "There will be no Next Time"), Janez Detd, Funeral Dress
and Plastic Bertrand
who had a worldwide hit with "Ça Plane Pour Moi" (1978).
, Emeth and Serial Butcher
, grindcore quartet Leng Tch'e
, black metal bands Enthroned
and Ancient Rites
and heavy metal band Channel Zero (band)
.
is a famous Belgian trip-hop band, which scored hits with "Mad About You" and "Vinegar and Salt".
("Moskow Diskow", "Euro-Vision
"). Frontman Marc Moulin
later moved on to pursue a solo career.
At the end of the 1980s Belgium started to play a very important role in the development of house music
. The group Technotronic
had a massive international hit with Pump Up The Jam
. A new genre, new beat
was created and scored international hits with acts like The Confettis ("The Sound of C.", 1988). Bands like Front 242
and A Split-Second
played a part in making the music genre EBM
popular.
In the 1990s, acts like the partially Dutch-Belgian 2 Unlimited
("No Limit") and the Flemish Lords of Acid
and Praga Khan
, were internationally successful. Other internationally renowned Belgian dance acts are 2 Many Dj's (a spin-off from the group Soulwax
), Sylver
, Milk Inc.
, Kate Ryan
, Lasgo
, Ian Van Dahl, and Vive La Fête
. The 2000s saw a proliferation of experimental electronic
Belgian artists. Acts like Köhn, Ovil Bianca & Tuk got international acclaim and pioneered in the area of experimental electronic music in Belgium around the turn of the century. Jan Robbe
, Kaebin Yield and Sedarka are key innovators of the "flashcore" sound, and others including Sickboy
of the Belgian Breakcore Gives Me Wood collective were crucial in the development of breakcore
and Mashup
. Nowadays, singer Stromae
has been a musical revelation in Europe and beyond, having great success.
. Congolese-Belgian Princesse Mansia M'Bila, Rwanda
n-Belgian Cécile Kayirebwa and Dieudonné Kabongo
led this wave that soon incorporated Argentine tango
music
, Moroccan
oud
and other music from around the world. The 1990s saw the emergence of Zap Mama
, a group of Congolese-Belgian women who played a fusion of Pygmy
and other African music with European influences.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
-speaking and Walloon French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking traditions mix with those of German minorities and of immigrant communities from Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
and other distant countries.
Classical Music
During the centuries Belgium produced several notable names in the field of classical music. In the 15th and 16th century composers like Guillaume DufayGuillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay was a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance. As the central figure in the Burgundian School, he was the most famous and influential composer in Europe in the mid-15th century.-Early life:From the evidence of his will, he was probably born in Beersel, in the vicinity of...
, Orlando di Lasso, Josquin des Prez
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
reached European acclaim. André Ernest Modeste Grétry
André Ernest Modeste Grétry
André Ernest Modeste Grétry was acomposer from the Prince-Bishopric of Liège , who worked from 1767 onwards in France and took French nationality. He is most famous for his opéras comiques....
was the most famous composer- born in what is now called Belgium- of the 18th century. The 19th century supplied composers like Henri Vieuxtemps
Henri Vieuxtemps
Henri François Joseph Vieuxtemps was a Belgian composer and violinist. He occupies an important place in the history of the violin as a prominent exponent of the Franco-Belgian violin school during the mid-19th century....
, César Franck
César Franck
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
, Guillaume Lekeu
Guillaume Lekeu
Guillaume Lekeu was a Belgian composer of classical music.- Life :Lekeu, who was born in Verviers, Belgium, took his first lessons at the conservatoire in that city. In 1879, his parents moved to Poitiers, France. There, he finished school while he continued his music studies autodidactically...
and Eugène Ysaÿe
Eugène Ysaÿe
Eugène Ysaÿe was a Belgian violinist, composer and conductor born in Liège. He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as Nathan Milstein put it, the "tzar"...
. At the end of the 20th century the most notable Belgian composers were Piet Swerts and Wim Mertens
Wim Mertens
Wim Mertens is a Flemish Belgian composer, countertenor vocalist, pianist, guitarist, and musicologist.-Life and work:Mertens was born in Neerpelt, Belgium...
.
In the field of opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, baritones Jules Bastin
Jules Bastin
Jules Bastin was a Belgian operatic bass. Born in Brussels, he made his debut in 1960 at La Monnaie, singing Charon in L'Orfeo. He appeared at major opera houses throughout Europe, including the Royal Opera House, La Scala, and the Palais Garnier; he also sang at opera houses in North and South...
and José van Dam
José van Dam
Joseph, Baron van Damme , known as José van Dam, is a Belgian bass-baritone.At the age of 17, he entered the Brussels Royal Conservatory and studied with Frederic Anspach. A year later, he graduated with diplomas and first prizes in voice and opera performance...
have become the most famous and internationally successful Belgian opera singers. In the lighter classical genre, Flemish singer Helmut Lotti
Helmut Lotti
Helmut Lotti , is a Flemish Belgian tenor and singer-songwriter. Lotti performs in several styles and languages: Once an Elvis impersonator, he has sung African and Latino hit records, and he crossed over into classical music in the 1990s.-Life and music:The son of Luc Lotigiers and Rita Lagrou,...
reached huge international success with his interpretations of popular opera songs for large audiences.
Blues and jazz
One of the most famous jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
instruments, the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, was invented by a Belgian: Adolphe Sax
Adolphe Sax
Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax was a Belgian musical instrument designer and musician who played the flute and clarinet, and is best known for having invented the saxophone.-Biography:...
.
Some known Belgian no blues artists are Elmore D
Elmore D
Elmore D is a Belgian blues musician. His is also a professor at the University of Liège, where he gives lectures on the history and culture of Wallonia....
(who sings in English and Walloon dialect), and the Flemish Roland van Campenhout (also known as Roland).
In the 1930s, the Belgian gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
became one of the first important jazz musicians to be born in Europe, and one of the most important jazz guitarists of all time. In 1949 Toots Thielemans
Toots Thielemans
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans , known as Toots Thielemans, is a Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling. Thielemans is credited as one of the greatest harmonica players of the 20th century...
joined a jam session
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
in Paris with Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist...
, Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, Max Roach
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel "Max" Roach was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer.A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music, and is generally considered alongside the most important drummers in history...
and others. He moved to the US in 1952 where he was a member of Charlie Parker's All-Stars. Toots Thielemans is often credited by jazz aficionados and jazz critics of being the greatest jazz harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player of the century. His music has been used in films like Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. It was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and newcomer Jon Voight in the title role. Notable smaller roles are filled by Sylvia Miles, John...
and Turkish Delight
Turkish Delight
Turkish delight or lokum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; the cheapest are mostly gel, generally flavored with rosewater, mastic, or lemon...
, and television series such as Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
and Baantjer
Baantjer
Baantjer is a Dutch television programme which was broadcast by RTL 4 from October 6, 1995, until December 1, 2006, for a total of 123 episodes in 12 seasons . It stars Piet Römer as Jurriaan 'Jurre' de Cock, a police detective, and Victor Reinier as Dick Vledder, his helper. The series is based on...
.
Other wellknown Belgian artists are Aka Moon
Aka Moon
Aka Moon is a Belgian avant-garde jazz band. Saxophonist Fabrizio Cassol, bassist Michel Hatzigeorgiou, and drummer Stéphane Galland are the founding members of the core trio...
, Bobby Jaspar
Bobby Jaspar
Bobby Jaspar was a cool jazz and hard bop saxophonist, flautist and composer born in Liège, Belgium. He was married to the jazz singer Blossom Dearie....
, Bert Joris
Bert Joris
Bert Joris is an internationally renowned jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger from Belgium. In 1996 he received the Golden Django.-References:*...
, Philip Catherine
Philip Catherine
Philip Catherine is a Belgian jazz guitarist.-Biography:He was born in London from an English mother and Belgian father....
, Steve Houben
Steve Houben
Steve Houben is a Belgian jazz saxophonist and flutist. He was born in 1950. In the mid 1970s, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Houben created on his return to Belgium the jazz seminar at the Liège conservatory, in association with Henri Pousseur. In his long career he played...
, Octurn
Octurn
Octurn is a Belgian polyrhythmic jazz ensemble led by Bo Van Der Werf . Its lineup as well as the composers are changed for every album...
and René Thomas
René Thomas (guitarist)
René Thomas is considered one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 1960s, but has remained rather unknown to the general public. After the Second World War, he played with the "Bop Shots", Belgium's first be-bop outfit with Jacques Pelzer and Bobby Jaspar...
Folk and other traditional music
Bobbejaan SchoepenBobbejaan Schoepen
Bobbejaan Schoepen is a pseudonym of Modest Schoepen was a Flemish pioneer in Belgian pop music, vaudeville, and European country music...
has been a pioneer in Belgian vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
and popmusic since the late 1940s. Not only was he the first Belgian singer to manage an international breakthrough, he was also the first to use modern equipment, a personal tourbus and a system of artist sponsoring. He also introduced the first country & western recordings in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
and Germany. In the 1950s Bobbejaan Schoepen
Bobbejaan Schoepen
Bobbejaan Schoepen is a pseudonym of Modest Schoepen was a Flemish pioneer in Belgian pop music, vaudeville, and European country music...
recorded his own absolutely crazy folk music often singing in the dialect of his native Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. He is also a virtuoso whistler.
During the 1950s and following decades the most popular, enduring, commercial and critical successful Flemish singer was Will Tura
Will Tura
Will Tura is the stage name of Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert, a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician , composer and songwriter...
, whose most well known hit in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
is "Ik ben zo eenzaam zonder jou" (1963) ("I'm so lonely without you").
The most popular and enduring artists in Flanders and the Netherlands who sing in either their Flemish dialect or standard Dutch are Eddy Wally
Eddy Wally
Eddy Wally is a singer from Zelzate , and is the self-proclaimed "Voice Of Europe".-General information:...
, Raymond van het Groenewoud
Raymond van het Groenewoud
Raymond van het Groenewoud is one of the most popular Belgian music artists. He is of Dutch and Jewish descent and sings mostly in Flemish. His career started in 1973 and he has since scored many hits in Flanders and the Netherlands, in many different styles...
, Willem Vermandere, De Kreuners
De Kreuners
De Kreuners are a Flemish rock band established in 1978. They first received interest when they won the first Humo's Rock Rally in 1978, but didn't get a record contract. They self released their first three singles. They recorded their first single Nummer een in London. It became their first...
, Clouseau
Clouseau
Clouseau is a Belgian pop group, having success in Belgium and the Netherlands since being established in the late 1980s. Apart from a brush with English material in the early 1990s they perform in Dutch...
, Gorki (band)
Gorki (band)
Gorki is a Belgian rock group, consisting of lead singer and guitarist Luc De Vos, Luc Heyvaerts on keyboard and clarinet, Erik van Biesen on bass guitar and Eric Bosteels on the drums....
, Noordkaap
Noordkaap
Noordkaap was a Belgian rock band band with Stijn Meuris as singer. They had several well known songs such as "Ik Hou Van U" and "Satelliet S.U.Z.Y."-Members:* Stijn Meuris * Lars Van Bambost * Eric Sterckx * Wim De Wilde...
,and De Mens
De Mens
De Mens is a Flemish rock band from Belgium. The current members of the band are Frank Vander linden, Michel de Coster, and Dirk Jans.-History:...
.
Walloon folk music has not had as vibrant a revival as Flemish, but artists like Coïncidence
Coincidence
A coincidence is an event notable for its occurring in conjunction with other conditions, e.g. another event. As such, a coincidence occurs when something uncanny, accidental and unexpected happens under conditions named, but not under a defined relationship...
, Remy Dubois, Luc Pilartz, Rue du Village and Claude Flagel have kept the folk traditions alive.
Chanson
The greatest Belgian chansonnier was Jacques BrelJacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
, whose classic songs have been covered by several international artists such as David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
and Terry Jacks
Terry Jacks
Terrence Ross "Terry" Jacks is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and environmentalist.-Early life:...
. Others like Salvatore Adamo
Salvatore Adamo
Salvatore, Knight Adamo, simply known as Adamo is a Belgian – Italian composer and singer of ballads, mainly in French, but also in other languages such as German, Italian and Spanish. He had commercial success during the 1960s and 1970s, mostly in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, but...
, Pierre Rapsat
Pierre Rapsat
Pierre Rapsat was a Belgian singer-songwriter who had a very successful career in his homeland and also spells of popularity in other Francophone countries...
, Arno
Arno
The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.- Source and route :The river originates on Mount Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a southward curve...
, Maurane
Maurane
Maurane, real name Claudine Luypaerts, is a Belgian singer. She lives currently in Schaerbeek.Maurane was born at Ixelles. Her father was director in the Académie de Musique de Verviers, and when she was a teenager she took part in several musical contests...
, Axelle Red
Axelle Red
Axelle Red is a Belgian singer-songwriter.-Biography:She was born at Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium, the daughter of Roland Demal, a solicitor in Hasselt and Councillor for the Flemish Liberals and Democrats in the City Council.Nowadays a committed artist and a militant humanist, back in 1993 Axelle...
and Lara Fabian
Lara Fabian
Lara Fabian is a Belgian-Italian international singer who also holds Canadian citizenship. Multilingual, she sings in French, Italian and English....
have also enjoyed some success in other French-speaking countries.
Pop and Rock
In 1959 the Belgian singer of Italian descent Rocco GranataRocco Granata
Rocco Granata is a Belgian singer, songwriter, and accordionist.Granata was born in Figline Vegliaturo, Calabria, southern Italy; but his parents immigrated to Belgium when he was aged ten. Rocco's father was a coal miner, but after briefly working in the coal mines, Granata pursued music instead...
scored a big European hit with "Marina". The singing nun Soeur Sourire had an international number one hit in 1963 with Dominique (song). When folk and hippie culture finally hit a chord around the world the groups The Pebbles ("Seven Horses in the Sky", "I Get Around") and The Wallace Collection ("Daydream") had considerable success in other countries. Irish Coffee
Irish Coffee (band)
Irish Coffee are a hard rock band from Aalst, East Flanders, Belgium, that officially started playing in 1970. They are best remembered for their single "Masterpiece"...
, a hard rock band from Aalst
Aalst, Belgium
Aalst is a city and municipality on the Dender River, 19 miles northwest from Brussels. It is located in the Flemish province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the city of Aalst itself and the villages of Baardegem, Erembodegem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade,...
also achieved considerable local success in the same era. Due to a lack of real professional management these few pop groups failed to build out a durable international career, a trend which continued during the 1970s when the most successful artists sang in their native tongue. The only real new international successful artist was Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand is a Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".-Early life and bands:...
. (See "Punk" below).
Real international success for Belgian acts began in 1980 with the rock group TC Matic
TC Matic
TC Matic was a Belgian rock band, originating in 1980 from the duo Tjens Couter . Decoutere was replaced shortly after the establishment of TC Matic by Jean-Marie Aerts, who cooperated with Hintjens in the majority of the band's compositions.TC Matic mixed diverse styles: new wave, blues, funk,...
They were quite popular in the rest of Europe with numbers like "Oh la la la" and "Putain Putain". Lead singer Arno
Arno
The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.- Source and route :The river originates on Mount Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a southward curve...
later started his own successful solo career. Many groups and artists had considerable success in other countries, but they usually didn't reach out much further than West Europe. Notable exceptions were Maurane
Maurane
Maurane, real name Claudine Luypaerts, is a Belgian singer. She lives currently in Schaerbeek.Maurane was born at Ixelles. Her father was director in the Académie de Musique de Verviers, and when she was a teenager she took part in several musical contests...
, Jo Lemaire
Jo Lemaire
Jo Lemaire is a Belgian singer born in Gembloux, Namur. Beyond her native country, she is also popular in France, Switzerland, Canada, and the Netherlands.-Career:...
, Soulsister
Soulsister
SoulSister was a Belgian music band consisting of musicians Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels. SoulSister is another term used for black women in new orleans...
("The Way To Your Heart", 1987) and Vaya Con Dios
Vaya Con Dios (band)
Vaya Con Dios is a Belgian musical group founded in 1986 by Dani Klein, Dirk Schoufs, and Willy Lambregt . Their name is Spanish for "Go with God"...
("Puerto Rico", 1988).
Indie Rock
In the early 1990s many alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
bands finally started to achieve larger international acclaim and success. In Antwerp, a lively indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
scene sprouts where dEUS is probably the most famous, next to other people and groups like Zita Swoon
Zita Swoon
Zita Swoon is a Belgian indie rock group. They entered the music scene of Antwerp in 1993, still under the name A Beatband with the EP "Jintro Travels The Word In A Skirt". The group is typical of the music scene in Antwerp, with members playing in numerous other groups. Best known member is singer...
(formerly Moondog Jr), Evil Superstars
Evil Superstars
Evil Superstars was a Belgian indie rock band led by Mauro Pawlowski. Among its members was Millionaire and Eagles of Death Metal guitarist Tim Vanhamel.-History:Evil Superstars was formed in 1992 in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.The original members were:...
, Kiss My Jazz
Kiss My Jazz
Kiss My Jazz is a group of musicians based in Antwerp, Belgium. Their music is a lo-fi mix of jazz, rock and experimental music. Members of the group include former member of dEUS Rudy Trouvé:-Albums:* In Docs Place Friday Evening, 1996, Knitting Factory...
, Dead Man Ray
Dead Man Ray
Dead Man Ray is a Belgian cult rock band, originating from Berchem near Antwerp. Among its members are Daan Stuyven, Rudy Trouvé , Elko Blijweerdt, Wouter Van Belle and Herman Houbrechts, who was later replaced by drummer Karel De Backer. Their debut Berchem was released in 1998 including the...
, K's Choice
K's Choice
K's Choice is a Belgian rock band from Antwerp, formed in the mid-1990s. The band's core members are siblings Sarah Bettens and Gert Bettens . They are joined by Eric Grossman , Thomas Vanelslander , Reinout Swinnen and Koen Liekens...
("I'm Not an Addict"), Admiral Freebee
Admiral Freebee
Admiral Freebee is a Belgian singer-songwriter, born in 1974. Tom Van Laere is his legal name. He took his name from On The Road, the novel by Jack Kerouac. Admiral Freebee is also the name of a ship that sank in San Francisco Bay and was subsequently used as a buoy.-History:Van Laere was born in...
, and Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung. In the noise
Noise
In common use, the word noise means any unwanted sound. In both analog and digital electronics, noise is random unwanted perturbation to a wanted signal; it is called noise as a generalisation of the acoustic noise heard when listening to a weak radio transmission with significant electrical noise...
genre Antwerp houses the pioneer band Club Moral
Club Moral
Club Moral is a Belgian noise band formed in 1981 by Danny Devos and Anne-Mie van Kerckhoven based in Antwerp, Belgium . They are known for their controversial performances and imagery. In 2001 "Dylan" briefly joined the band...
. Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
also has a booming indie scene: Absynthe Minded
Absynthe Minded
Absynthe Minded is a Belgian rock band, around frontman, vocalist and guitarist Bert Ostyn. Their tracks have been known to contain a mix of thirties jazz, with a touch of funky soul, Balkan beats and Merseyside pop....
, Das Pop
Das Pop
Das Pop is a Belgian band founded in Ghent by schoolfriends Reinhard Vanbergen, Niek Meul, Lieven Moors and Bent Van Looy.-Biography:Das Pop was initially called Things to Come, but the band changed its name to Das Pop when Tom Kestens joined the band...
, Millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
, Zornik
Zornik
Zornik is a Belgian rock band. It was formed in 1999 by singer and guitarist Koen Buyse, drummer Marijn Horemans and bass guitarist Kristof Vanduren.-History:...
, Awaken
Awaken (band)
Awaken is an underground rock band / indie music project based in Belgium. They released two official albums and numerous demo tapes and web-only singles since their early days in 1988....
and the successful Soulwax
Soulwax
Soulwax, headed by David and Stephen Dewaele, are an alternative rock/electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Next to the Dewaele brothers, Soulwax consists of bassist Stefaan Van Leuven and drummer Steve Slingeneyer. They were first noticed after the release of their album Much Against Everyone's...
bring indierock with a slightly rougher edge than their Antwerp fellows, while The Vogues (Brussels) have a British-influenced sound. Other popular artists are Triggerfinger
Triggerfinger
Triggerfinger is a Flemish rock band from Antwerp, Belgium, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Ruben Block, bassist Paul Van Bruystegem and Mario Goossens as drummer....
, Gabriel Ríos
Gabriel Rios
Gabriel Ríos is a Puerto Rican musician currently residing in Brooklyn.-Biography:As a child Ríos was member of his church choir, and in addition to this early exposure to music his father also taught him to play the guitar. After finishing his studies at the Academia del Perpetuo Socorro high...
and Ghinzu
Ghinzu
Ghinzu is an alternative rock band founded in 1999 in Brussels, Belgium.-Electronic Jacuzzi :The band released its first album, Electronic Jacuzzi in late 2000 on their own label Dragoon. Their sound is a kind of noisy rock, supported by a big and groovy rhythmic and some electronic touches while...
.
Punk
The most well-known Belgian punk bands are ChainsawChainsaw
A chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...
, The Kids (Belgian band)
The Kids (Belgian band)
The Kids are a Belgian punk rock band formed in 1976.They broke up in 1985, but came back together in 1996 for the soundtrack recording of the Belgian film Dief . They have been together ever since and still play gigs around the world....
("Fascist Cops", "There will be no Next Time"), Janez Detd, Funeral Dress
Funeral Dress
Funeral Dress is a street punk band from Belgium who formed in 1985. Their big hits include "I'm in Love with Oi", "Free Beer for the Punx", "Party Political Bullshit", "Party On", "Freedom and Liberty", "Belgium's Burning". The band toured the US several times and is planning a tour in Russia in...
and Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand is a Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".-Early life and bands:...
who had a worldwide hit with "Ça Plane Pour Moi" (1978).
Metal
The most well-known Belgian metal bands include death metallers AbortedAborted
Aborted is a Belgian death metal band formed in Waregem, Belgium in 1995. The group comprises vocalist and founder Sven de Caluwé, guitarists Eran Segal and Mike Wilson, bassist J.B. Van Der Wal, and drummer Ken Bedene. The band members of Aborted are from Belgium, France, Israel, United Kingdom,...
, Emeth and Serial Butcher
Serial Butcher
Serial Butcher is a Belgian death metal band from Ghent Belgium. They recored their debut full-length album in 2008 entitled "A Crash Course In Cranium Crushing", which was produced by Henrik Larsson and recorded at Berno Studio in Sweden...
, grindcore quartet Leng Tch'e
Leng Tch'e
Leng Tch'e is a grindcore band based in Belgium. The band describes their style as "razorgrind", a combination of grindcore with death metal, stoner rock and metalcore....
, black metal bands Enthroned
Enthroned
Enthroned is a black metal band formed in Charleroi in 1993 by Cernunnos. He soon recruited guitarist Tsebaoth and a vocalist from grindcore/black metal band Hecate who stayed until the end of December 1993. Then bassist/vocalist Sabathan joined. The band released a 5-track demo tape in mid-1994...
and Ancient Rites
Ancient Rites
Ancient Rites is a Flemish black metal band formed in 1988. Initially, the line- up consisted of guitar players Johan and Phillip, drummer Stefan, and Gunther Theys on bass and vocals. In 1990 the Dark Ritual demo was released in the underground scene, getting worldwide attention just as black...
and heavy metal band Channel Zero (band)
Channel Zero (band)
Channel Zero is a heavy metal band formed in Brussels, Belgium. They are one of the best known heavy metal bands from Belgium and were often referred to as "the Belgian Metallica." They disbanded at the height of their career in 1997, however in 2009, the band announced a series of reunion gigs...
.
Trip-Hop
HooverphonicHooverphonic
Hooverphonic are a Belgian rock/pop group, formed in 1995. Though early on categorized as a trip hop group, they quickly expanded their sound to the point where they could no longer be described as a lone genre, but rather encompass alternative, electronica, electropop, rock, and mixture of others...
is a famous Belgian trip-hop band, which scored hits with "Mad About You" and "Vinegar and Salt".
Electronic Music
The earliest Belgian electronica act was TelexTelex (band)
The Belgian synth-pop group Telex was formed in 1978 by Marc Moulin, Dan Lacksman, and Michel Moers, with the intention of "Making something really European, different from rock, without guitar — and the idea was electronic music." Mixing the aesthetics of disco, punk and experimental electronic...
("Moskow Diskow", "Euro-Vision
Euro-Vision
"Euro-Vision" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, performed in French by Telex.The song was performed nineteenth on the night, following Spain's Trigo Limpio with "Quédate esta noche". At the close of voting, it had received 14 points, placing 17th in a field of 19...
"). Frontman Marc Moulin
Marc Moulin
Marc Moulin was a Belgian musician and journalist . He was a member of the avant-rock band Aksak Maboul in 1977 and formed the pop group Telex in 1978...
later moved on to pursue a solo career.
At the end of the 1980s Belgium started to play a very important role in the development of house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
. The group Technotronic
Technotronic
Technotronic is a Belgian studio-based music project formed in 1988 by Jo Bogaert , who had already made his musical mark in the beginning of the 1980s as a part of a cover band and as a solo artist under various New Beat projects, including The Acts of Madmen and Nux Nemo...
had a massive international hit with Pump Up The Jam
Pump Up the Jam
"Pump Up the Jam" is the opening track on Technotronic's album Pump Up the Jam: The Album. The song was a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the United Kingdom in 1989. The song was also a landmark release for the Belgian EBM – and New Beat – influenced house music. It was able to tackle the...
. A new genre, new beat
New Beat
New Beat is a term that was used in the 1980s to refer to two different genres of electronic dance music. It also refers to an underground 1980s Belgian music style.- Terminology :...
was created and scored international hits with acts like The Confettis ("The Sound of C.", 1988). Bands like Front 242
Front 242
Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. They are known for being the premier pioneer of electronic body music and as a major influence on the electronic and industrial music genres.-Formation:...
and A Split-Second
A Split-Second
A Split-Second was a Belgian electronic body music band. The duo — Marc Ickx and Peter Bonne — were active from their debut in 1986 until they split up in 1991, and A Split-Second continued as an Ickx solo project.After signing to Antler Records, A Split-Second made their debut in 1986...
played a part in making the music genre EBM
EBM
EBM may stand for:* Electron beam melting, a type of additive manufacturing for metal parts* Electronic body music, a music genre* "Epic Beard Man", see AC Transit Bus fight* Espresso Book Machine, a print-on-demand book printing press...
popular.
In the 1990s, acts like the partially Dutch-Belgian 2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited is a Dutch Eurodance/Hi-NRG act formed in 1991. The project was the brainchild of Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde, and was fronted by a Dutch duo, rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth. During five years of enormous worldwide popularity, the act scored 16 chart...
("No Limit") and the Flemish Lords of Acid
Lords of Acid
Lords of Acid is a Belgian-American post-industrial/techno band, led by musician Praga Khan. They debuted with the controversial new beat single "I Sit on Acid" in 1988...
and Praga Khan
Praga Khan
Praga Khan is a Belgian techno musician, primarily in the new beat style.-Overview:Praga Khan is one of the pioneers of the new beat / acid house / rave sound, and has contributed to the theatrical scene with his musical collaborations in The Next Dimension and Code Red.In the late 1980s, he...
, were internationally successful. Other internationally renowned Belgian dance acts are 2 Many Dj's (a spin-off from the group Soulwax
Soulwax
Soulwax, headed by David and Stephen Dewaele, are an alternative rock/electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Next to the Dewaele brothers, Soulwax consists of bassist Stefaan Van Leuven and drummer Steve Slingeneyer. They were first noticed after the release of their album Much Against Everyone's...
), Sylver
Sylver
Sylver is a Belgian vocal Trance group best known for the song "Turn the Tide". The group's vocalist is Silvy De Bie and keyboardist/songwriter is Wout Van Dessel . Regi Penxten is the producer and co-songwriter...
, Milk Inc.
Milk Inc.
Milk Inc. is a Euro House band that formed in the commercial house-scene in Belgium in 1996. The Discography of the band includes a total of six studio albums and thirty-four singles In 2006, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Milk Inc...
, Kate Ryan
Kate Ryan
Kate Ryan is a Belgian World Music Award winner. She began her singing career in 2001 and later found fame with a string of dance hits. These included covers, mostly of Mylène Farmer and France Gall, such as "Désenchantée", "Libertine" and "Ella, elle l'a" as well as new material...
, Lasgo
Lasgo
Lasgo is a Belgian trio of dance music musicians. The group formed in 2000 and is composed of Jelle Van Dael as the vocalist, and Peter Luts and Jeff Martens as record producers. Peter Luts confirmed in 2008 that Evi Goffin was not returning to the band, after choosing to become a full-time...
, Ian Van Dahl, and Vive La Fête
Vive la Fête
Vive la Fête is a music duo from Ghent formed in 1997 by lovers Danny Mommens and Els Pynoo .-Biography:...
. The 2000s saw a proliferation of experimental electronic
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
Belgian artists. Acts like Köhn, Ovil Bianca & Tuk got international acclaim and pioneered in the area of experimental electronic music in Belgium around the turn of the century. Jan Robbe
Jan Robbe
Jan Robbe , otherwise known by his music project aliases Atomhead, Erratic, and UndaCova, is an electronic music artist. He founded the experimental netlabel Entity in 2003 with friend Nico de Gols . Jan Robbe is known for expressing various musical styles under different pseudonyms...
, Kaebin Yield and Sedarka are key innovators of the "flashcore" sound, and others including Sickboy
Sickboy Milkplus
Sickboy Milkplus is the stage name of Jurgen Desmet, a Belgian electronic music producer of Breakcore Gives Me Wood and "servants of the apocalyptic goat rave" with music releases on Tigerbeat6, Peace Off, Mirex and Wood.- Discography :* Ganja Bullet / Worst Trade Central * Swingin' in the Rain EP...
of the Belgian Breakcore Gives Me Wood collective were crucial in the development of breakcore
Breakcore
Breakcore is a style of electronic music largely influenced by hardcore techno, drum and bass and Intelligent dance music. Its sound is largely characterized by a high-tempo, well-timed mingling of distorted kick drums , break beats arranged from samples of the Amen break, and audio samples from a...
and Mashup
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
. Nowadays, singer Stromae
Stromae
Paul Van Haver, better known as Stromae [stromaj] is a singer-songwriter of Belgian-Rwandan origin. He has distinguished himself in both hip hop and electronic music...
has been a musical revelation in Europe and beyond, having great success.
African music
Since the early 1980s, African musicians have played an important part on the Belgian scene, especially those from the former Belgian colony of CongoRepublic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
. Congolese-Belgian Princesse Mansia M'Bila, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
n-Belgian Cécile Kayirebwa and Dieudonné Kabongo
Dieudonné Kabongo
Dieudonné Kabongo was a Congolese-born Belgian comedian, humorist, musician and actor. Kabongo co-starred in the 2000 film, Lumumba, portraying Godefroid Munongo. He was the first comedian of African descent to achieve widespread popularity in Belgium.Kabongo was born in 1950 in Katanga, Belgian...
led this wave that soon incorporated Argentine tango
Argentine tango
Argentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of...
music
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
, Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
and other music from around the world. The 1990s saw the emergence of Zap Mama
Zap Mama
Zap Mama is a Belgian musical group founded and led by Marie Daulne. Daulne says her mission is to be a bridge between the European and the African and bring the two cultures together with her music...
, a group of Congolese-Belgian women who played a fusion of Pygmy
Pygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
and other African music with European influences.
External links
Audio clips: traditional music of Belgium. Musée d'Ethnographie de Genève. Accessed November 25, 2010.- BelgianMusic.be Belgian music videos (Dutch only)
- Music in Belgium - Rock, Blues & Folk (French/English)
- The Wack Attack Barrack (English/Dutch)
- Belgian Pop & Rock Archives (English/Dutch)
- Belgian & Dutch Music Archive (Dutch only)
- Metal Events in Belgium
- Belgian Music on YouTube (Extensive collection of videos from various Belgian musicians of all genres)