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5 Songs, 5 Languages Because Music Knows No Barriers

Shakespeare, the poet writer, may not have been known or associated with music, but he did caption it brilliantly when he said, "If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die."

By Tiffany HarperPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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Music connects on a far deeper level than people are ready to admit with obstacles such as languages and linguistic abilities pushed to the back burner when chords and rhythms hold sway via emotions expressed in different forms.

This shows that music can't be constricted to any spoken language or defined through the words which a particular section of people finds comfortable to use and understand. Consequently, skepticism about how music is received in a foreign country is flat-out exaggerated by people who concentrate on where it's from rather than let the melodies do the talking. Also, it goes beyond learning to scribble some lyrics.

Without mincing words, here are 5 songs that made a mockery of the idea music could only be enjoyed when you listen to it in the language you understand.

1. "Despacito" (2017) Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee

Described as a "runaway hit" by Billboard, this song by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee took the globe by storm, breaking all sorts of records along the way, including having it streamed more than 4.5 billion times in only six months; but most importantly, connecting to people on a level that transcended the Spanish language with which it was sung.

Also, when the track was released on January 13, 2017, it immediately became the most viewed on Vevo with 5.4 million hits all within 24 hours (the fastest video to reach such numbers). According to one of the reports of Edubirdie review, "Despacito" earned many awards, Grammy nominations, and the plaudits keep on coming.

It had so much appeal that several artists from different countries created remixes out of it. Justin Bieber, the American hotshot, is one of such artists. Again, the Mandarin version of the song featuring JJ Lin was released shortly after.

2. "Gangnam Style (강남스타일)" by PSY

If you haven't heard this song or at least felt the "craze" that came along with it, you probably live on Mars. But who says music won't get there? That's how popular this song was. Released in 2012 by the South Korean pop artsit PSY, "Gangnam Style" was an instant hit and went on to dominate the airwaves before going on to attain great heights with video watching sites like YouTube, earning around 4 billion views! It stands tall as the first video to reach 1 billion views, a record also recognized by Guinness Book of Records. It didn't matter whether the language spoken was Korean. Everyone got hooked on its style, energy and a certain freshness about it. Mark Eagles, the content analyst from Essay services reviews, couldn't even have done enough justice to the wonderful phenomenon that is this song.

The recognition "Gangnam Style" received attracted awards too, such as the World Music Award for World’s Best Song, Golden Disc Award Song Division, and the Billboard Music Award for Top Streaming Song (Video).

3. "Tian Di (天地)" by Kris Wu

If you need to learn a bit of songwriting to appreciate this wonderful piece of art, it's totally worth every bit of time spent. Kris Wu completely surpasses himself with this effort and no doubt the expressions have a connection with people from all over the world. The name of the song is a concept that means 'universe' and is a mix of American style hip-hop and local Chinese imagery.

Released on July 6, 2018, this song went on to achieve a position as high as #16 on the iTunes Charts. Further, the self-directed music video received many views with people around the world including parts of Europe, Asia, and America, going beyond the supposed language barrier posed by Mandarin. One of the research essays by edusson review shows that this song goes deeper than the words behind it and the artistic details.

Interestingly, Kris Wu is Chinese-Canadian and has always sought to use his music to connect the East and the West. There's no better way to do it than with music.

4. "Svefn-g-englar" by Sigur Ros

Some of the college-paper.org reviews are on how anyone who listens to it would provide much-needed insight on how it transcends any language. Released in 1996 by Icelandic Post-rock band Sigur Ros, this song fuses the Icelandic language with artistic imagery language known as Hopelandic.

This means a lot of music fans around the world get to listen to what can be described as a strange sound or even a language that might take years to learn. However, there's no denying its universal appeal. As a number one hit in Iceland, many would have appreciated being recognized locally, but its debut in the UK grabbed attention with many transfixed by the song’s apparent ability to charm every listener.

Yes, it's a bit old but they don't make music like this anymore. Those who have watched Sigur Ros play live will tell you that much.

5. "Tous Les Mêmes" by Stromae

There are many ways to capture inspired lyrics, but Stromae goes one step further by captivating more than the French audiences for this one. Known as the language of love (aptly too), the use of French takes it to a whole new meaning but never loses sight of the message. Released on YouTube on 18 December 2013, this song showcases the world we live in today with the struggle for dominance between male and female.

With over 222 million views and counting, it's easy to see why sometimes the Australian writings review writers see this music as a bridge not only on the language front, but also the social front, especially with Stromae's perfect depiction of different circumstances that plague the male and female quest to remain relevant.

Conclusion

Music more often than not is the universal language everyone can connect to. The songs above clearly show what music means to people all over the world, irrespective of the language they speak.

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About the Creator

Tiffany Harper

Tiffany Harper began her career as a journalist in the educational publishing house. Now she works as an experienced expert writer, mostly in education, business, and technology area. Please, contact her on Twitter.

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