Iraqi Pop Music?

[mushrat]

Im trying to do up a new list for the local hookah lounge. Can anyone recommend music 20 something Iraqi customers might like? I'm also going to sit down with some of them to help with the list but i wouldnt mind y'all's input as well.

[Tyler]

Can never go wrong with Feyrouz lol

[mushrat]

already got that one..

[Epoch]

Honestly, a lot American and European pop music is probably still a safe bet.

[no longer welcome]

ok, I will chime in as best as I can. I am not an expert but this is what I see when I go to "middle eastern" places. Most of the people that are as different as they are the same, are from what hassouni likes to call the levant, which is, and again, I'm not an expert, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, hass, help me if I am wrong. Other people people included in the groups of people that are as much similar as they are different are Egyptians,Saudi's, other "gulf state" Arabs. What they all have in common is that they speak the same language, but with different dialects.
The most popular music, imo, comes from Egypt and Lebanon. There is also great music from Iraq and Syria, and since you asked for Iraqi music, the one I know best is right here, just youtbe the rest of his music and you'll find it would make great hookah lounge music, for me anyways:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jthl4IwXpE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jthl4IwXpE[/url]
Hass will definitely be able to add to the list of Iraqi music, as that is all I have.

As far as Lebanese music, in case you care, and most "other" Arabs will enjoy are Fares Karam, George Wassouf, melhem zein, youtube is your best friend right now.
Egyptian old music, the classic Oum Khalthoum, great 40 minute songs. They also have Ihab Toufic and Amr Diab, which are more modern.

It just depends on what you want, I like the older music, not the new pop stuff so much.

Hopefully Hass will chime in on more Iraqi music.

And if you really want to go pop/cheese/not so bad/not so good/easy/not talented but can still be considered "good talent" and on the eyes, youtube Haifa and DOminique Hourani.

Let me know how it works out. It's all about your customer base, just ask them.Take notes, and youtube.

[Hassouni]

Im super tired so will chime in tomorrow, but YEEESS ILHAM AL MADFA'I!!! Khuttar is one of his best known songs. He's an Iraqi legend. Also check out Kathim al-Sahir (many spelling variations on that one)

[mushrat]

cool..thanks and keep the ideas coming. Im looking for pop/dance mostly.

[Hassouni]

[quote name='HookahJohn' timestamp='1331946326' post='542751']
ok, I will chime in as best as I can. I am not an expert but this is what I see when I go to "middle eastern" places. Most of the people that are as different as they are the same, are from what hassouni likes to call the levant, which is, and again, I'm not an expert, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, hass, help me if I am wrong. Other people people included in the groups of people that are as much similar as they are different are Egyptians,Saudi's, other "gulf state" Arabs. What they all have in common is that they speak the same language, but with different dialects.
The most popular music, imo, comes from Egypt and Lebanon. There is also great music from Iraq and Syria, and since you asked for Iraqi music, the one I know best is right here, just youtbe the rest of his music and you'll find it would make great hookah lounge music, for me anyways:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jthl4IwXpE[/media]
Hass will definitely be able to add to the list of Iraqi music, as that is all I have.

As far as Lebanese music, in case you care, and most "other" Arabs will enjoy are Fares Karam, George Wassouf, melhem zein, youtube is your best friend right now.
Egyptian old music, the classic Oum Khalthoum, great 40 minute songs. They also have Ihab Toufic and Amr Diab, which are more modern.

It just depends on what you want, I like the older music, not the new pop stuff so much.

Hopefully Hass will chime in on more Iraqi music.

And if you really want to go pop/cheese/not so bad/not so good/easy/not talented but can still be considered "good talent" and on the eyes, youtube Haifa and DOminique Hourani.

Let me know how it works out. It's all about your customer base, just ask them.Take notes, and youtube.
[/quote]

John is pretty much right in all of this. If you want non-Iraqi and generally Arab stuff, Lebanese and Egyptian is where it's at, though there's AWESOME stuff from Algeria too. Please let me know because I have several recommendations.

As for Iraqi, the two biggest stars are Kathim al-Saher (spelling varies immensely on this name, maybe try searching in Arabic: كاظم الساهر ) and Ilham al-Madfai, who John mentioned. Remixes of his are quite dancey if you can find them. Iraqi pop is sort of not well developed, for obvious reasons, though there's a ton of great traditional music. Some pop stars off the top of my head are Rida al Abdullah, Hatem al Iraq, Shatha Hassoun, and Adel Ugla.

[mushrat]

lookign for Iraqi specifically..got a group that hangs out at the lounge who want more Iraqi music. Told them to bring me some and id put it on the play list. And i know i have the song Kuttar.

[TheScotsman]

I gotta say, I have really enjoyed listening to a few of these. Not music I would normally have ever found on my own. Thanks

[Yensiden]

Ah, new playlist for the lounge? I have some upbeat dance/hip hop tunes we listened to at the old hookah bar we used to go to on campus at Campbell. It's Punjabi, Hindi, maybe Arabic (I honestly have no idea) but I can show you what I have next time I see you there if you'd like to take a look. It might be a little too hip-hopish than what you're looking for though...

This is Jon by the way, just met you last week at the lounge.

[mushrat]

cool...bring it by. Good to see you on the forum.