Russian pop music remains at the top of the world charts

The song of the Russian group “Aigel” “Pyala”, which gained recognition thanks to the series “The Boy’s Word”, remains at the top of the world charts. And next to it there is a whole series of songs made in Russia. On the growing popularity of domestic pop music in the world – Igor Gavrilov.

December 10 “Pyala” by the group “Aigel” was in first place in the Apple Music popularity lists in ten countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The song was in second place in Ukraine, in third place in Lithuania and Turkmenistan, in fifth place in Cyprus, and also appeared in the top hundred hits in Poland and the UAE.

It is easy to see that all of these are countries with a traditionally strong, and recently even more intensified, presence of Russian speakers. The series, in the credits of which, as Kommersant told on December 4the song “Pyala” is not even indicated, it literally unites the tastes of listeners in Russia and abroad.

These same lists contain Bastawhose version of the song “Alliance” “At dawn” organically fit into the first episode of “The Boy’s Words”, and also “My Michelle”, Anna Asti and other musicians, continuing to work in Russia. And this despite the fact that Western music platforms have left Russia, and in a number of countries of the former USSR access to Yandex. Music” and VK. However, the Apple Music service is still available in Russia and the support of fans at home remains a strong factor in the popularity of Russians on the American platform.

In the Baltic countries, where there were no traces of street gangs, there are now enough people from Russian cities who were once familiar with this problem.

At the same time, radio stations with a Russian-language repertoire continue to operate in the region, that is, the nostalgic background of the soundtrack with “Tender May” and “Mirage” coexists with the usual radio broadcast.

Vilnius Radio-Runtil 2022 – Rusradio, actively informs Ukrainians about the assistance provided in the country and at the same time rotates on the air all the top Russian-language pop – Dabro, Anna Asti, Niletto, Klava Koku, Zivert, Bahh Tee, GAYAZOV$ BROTHER$. In Latvia In the FM range, several stations play domestic music at once. For example, the popular SWH+ wave includes Svetlana Loboda, Varvara Vizbor, Emin Agalarov, Mia Boyka, Bravo, Zemfira (recognized as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation), as well as the duet Filatov & Karas. On May 1st the 25th anniversary of broadcasting was celebrated Estonian “Russian Radio”, which has no relation to its Russian namesake. On its air are Jony, Svetlana Loboda, Bi-2, Zvonky, Lyusya Chebotina and Vera Brezhneva. In fact, Russian-language pop stations have removed from the air only artists who have become the faces of Russian propaganda, and the high-quality hits of those who remain neutral or “canceled” in Russia are played to the fullest.

In Cyprus and the UAE The activity of entrepreneurs of Russian origin is growing. These are people with different political leanings. In Dubaifor example, advertise Dubai Rock Wave Festival, which will take place on January 4 with the participation of the groups “Rondo”, “Earring” and “Meaning Hallucinations”. These are musicians who not only did not emigrate, like Zemfira and Oksimiron (both are recognized as foreign agents in the Russian Federation), who are also expected here during the holiday weeks, but who actively support Russia’s policy in Ukraine.

They have an audience in the business metropolis, so why not please them with songs about a pale bartender, a light in the window and forever young, forever drunk.

“Last year, for obvious reasons, shifts in the mood of European and post-Soviet societies were simply tectonic, but now the population has calmed down and returned to traditional trends” – so in an interview with RBC Evgeny Safronov, head of the InterMedia agency, comments on the return of Russian artists to the Apple Music charts. In his view, ratings in popular music change extremely quickly “following the mood of the population under the influence of the elites.” “The decline in the politicization of culture has returned Russian songs to the charts of post-Soviet countries” is the main conclusion of the recent RBC publicationsdedicated to domestic music in the charts.

Such rhetoric suggests a direct connection between the political agenda and the mood of consumers of a music product. However, what is more important is the quality of the product itself and the convenience of its delivery.

Music lovers, of course, can, following RBC’s interlocutor, be called “a population subject to the influence of elites,” but if the material delivered to them in high-quality packaging like a top-rated series resonates with them, then they will give it their votes; if it doesn’t, the elites won’t will help.

Moreover, popularity in today’s media landscape is something that is difficult to predict. To the rise of “My Marmalade” in TikTok, about which we also wrote on December 4, no elites are involved, this is a pure miracle of the modern information environment. And there are many such miracles, you just need to look closely. Semi-anonymous Russian-language tracks or songs that go almost unnoticed after release, like “Virtual Love” by Tanin Jazz, become global hits on TikTok, which is by far the most influential platform for music promotion. And as far as possible from political trends.