Most Popular Music

[Starlifter]

I'm in my mid forty's. I met my TW in the US and have traveled back with her to the LOS (Issan, Udon Thani area) a few times. Home in the states I listen to classic rock & country music and traditional Thai. From my experience while in Issan land the prevalent music is traditional Thai or what I perceive to be traditional. Going to some clubs I heard what I would consider to be Thai rock. For me personally, I like to see the younger generation remain true to their traditional Thai music roots however, I understand some will adapt to western style i.e. RAP, urban or whatever the correct terminology is.

My question for those who reside in the LOS for longer periods. Do you think western music influence will saturate Thai culture to the point where older traditional music and culture will be secondary? I surly hope not.

For the record, I cringe when I see Thais with urban baggy pants, or anything "western hip hop or gangster" style but this is probably due to my age and/or discontent for what may be hip now.

[mca]

It is quite refreshing to see Thai teens and early twenties enjoying their morlam and luk thung. These tend to be more the dek baanok types though from what I've seen. Back home in England kids of that age wouldn't listen to traditional stuff like that. To be honest from listening to my teen nieces music Korean pop seems to be the music of choice compared to western stuff. They like a bit of Avril Levigne but the Korean Boy/Girl groups are their faves.

[Neeranam]

I'm in my mid forty's. I met my TW in the US and have traveled back with her to the LOS (Issan, Udon Thani area) a few times. Home in the states I listen to classic rock & country music and traditional Thai. From my experience while in Issan land the prevalent music is traditional Thai or what I perceive to be traditional. Going to some clubs I heard what I would consider to be Thai rock. For me personally, I like to see the younger generation remain true to their traditional Thai music roots however, I understand some will adapt to western style i.e. RAP, urban or whatever the correct terminology is.

My question for those who reside in the LOS for longer periods. Do you think western music influence will saturate Thai culture to the point where older traditional music and culture will be secondary? I surly hope not.

For the record, I cringe when I see Thais with urban baggy pants, or anything "western hip hop or gangster" style but this is probably due to my age and/or discontent for what may be hip now.

Good question.

I think NO it won't in the near future but ultimately YES. Many youngsters in Isarn still love Mor Lam and Luuk Toong. I used to work in an Isarn University and was amazed at the love of Mor lam. This was a few years back. There was a wide range of musical tastes - one art student was into Jimmy hendrix and Bob Marley, a lot were into dance music but the majority liked some of the stuff I like - like Nok Noi. Some Thai music for life(like Carabao) was popular.

Not much different to the US with the country music - there are the urban(Khon Kaen) baggy pant <deleted>.

Do you expect young americans to listen to Kenny Rogers or Lightin Hopkins?

[Starlifter]

Do you expect young americans to listen to Kenny Rogers or Lightin Hopkins?

Good point and age dating.

I guess the bottom line for me is I have seen enough change and would like to see more stability (in life). Of course, given the right mood and elixir I can still grove with what ever is playing so I guess at times I want "my cake and eat it too". I just think traditional Thai (and many other cultures) is unique and wouldn't like to see it spoiled.

I guess it is more the "gangster" mentality of some forms of music that I feel adds nothing to established music. Call me old, racist or what ever it just my opinion

[Neeranam]

It's a bitch getting old, ain't it.

There will always be some 'real' music around.

The classics last - I saw a young Thai wearing a Ramones T-shirt recently.

[mca]

Well I've seen a Samlor driver of about 65 wearing a Black Flag "Damaged" T-Shirt and Ramones t-shirts are available at any night market so I'd imagine the wearer has never shouted "LOBOTOMY! LOBOTOMY!!" in his life Neeraman. Unlike my good self.

[Starlifter]

It's a bitch getting old, ain't it.

There will always be some 'real' music around.

The classics last - I saw a young Thai wearing a Ramones T-shirt recently.

Cheers to The Ramones

Old? who's getting old?

Aren't the Ramones still playin'?

[mca]

My daughter used to bounce around in her baby car seat to this a few years ago.

[thai3]

I'm in my mid forty's. I met my TW in the US and have traveled back with her to the LOS (Issan, Udon Thani area) a few times. Home in the states I listen to classic rock & country music and traditional Thai. From my experience while in Issan land the prevalent music is traditional Thai or what I perceive to be traditional. Going to some clubs I heard what I would consider to be Thai rock. For me personally, I like to see the younger generation remain true to their traditional Thai music roots however, I understand some will adapt to western style i.e. RAP, urban or whatever the correct terminology is.

My question for those who reside in the LOS for longer periods. Do you think western music influence will saturate Thai culture to the point where older traditional music and culture will be secondary? I surly hope not.

For the record, I cringe when I see Thais with urban baggy pants, or anything "western hip hop or gangster" style but this is probably due to my age and/or discontent for what may be hip now.

This is rather like asking if western food will become more popular than Thai just because of the Mccrap KFC and pizza chains in LOS, not a chance. Western music has been very influential here since at least the 1930's, probably more so then than now. The instrumentation of lukrung which goes back to that time is 100% western, and it's love themes international, yet it remains very much a Thai style of music and unlike western sounds appealing to the young, the lukrung fan is usually older.

Luktung has also been influenced by western music especially pleng ho or cowboy luktung which used yodeling and many western themes and dress, it's a style that has almost disappeared but can still be heard now and then as in Mangpors Sao luktung from 2007. One of the strengths of Thai music is it's ability to adapt and incorporate foreign influences to it's own use whilst remaining very Thai. Morlam has become very adept at adapting to other styles including other Thai styles. Morlam glawn gave way to morlam mu in the early 1950's, morlam plearn incorporating previous styles was overtaken by morlam cing since the 80's a fast relentlessly driving and sexy version and very popular today. It was driven to adapt due to competition from the large luktung bands from the 50's onwards which made morlam sound old fashioned and not so appealing to the younger elements. Not all Thai music has changed over the years and you can see the results, how many people can name a lair or lam tad singer these days? traditional styles which never changed much if at all.

The most foreign influenced popular Thai style has to be string, but personally I just cannot bear to listen to it and know nothing about it. Songs for life (phua cheewit) is a more listenable style which grew out of student protests in the 1970's but it is anything but protest music today, Carabao is still thought of as playing this style. Recently phua cheewit has been mixed with luktung in much the same way as morlam has been to appeal to a wider audience. R Siam are the main source of this style which not surprisingly they market as luktung/phua cheewit with acts like Aisa, Luang Gai, Bowee, Nu Meter and others.

There have always been fans here of western music here from Cillf and the shadows and Elvis up to modern acts some of which even get CD covers copied as well as musical riffs nicked straight into traditional Thai productions, but rather than overwhelm Thai music I hope and feel western sounds will just carry on being just a useful source of inspiration.

Edited October 11, 2009 by thai3

[bina]

wow. finally a thread answering lots of my own questions...

hubby prefers the carabao types and/or luuk tung; i love old morlum but that is because it is ethnic... and i dont think ethnic is in style yet in thailand. wait ten years when it will become cool to be ethnic and 'go back to your roots' then everyone will suddenly be from a hill tribe or from somewhere in issaan as it will be in style.

meanwhile, can anyone, anywhere tell me or direct me to 'phin' music on cd's besides the touristy cd we picked up in april that was made for farangs (double set of samples of 'traditional thai music) type thing. its a good cd but sort of scholarly. i just want the music. hubby plays 'phin music' on his guiatar tuned to more or less the phin sound.

a lot of thai music has the 'chachacha' rythms in it and anon heard some israeli oldie and said,oh, look, they stole thai music (so ethnocentric, thais) ...

us preferring 'older' thai music is like us preferring the muubaan w/o electricity/running water/internet bannoork. its sort of nostalgia for exoticism. i dont like most of thai rock cause it might as well be eurotrash,though i havent a clue as to american rock anymore since i dont hear any really.

[Mossfinn]

Aren't the Ramones still playin'?

Possibly, but not the originals, all founding members are dead.

[webfact]

Moved to Pub, Fun, Entertainment