Arabesque finds new audience among younger Turkish listeners: Spotify

ISTANBUL

Listeners under 30 make up 77 percent of Spotify’s arabesque streams in Türkiye.

Arabesque music, once associated primarily with older generations in Türkiye, is gaining popularity among young listeners, with streams on Spotify rising 435 percent since 2020, according to data released by the music streaming platform.

In a data report published on Oct. 16, Spotify said listeners under 30 accounted for 77 percent of arabesque streams in Türkiye, with the 18-24 age group making up the largest share. The genre’s streams have grown by more than 31 percent annually since 2020.

Rhea Chedid, Spotify’s editorial lead for the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye, attributed the genre’s appeal to its direct expression of emotions, including heartbreak, love, longing, disappointment and defiance in the face of life’s difficulties.

Speaking to Spotify Selects, Chedid said these feelings transcend generations, allowing young audiences to connect with music recorded decades ago and find personal meaning in its lyrics and emotional intensity. Arabesque’s resurgence has also been fuelled by its interaction with contemporary pop and hip-hop. Remakes of classic songs, samples from older recordings and collaborations across genres have helped bring the music to new audiences.

According to Spotify’s all-time arabesque streaming figures in Türkiye, contemporary singer Semicenk ranks first, ahead of veteran performers Müslüm Gürses and Ahmet Kaya.

Germany ranks second after Türkiye in arabesque streams, followed by the Netherlands and France. Outside Türkiye, listeners under 30 account for 61percent of arabesque streams. Chedid linked some of this interest to Turkish communities living in Europe, while noting that listeners can connect with music’s emotional expression even without understanding its lyrics. Following growing international interest in Anatolian rock and Turkish psychedelic music, she said arabesque could also reach audiences from different cultural backgrounds.

Spotify’s data also showed that arabesque listening in Türkiye peaks at 6 p.m. Chedid recommended that time to newcomers exploring the genre. She expects arabesque to continue crossing musical boundaries, potentially expanding into electronic and dance music as well as pop and hip-hop.