Popular Music Press in Kurdish: Ziryab Music Magazine

Authors : Gunay Kochan, Belma Oğul

Pages : 69-81

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Publication Date : 2022-12-29

Article Type : Research

Abstract :This study describes the functions of music press, specifically the ones of music magazines in popular music. As a case study to exemplify the role of music press, it presents an analysis of a specific music magazine called Ziryab. Ziryab Music Magazine is published by some Kurdish rock musicians from Türkiye, who get together around a musical taste with a motivation of cultural activism. Literature review on the role of music press in popular music studies; reading and examining the actual music magazine according to a guide Roy Skuker proposed (2001), also interviewing the editorial board members of the magazine before and after its publishing are the methods used in this study. The interviews and the fieldwork provided us with valuable data to compare these musicians\' "conceptualization about music” and their "behavior in relation to music” (particularly their "verbal behavior”), which are the analytical levels suggested by Alan P. Merriam to use at an ethnomusicological study (1964). Through publishing a music magazine in their mother tongue, these Kurdish musicians serve both to constructing meaning and to representing their discourse on music making. The magazine can be seen as a ground both to indicate the musicians\' musical ideology and to frame their aesthetic values about music in general and Kurdish music in specific. Besides music performances, verbal accounts of musicians, listeners, and music business personnel; online and in print publications aimed for popular music consumers arevaluabledatatoanalyzecriticallyinapopularmusicstudy. Musicpress, music journalism and criticism in popular music, conceptualization of music magazines, and an analysis of Ziryab magazine accordingly, are the topics presented in this study.
Keywords : Music press, Music magazine, Popular music, Kurdish music, Ziryab