**Do Europeans prefer their rock n roll in English? **This question came up decades ago, and I was told that rock n roll in any other language just didn’t cut it. If the answer is still yes, Why?
I can’t speak for all Europeans and/or bands whose songwriters don’t speak English as a first language. However, all the non-English/N. American bands I do know personally prefer to write in English because that’s what the language used in majority of music that one hears over there. Most of their favorite bands are from the UK and N. America. They are used to hearing English and also feel that the music sounds best with the rhythms and rhyming of English. Having said that, though, there are plenty of bands that are popular within their own countries that sing entirely in their own languages. Perhaps that’s another factor: if you want to have any success outside of your homeland, it would help immensely to sing in a more universal language! I love the Swedish band Ebba Grön, but playing them for my non-Swedish speaking friends here is pointless, since the main appeal is in their lyrics.
Hope this helps!
R-n-R
The ONE time I don’t preview…blah de blah!
It should have been: “because that’s the language used in the majority of music that one hears over there.”
It’s still a bit awkward, but hopefully less inept looking!
I don’t know about Europeans, but the big bucks are in english. Spanish is big time too, a closing second. Abba may have been successful in Swedish, but not necessarily filthy rich. Los Angeles is still the biggest player in the world, and it is enriched in both Spanish and English.