Singapore’s music is stuck in the eighties

Iconic eighties band Duran Duran go down a storm in Singapore

I love Singapore, I may have said that a few times in these blogs but there is one thing that I miss about London in comparison, yes, just one thing. Music.

I love music. Hearing all about the amazing itunes festival with an amazing line up of bands this year at the Roundhouse just yards from where I used to live reminds me of how that just doesn’t happen in Singapore. Worst than that they actually are stuck in the eighties when it comes to radio and supermarket muzak.

Every cab you go into and virtually every mall and shop is playing eighties music. So much so that if you want to listen to contemporary music you have to listen to US/UK/Australian radio stations on line. Listening to XFM, LIVE365, Absolute and the like in the middle of the day with them broadcasting in the middle of the night is a unique experience! The reasons are unclear as to why there is very little contemporary music played in Singapore, eighties music is very safe and uncontroversial which fits the Singapore brand. However to really promote the edgy and contemporary side of Singapore and it’s ever increasing outspoken youngsters they are going to have to move on from this and come up to date. A Singaporean itunes festival would be ground breaking but as you can’t officially get any music through itunes here that seems unlikely…..