Chechen Republic Restricts All Music to BPM 80-116
Orders Music to Align with Islamic Mindset
Slow Ballads and Fast Tempo Songs Banned
The beats per minute (BPM) of BTS's songs "Butter" and "Dynamite" are 110 and 114, respectively. In contrast, Psy's global hit "Gangnam Style" reaches a BPM of 132 due to its distinctive fast tempo. Typically, ballads have a BPM of 100 or less. Music played in fitness clubs usually hovers around 120 BPM, with 140 BPM being suitable for brisk walking, and music exceeding 160 BPM for even faster tempos. Going forward, in the Russian Chechen Republic, very slow ballads or fast-tempo songs will neither be created nor listened to.
Photo by Asia Economy DB
On the 8th, foreign media outlets such as the Daily Mail and Sky News, citing the Moscow Times, reported that "the Russian Chechen Republic has decided to regulate music with very slow or very fast tempos." The Chechen Ministry of Culture recently announced in a statement that "from now on, all music, vocal, and choreography work must conform to tempos between 80 and 116 beats per minute." Earlier, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov instructed Culture Minister Muda Dadayev to "create according to the Chechen mindset."
At a meeting with local public artists, Dadayev conveyed this directive and stated, "Adopting the musical culture of other ethnic groups will not be tolerated." Following government orders, artists must create new music or adjust existing music to comply with the new regulations by June 1. Failure to do so will result in performances being prohibited. Media outlets noted that "in Chechnya, many genres of popular and traditional music already fall within the 80-116 BPM range."
Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, is having a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. [Photo by Russian Government Official Website]
The Chechen Republic is an autonomous republic located in the North Caucasian Federal District of the Russian Federation, with a Muslim majority. Its capital is Grozny.
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