The Awakening of Islamic Pop Music - Paperback

by Jonas Otterbeck (Author)

Awakening - an Islamic media company formed in London - has created the soundtrack to many Muslim lives during the last two decades. As the company celebrates their first 20 years in the industry, Jonas Otterbeck examines their remarkable rise to success and their established reputation as one of the most important global enterprises producing pop music inspired by Islam. Otterbeck thoroughly describes the history and development of new Islamic popular music genres, in particular pop-nashid and Islamic pop, for the first time. He argues that Awakening - a company with the ambition to portray itself as Islamic - is best understood in relation to the ethical turn in Islamic thinking. In this way, he explores how the Islamic pop industry is, in effect, altering the very formulations of Islamic thought.

Back Jacket

Examines how the making, marketing and performance of new Islamic music genres relate to Islamic discourse and thought Awakening - an Islamic media company formed in London - has created the soundtrack to many Muslim lives during the last two decades and has produced superstars like Sami Yusuf and Maher Zain, among a host of other artists. As the company celebrates its first 20 years in the industry, Jonas Otterbeck examines Awakening's rise to global success and their pop music inspired by Islam. Providing the first thorough description of the history and development of new Islamic popular music genres, in particular pop-nashid and Islamic pop, this book argues that Awakening is best understood in relation to the ethical turn in Islamic thinking. In analysing the turn to ethics, the book explores how the Islamic pop industry is, in effect, altering the very formulations of Islamic thought. Closely examining the ethical masculinity of the Awakening artists, alongside their personas in songs, on stage and via social media, the book analyses how popular culture and the creative arts challenge and help change Islamic (re)thinking. Key Features - Uses Awakening as a case study to explore the relationship between Islamic popular music genres and wider Islamic discourse - Supported by fieldwork, content analyses of songs, videos, social media and interviews - Includes new perspectives on celebrity culture among Muslims and its connection with ethical Muslim masculinity - Offers an original analysis of the contribution of popular music to the development of contemporary interpretations of Islam

Author Biography

Jonas Otterbeck is Professor of Islamic Studies at the Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, London. Prior to this, he was Professor of Islamic Studies at Lund University, Sweden, and Lecturer in International Migration and Ethnic Relations at Malmö University, Sweden. Over the last twenty-five years, he has engaged in research about contemporary Islam, often with political relevance. He has published on the situation of Muslim pupils in Swedish schools, the identity constructions of Muslim youth and their understanding of Islam, the representation of Islam and Muslims in Sweden, Islamic revivalist discourse, active citizenship among Muslims, and the relationship between European states and Muslim organisations. His research has also focused on music censorship and artists' right to expression. Among his many publications are the books Muslims in Western Europe (together with J. Nielsen, Edinburgh University Press, 2016) and numerous articles in journals such as Popular Music and Society, Contemporary Islam and Ethnic and Racial Studies.