Chechnya Implements Ban on Music Deemed Either Too Fast or Too Slow

Chechnya authorities ban music they deem too fast or slow, criminalizing various genres. The Ministry of Culture, led by Minister Musa Dadayev, announced the ban on their website, in agreement with leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

'Musical, vocal, and choreographic' works will be limited to 80-116 BPM to suit the Chechen mentality and sense of rhythm, Dadayev stated, as per the Russian news agency TASS. Dadayev also expressed that borrowing musical culture from other peoples is unacceptable, as translated by The Guardian. We must preserve and pass on the Chechen cultural heritage to future generations, including their moral and ethical values.

Russian media report that artists must rewrite music by June 1 to align with the new rule, but enforcement details are unclear. Chechnya is a 6,700 sq mi autonomous republic in southern Russia's North Caucasus with a population of about 1. 5 million people, mostly Muslim. Its leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, suppresses dissent since 2007 - nominated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, maintaining a close relationship.

In Chechnya, dissidents, activists, journalists, and their families have faced threats, abduction, detention, and death. Authorities also conducted deadly purges of men believed to be gay or bisexual in 2017 and 2019, as reported by Human Rights Watch. In 2017, Kadyrov claimed, "No gays here." Take any to Canada.

The U.S. The Commission on International Religious Freedom states that Kadyrov's regime uses a distorted version of Islam to maintain control and suppress freedom of religion. Kadyrov's actions violate the Russian constitution and international standards.

Chechnya fought two wars for independence in the 90s and early 2000s, but remains part of Russia. Now it is an ally in the Ukraine conflict, while preserving its language, culture, and strong folklore traditions.

Chechen music includes instrumentals and ballads, but government crackdowns limit modern genres. Electronic music genres like house, techno, and dubstep typically have BPMs over 116, according to Izotope. The average tempo of 2020's top-selling pop songs was 122 BPM, as reported by the BBC.

Meduza, a Russian news outlet, stated that the tempo of the Russian national anthem would be deemed too slow under the new limit, per RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. This permits hip-hop music with a BPM range of 85-95, including songs like Beyonce's ‘‘Texas Hold 'Em‘‘ (110 BPM), the Bee Gees' ‘‘Stayin' Alive‘‘ (104 BPM), Led Zeppelin's ‘‘Stairway to Heaven‘‘ (82 BPM), ABBA's ‘‘Dancing Queen‘‘ (101 BPM), and Taylor Swift's 10-minute version of ‘‘All Too Well‘‘ (94 BPM), among others.