World Music Day 2021

What exactly is World Music Day and why is it celebrated every year?

This holiday started as Fête de la Musique in 1981 and came about thanks to Maurice Fleuret, who was appointed Director of Music and Dance in 1981 by Jack Lang, the Minister of Culture in France. While Fleuret studied the cultural habits of France, he soon learned that no less than 5 million people played a musical instrument at the time, "1 in 2 young people make music", it turned out every other person was a potential musician! 

This inspired his dream to get all these musicians, both experienced performers and amateurs, onto the streets together to create and celebrate a day of music and festivities. This dream became reality a year later in 1982, and so 'Fête de la Musique' was born in Paris.

Back to the present, where every musician is encouraged to make music 'outside, on the streets' during World Music Day. This can even be the street right in front of your house, or a  town square near you, even in public spaces, anywhere. As long as you make music! The primary purpose of this day is to honor both professional and amateur musicians and, above all, to give anyone the opportunity to simply make - and enjoy - music.

In addition, the aim for this day is to organize as many free concerts as possible, so that many different music genres become accessible to a large audience. In most cities that participate in World Music Day, all music events during World Music Day are therefore free to visit and all artists will also perform completely free of charge.

More than 130 countries are now participating in World Music Day, with more than a thousand cities worldwide! That in itself is already wonderful, because music is so universal. It plays a role in almost every country and culture. It's something we can share anytime, anywhere, a language we can all speak and understand. With all the different music genres that exist, there is always something for you to listen to. World Music Day is truly a day to celebrate and above all: to listen!

Music and Gaming

If there are two things that are inextricably linked, it’s music and video games. Many gamers feel instant nostalgia when the first 8 bit sounds of Super Mario Bros scurry out of your speakers. That optimistic twinkle when obtaining a 1up mushroom and that certain hurried melody when get hold of a glittery star and are invincible for just a few seconds. Bet you heard all these sounds in your head just now? Go on, admit it! 

To refresh your memory, here's a complete Classic Games music list. Take that trip down Memory Lane and let the nostalgia fill your ears with these precious gems (or should we say.. Jams?)

Of course, the technology behind video games has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years. Music equally never sits still, electronic music for instance is very innovative and constantly renewing. It makes sense that both Gaming and Music are so intertwined, often this is even very intentional. For example, consider that casinos play special music that encourages you to keep playing. Calm sounds, helping you to optimally concentrate on the game in front of you without being distracted. You are unconsciously affected by it. It’s almost like some sort of hypnosis that keeps you playing the game. 

Now you (probably) don't have a casino at home, but even a game of Candy Crush plays so much better with some chill tracks in the background. Fortunately, there are enough playlists for that, such as the Gaming Lofi list that’s up next. Some of the best tunes for relaxed gaming. Not too much fuss, just easy listening and nice background music so you don't get distracted from your game. Engage your optimal focus with this list: 

The music you hear during your games is much more than just a nice tune to accompany what you see on screen. It’s all completely intentional, perfectly tuned to the images you see and you can’t imagine gaming without it! Some soundtracks have become an integral part of our contemporary pop culture. Nowadays, there are many composers and artists who are more than happy to contribute to the development of soundtracks for video games. For example, listen to this collection nest of Video Game Soundtracks. There is undoubtedly one among them that you immediately recognize. And it’s not just any old fool with a keyboard that made them. These are music professionals.

Right now there are even (online) games where you can actually attend real concerts and performances by artists, all in your favorite digital gaming environment. Fortnite, for example, regularly organizes concerts and Pokémon Go has already collaborated with plenty of famous performers.

We could go on and on about the intricate connection between music and video games. Needless to say, these two are undeniably linked to a point where it really needs no further explanation. You get the point, and if not: there is SO MUCH information to find about this. An interesting topic for sure! 

Now, if you decide to play a video game on World Music Day (or any other day for that matter) then of course you have to keep up with the times. Know what’s hot and all that jazz. Below, you will find the ‘best gaming tracks of 2021’. Because in addition to the latest games, you also want to stay informed about the latest songs. Happy gaming and listening! 

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