Which of these islands has the best music?

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An admittedly arbitrary list with lots left off and some tricky edge cases I decided to ignore. I'd be hard pressed to justify my criteria, but I basically didn't feel like listing every Caribbean or Micro/Polynesian island, plus I have a soft spot for Indian Ocean islands

Poll Results

OptionVotes
Jamaica 18
Great Britain 12
Trinidad & Tobago 5
Japan 5
Cuba 4
New Zealand 3
Ireland 3
Madagascar 1
Other 1
Réunion 1
Iceland 1
Hawaiian Islands 1
Fiji 1
Hispaniola (Haiti + Dominican Republic) 0
Balearic Islands 0
Taiwan 0
Sri Lanka 0
Singapore 0
Barbados 0
Puerto Rico 0
Philippines 0
Cape Verde 0
Mauritius 0
Malta 0
Comoros 0
Cyprus 0
Indonesian Islands (Sumatra, Java) 0
Bahrain 0


rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:29 (three years ago)

Isle of Man - Bee Gees.

Someone left a space telescope out in the rain (Tom D.), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:32 (three years ago)

I did not know that! I'm not entirely persuaded that their albums outweigh the entire output of Jamaica and Japan, but good to know

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:39 (three years ago)

For musical output by island area, I'd say Jamaica has produced one great song for each of its 11,190 sq km, a ratio no other island can match.

the plant based god (bendy), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:46 (three years ago)

Jamaica is the one to beat IMO. But it pains me to admit that Great Britain is pretty hard to ignore here

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:51 (three years ago)

OTM. Per head of population, Jamaica wins in a veritable canter but overall it is Great Britain.

Someone left a space telescope out in the rain (Tom D.), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:54 (three years ago)

What artists does Singapore have?

For how advanced they look economically I have the suspicion the arts are not encouraged there at all.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:56 (three years ago)

Rerun this without the big names imo

imago, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:57 (three years ago)

xp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-66S9JsZro

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 18:58 (three years ago)

xp
Bear in mind if you vote for Great Britain you are also voting for Eric Clapton

Rerun this without the big names imo

― imago, Tuesday, January 25, 2022 1:57 PM (one minute ago)

this crossed my mind but I assumed then few would vote/post

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:00 (three years ago)

may vote "Other (Staten Island)"

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:02 (three years ago)

Off-ballot I’d go with Manhattan.

Cuba has to be a strong contender. More diversity than in comparable islands.

Josefa, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:04 (three years ago)

t/s Neil Finn vs. Bjork

Emanuel Axolotl (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:05 (three years ago)

Cuba's global influence is immense too, possibly comparable to Jamaica's

With apologies to Manhattan, Montreal, and Lagos, I disqualified city islands (that aren't independent states) as it becomes too annoying to figure out when something genuinely originates there

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:08 (three years ago)

Just the amount of great singers Jamaica has produced from a population of under 3 million people is staggering. Then you factor in that it basically was the cradle for the current dominant music genre on the planet and there's no question it's the correct answer.

A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:12 (three years ago)

hey that Xia Ling Ling song is dope, not at all what I was expecting based on the cover image

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:23 (three years ago)

Per capita I’d say Cuba then Jamaica for me, but yeah having UK in there feels like it unbalances the experiment.

I’m ignoring UK and going Cuba.

✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:26 (three years ago)

Xia Ling Ling song is great thanks for that one!

✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:26 (three years ago)

His apology was dumb, fwiw. It should have looked like this:

“I totally agree with you. i had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand.

Gimme little drink / From your Dunkin cup (morrisp), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:28 (three years ago)

Thanks for the reminder morrisp: a vote for GB is a vote for Damon Albarn

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:29 (three years ago)

But a vote for GB is a vote for Pink Floyd and Pink Floyd Rules

✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:30 (three years ago)

Haha, whoops

Gimme little drink / From your Dunkin cup (morrisp), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:37 (three years ago)

Other (Isle of Lucy)

henry s, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:39 (three years ago)

Several of these are archipelagos. (I mean, hello, Japan?)

Imma hold out for a Taking Sides on whether the best music comes from a peninsula vs. an isthmus.

Emanuel Axolotl (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:39 (three years ago)

wait you're telling me the Balearic Islands are more than one island?

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:49 (three years ago)

pfft, rob, just admit that you're prejudiced against atolls.

Emanuel Axolotl (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:51 (three years ago)

an atoll killed my uncle!

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:53 (three years ago)

atLOL

Emanuel Axolotl (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:55 (three years ago)

JA!

For amount of music produced per head of population Iceland is surely next (not that i love very much Icelandic music)

stirmonster, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:55 (three years ago)

NZ South Island wins out over North Island but that's just splitting hairs, as is comparing the musical output of Honshu to the rest of Japan.
Out of interest, has there ever been any rock music originating from Jamaica?

hey mac, see you down the dulce domum (Matt #2), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:01 (three years ago)

That's an interesting question! I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would unambiguously be called rock, but I'd be surprised if the answer really was no.

When I was in Trinidad I hung out with some rad locals who were in a punk band

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:06 (three years ago)

well...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgucqyr-H7M

Emanuel Axolotl (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:08 (three years ago)

If you leave out Great Britain, this is a surprisingly difficult question.

Shout out to Ireland.

immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:19 (three years ago)

not rock per se but the 12" version of this (not on Youtube) SHREDS. This version rocks out quite a bit too but is a lot tamer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbMWMeRj6Fg

X post

stirmonster, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:21 (three years ago)

its been a few years but ive had friends in a few different punk bands each tell me how much they love playing Puerto Rico, even if they dont have a following they get a big appreciative crowds going nuts bc its so rare for a punk band to come through

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:41 (three years ago)

jamaica vs japan for me

voted jamaica

marcos, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:43 (three years ago)

Australia!

alpine static, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:45 (three years ago)

I let the pedants have that one (continent not island), but I mean...really? Australia?

rob, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 20:47 (three years ago)

"Which of these islands has the best literature" is surely Ireland right

flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 21:13 (three years ago)

Also I don't know why anyone would vote UK I mean I love Purcell and Tallis as much as anybody but

flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 21:13 (three years ago)

I voted Cuba

flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 21:14 (three years ago)

Out of interest, has there ever been any rock music originating from Jamaica?

― hey mac, see you down the dulce domum (Matt #2)

Don’t know how much it qualifies but Junior Marvin started as a blues/rock guitar player, even had a rock band called Hanson that was signed to ELP’s label - not that Hanson - and was a guitar session player and appears on albums by Traffic, Fairport Convention and Steve Winwood among others… before joining Bob Marley & the Wailers in 1977

✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 21:35 (three years ago)

Not to be confused with Junior Murvin

✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 21:36 (three years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H4QfpbjTM8

Here’s Hanson

✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 21:39 (three years ago)

wait ... do people not consider Australia an island?

alpine static, Tuesday, 25 January 2022 23:43 (three years ago)

if by people you mean geographers, no

Gimme little drink / From your Dunkin cup (morrisp), Tuesday, 25 January 2022 23:58 (three years ago)

looks like an island to me! water all the way around that mfer.

and The Beths are from there, so i'm writing in "Australia"

alpine static, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:24 (three years ago)

I reckon it can be both a continent and an island.

immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:26 (three years ago)

Not a good showing per square mile

Josefa, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:29 (three years ago)

Says here the Beths are from New Zealand.

immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:33 (three years ago)

GB is pretty undeniable, then something like Jamaica, Japan, Cuba, Indonesia, Iceland but it’s pretty hard to have in-depth knowledge on all those musical histories…

Siegbran, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:39 (three years ago)

xxp that mf'er sits on its own technotronic plate and shit

Gimme little drink / From your Dunkin cup (morrisp), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:47 (three years ago)

It blew my mind when I realized how far New Zealand really is from Australia. It's roughly the same distance as England is from Greece.

Josefa, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:51 (three years ago)

goddammit. The Beths are from New Zealand. i'm an idiot.

anyway, i'm just goofin'. Australia would have no shot in this regardless, and i know that smarter people than me think you can't be both an island and a continent.

alpine static, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:53 (three years ago)

Midnight Oil notwithstanding.

immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 00:54 (three years ago)

Some outliers:
Cyprus - birthplace of Mick Karn, that's about it?
Malta - birthplace of Krokus singer Marc Storace, surely that's it
Taiwan gave us Joanna Wang but nothing else worthwhile I know of (and her best records seem to be made in the US anyway)
Bahrain produced mediocre 80s prog band Osiris, I know of nothing else

Almost certainly some worthwhile folk/trad music releases on Ocora from every island everywhere though!

hey mac, see you down the dulce domum (Matt #2), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 01:24 (three years ago)

Zanzibar - birthplace of Freddie Mercury, surely that's it

Josefa, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 01:28 (three years ago)

for population to quality music ratio, i went with new zealand

Karl Malone, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 01:29 (three years ago)

oh wait, jamaica has 2.9, NZ has 5.0M. i just assumed NZ was like wyoming or something. welp

Karl Malone, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 01:30 (three years ago)

you're thinking of tasmania

ufo, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 01:33 (three years ago)

but also for like, population to quality ratio the answer is surely iceland?

ufo, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 01:41 (three years ago)

Wait, why can't a continent also be an island?

The sensual shock (Sund4r), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 02:35 (three years ago)

Apparently Australia is a continent, not an island, because a) it has its own tectonic plate, and b) its flora and fauna are indigenous and unique, as are the Aborigines.

but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 02:42 (three years ago)

It wouldn't have got my vote in any case, with apologies to Bon Scott-era AC/DC.

The sensual shock (Sund4r), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 02:48 (three years ago)

One of my favorite box sets, and exhibit A for Jamaica:

https://www.discogs.com/master/161595-Various-The-Story-Of-Jamaican-Music-Tougher-Than-Tough

birdistheword, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 02:57 (three years ago)

One of my favorite box sets, and exhibit A for Jamaica:

https://www.discogs.com/master/161595-Various-The-Story-Of-Jamaican-Music-Tougher-Than-Tough🕸


Yep a revelation to me when I got the sampler at my college radio station.

Johnny Mathis der Maler (Boring, Maryland), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 03:03 (three years ago)

Some arguments for Cuba:

https://www.discogs.com/master/193197-Various-Son-Cubano-NYC-Cuban-Roots-New-York-Spices-1972-82

https://www.discogs.com/master/261850-Orlando-Cacha%C3%ADto-López-Cachaito

https://www.discogs.com/master/346152-Rubén-González-Introducing

https://www.discogs.com/master/196099-Bebo-Cigala-Lágrimas-Negras

And Buena Vista Social Club is of course an essential…

And Peruchin and Celia Cruz and Silvio Rodriguez and Orishas and Ibeyi and La Lupe and Mongo Santamaria and Los Zafiros and Grupo Irakere and the Fania label…

✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 03:12 (three years ago)

There is def more to Zanzibar than being Freddy's birthplace. Not sure if that was in jest or not.
https://www.discogs.com/label/565953-Zanzibara

A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 04:24 (three years ago)

It was, sorry, I’m sure Zanzibar’s an interesting place musically

Josefa, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 04:36 (three years ago)

It wouldn't have got my vote in any case, with apologies to Bon Scott-era AC/DC.

Just vote GB, most of them were born there.

Someone left a space telescope out in the rain (Tom D.), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 07:42 (three years ago)

Trinidad and Tobago without any doubt (although I haven't heard music from every island of course)

Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:17 (three years ago)

any excuse to post this, one of the hardest battles ever recorded:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD_l2OVVQsc

nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 13:25 (three years ago)

that's a banger

this Comorian track goes hard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy0pefqQaKM

rob, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 17:58 (three years ago)

Jamaica may be the only one of these (that I know of) where if I put the island's entire musical output on shuffle I'd be tempted to hit "skip" the least. Though New Zealand has produced a huge number of my favorite albums and artists.

I bet most of these islands have made a ton of great music. For example, I know nothing about Cyprus, but a quick google gave me this and it rules:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AWEdNArLnw

Puerto Rico otoh might not hold my interest very long.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 18:10 (three years ago)

that does rule, thanks for posting it

rob, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 18:38 (three years ago)

might check this out late

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCv9Oue6cbE

rob, Wednesday, 26 January 2022 19:02 (three years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Thursday, 3 February 2022 00:01 (three years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Friday, 4 February 2022 00:01 (three years ago)

Antarctica robbed

Bill Kristol Meth (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, 4 February 2022 00:39 (three years ago)

Correct winner

Reader, I buried him (Noodle Vague), Friday, 4 February 2022 00:42 (three years ago)

Atlas Shrugged

Mark G, Friday, 4 February 2022 08:09 (three years ago)

Antarctica robbed
― Bill Kristol Meth (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, February 4, 2022 1:39 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I'll have you know that Antarctica is a continent. Know your plates :D

Nabozo, Friday, 4 February 2022 08:30 (three years ago)

Btw this was inspired by my relatively recent enjoyment of the following comps:

Cape Verde: https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/album/space-echo-the-mystery-behind-the-cosmic-sound-of-cabo-verde-finally-revealed
Comoros: https://comorian.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-an-island-but-we-re-not-alone
Madagascar: https://strutindianocean.bandcamp.com/album/alefa-madagascar
Réunion: https://strutindianocean.bandcamp.com/album/ote-maloya
Mauritius: https://strutindianocean.bandcamp.com/album/soul-sok-s-ga
Jamaican doo-wop: https://deathisnot.bandcamp.com/album/if-i-had-a-pair-of-wings-jamaican-doo-wop-vol-i-iii

― rob, Tuesday, January 25, 2022 7:05 PM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

Thanks for flagging these up, have been enjoying Ote Maloya!

Gavin, Leeds, Friday, 4 February 2022 09:33 (three years ago)

My pleasure, and yes that one is particularly good! Réunion looks like a super interesting place too.

I'd also highlight the Madagascar one for fans of less common time signatures in pop music (a lot of 6/8 and 12/8).

rob, Friday, 4 February 2022 14:32 (three years ago)


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