“Hungarian Music Only” Day to Be Held in May

On May 9, only Hungarian music will be played in many shops, hotels, restaurants, and gas stations across the country. “Él a zene!” (“Music is alive!”) aims to highlight Hungarian songwriters, artists, and songs. The ambassadors of the initiative, supported by the Artisjus Association, are four women who work as a bridge between the songs and the audience, writes Index.

The initiative was launched in 2022, when around a thousand shops in Hungary played only Hungarian music for one day. Last year, it was expanded with more shops, and this year even more have joined in.

Four background music providers – MoodMedia, 3G Multimedia, Music Engine, and KittoMedia – have taken up the cause, and with their help, more than 2,000 shops, furniture stores, fast food restaurants, hypermarkets, hotels, gas stations, restaurants, fitness centers, pastry shops, and lifts will all play Hungarian music on May 9.

Many radio stations and music channels have joined the initiative, including Radiocafé, Manna FM, Hungarian Catholic Radio, Klasszik Radio, and Sláger TV.

Also participating in the program with exclusive play of national artists are more than 100 school radio stations organized by the DUE Media Network. Hungarian music will also be played at the start and finish of the Tour de Hongrie on May 9.

“Él a zene!” has asked four women from the music industry to be ambassadors for the cause, who are doing a lot to bring Hungarian music to the public. The ambassadors are production manager Brigitta Major (stage manager of festivals such as EFOTT, Balaton Sound, and Sziget), Enikő Sebestyény-Gallasz, CEO of digital music distribution company WM Music Distribution, Natália Oszkó-Jakab, head of the Valley of Arts Festival and the Kerekdomb Festival, and Anna Koltay, editor-in-chief of Petőfi TV and co-director of the BP Underground music documentary series.

The program is being organized by the Fülesbagoly Foundation, its main sponsor is the Artisjus Association, and its strategic partners are the Hungarian Recording Industry Association, the Music Hungary Association, and WMMD.

“Music creates both intellectual and commercial value, and the royalties provide songwriters with a way to monetize this value so that new songs are always being written.

It is good to take one day a year to be aware of this, to pay attention to the many places where music is played, and to support Hungarian musicians with our attention,”

Péter Tóth Benjamin Tóth, Artisjus’ Communications Manager, was quoted in the press release.

Via Index; Featured image via Facebook/ByeAlex