That depends on what you’re looking for. Do you value innovation or tradition? Do you want insider acclaim or crossover success? Is your aim to maxi

The Most Important City in the History of Music Isn't What You Think It Is

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2023-02-04 00:00:09

That depends on what you’re looking for. Do you value innovation or tradition? Do you want insider acclaim or crossover success? Is your aim to maximize creativity or promote diversity? Are you seeking timeless artistry or quick money attracting a large audience?

I will make a case that medieval Córdoba had more influence on global music than any other city in history. That’s probably not something you expected. But even if you disagree—and I already can hear some New Yorkers grumbling in the background—I think you will discover that the “Córdoba miracle,” as I call it, is an amazing role model for us.

First, I need to provide some background on the sources of musical innovation. Over the course of three decades of research into this matter, I kept encountering new styles of song emerging in unexpected places—but these locations always had something in common.

These epicenters of musical innovation are always densely populated cities where different cultures meet and mingle, sharing their distinctive songs and ways of life. This intermixing results in surprising hybrids—new ways of making music that nobody can foresee until it actually happens in this hothouse environment.