Jewish/Israeli Rock & Pop

Jewish and Israeli popular music mirrors the breadth of the Jewish Diaspora-influences range from Yemen to Poland, from Spain to Ethiopia. It wasn't always that way, however. In modern Israel's infancy, the Zionist vanguard banned rock music; Israeli pop music was inspired by French chansons and Russian ballads. The unstoppable advent of rock 'n' roll in the late '60s gave rise to a slew of bands and artists such as Tammuz, Danny Sanderson, and Arik Einstein. Much of the music today reflects both the influences of American and European culture and the growing immigrant population, combining elements of the diasporic traditions with straightforward rhythms from American rock and dance music.