10 Popular Bands And Performers From Eastern Europe

Yes, it can sometimes be hard to understand what they’re singing about (unless, of course, you’ve predicted the shift in Europe’s cultural centre in the coming decades and have therefore already started learning Ukrainian, Polish, Hungarian, Czech, or another language from Eastern Europe). But that’s not really necessary, as the language of good music is universal, and the unfamiliar human language layered on top only adds an intriguing charm to the songs.

Polish disco polo, Hungarian hip-hop, Ukrainian folk, Romanian heavy metal, Czech R'n'B—the map of musical styles and genres in Eastern Europe resembles a patchwork quilt, so every music lover will find something cosy and pleasant to “wrap up in” during long, cold evenings. Because let’s face it: summer is ending, and next week—autumn begins.

Sobel

Szymon Sobel is a well-known star of the modern Polish music scene. He is often referred to as a rapper, but the 22-year-old not only raps well, he also sings well, writes lyrics for his songs, and works as a composer and producer. Many in Poland don’t like his rebellious character and various antics, but almost everyone loves the single that catapulted Sobel to fame in 2019—"Impreza". This song will appeal both to those seeking an atmospheric musical backdrop for a party and to fans of catchy tunes that are hard to get out of your head. And also—to adherents of the series Rick and Morty. 

Ben Cristovao

Modern rappers usually try their best to look cool—like a revolver still smoking after Clint Eastwood’s perfect shot. But in reality, most of them have their meals prepared and clothes bought by their mothers. Czech Ben Cristovao is certainly not one of them, as in addition to his music career, he also professionally practises Brazilian jiu-jitsu (including winning prestigious medals like bronze at the Asian Championship or gold at the Madrid Open). Before taking up martial arts, Cristovao was also into snowboarding and even won the Czech Cup in 2006. In short, when an artist is truly cool—both as a musician and as a man—then his singing also sounds cool. Listen here. 

KAZKA

Probably one of the most famous bands from Ukraine in the world. Their popularity was brought by the music video for the song "Plakala"—the video was released in 2018 and immediately went viral on YouTube, gathering an incredible 459 million views for Ukrainian-language music. This song is about the ability of women to forget bad memories through bitter tears and start a new life. It's just a pity that the tears of Ukrainian women can’t erase the memories of what Russians did in Bucha, Mariupol, Izium, and many other Ukrainian cities—here, it’s not tears that will help, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine, equipped to the teeth with the latest Western weapons. But the fact remains: Putin started his genocidal war by declaring that Ukraine and the Ukrainian language don’t exist at all—but this music video and its extraordinary global popularity testify to the contrary. 

Dawid Podsiadło

In 2011, the then very young Dawid Podsiadło entered the Polish X Factor, but was quickly eliminated. In 2012, he made it to the final and became a laureate, performing together with Georgian-British singer Katie Melua her melodic hit "Better Than A Dream". By 2013, Podsiadło released his debut album Comfort and Happiness, which went diamond. Since then, the Polish singer's career has only gone up, eventually leading him to the status of a national treasure. But Podsiadło remains a simple, friendly guy who, among other things, loves to sing nostalgic songs about small towns and ordinary working-class people. 

DZIDZIO

“Dzidzio” means “grandfather” in the Western Ukrainian dialect, but it’s also a comedic musical character and the creative alter ego of artist Mykhailo Khoma. In Ukraine, everyone loves DZIDZIO for his lush, quirky beard (it looks fake, but the singer swears it’s real), traditional Hutsul hats, and unstoppable anti-glamorous dance pop. If you feel stuck in your work routine, if life seems completely joyless, if you’re on the verge of that notorious Japanese “karoshi” (sudden death from overwork)—then urgently put everything aside, tell your boss you’re sick or something, and immediately turn on DZIDZIO’s most popular music video, aptly named Vykhidnyy ("Weekend"). 

CARGO

In the third decade of the 21st century, what was once the dominant genre in world music—heavy metal—sounds like the rattling dentures of an old, frail man. However, the further you get from the UK and the US, where this genre once created a true revolution, the more tenacious it proves to be. For example, the Romanian band Cargo was founded back in 1985—and they are still actively making music. One might think that the secret to their exceptional longevity lies in drinking the blood of their young female fans (after all, this is Romania, the birthplace of Dracula)—but none of the rugged men seem to have particularly prominent fangs. Most likely, the secret of their 40 years of boundless energy lies in their cool, powerful, and energetic songs. 

After Party

This musical group has been playing in the disco polo genre for over a decade—a purely Polish musical phenomenon that originated from traditional urban folk music, usually performed at weddings and picnics, right on the pavements and at bus stops, and even during elections, as was the case during Aleksander Kwaśniewski's presidential campaign. In short, Poles listen to disco polo when they don't want to delve into complex music or ponder philosophical lyrics—they just want to dance, let loose, and have fun. It’s simple: listen to After Party’s main hit Nie daj życiu się and decide for yourself if it gets you going. 

WEEKEND

Did you enjoy disco polo from After Party? Then you can top it off with another Polish boy band—Weekend. On Polish YouTube, all the most popular music videos are in the disco polo genre, and the video for Ona Tańczy Dla Mnie is the undisputed leader in views (142 million). In 2016, it even made it into the Top 100 best hits in the world. Their "O-o-o-o!" will keep ringing in your head long after a single listen. Because that’s how disco polo works—you hear it somewhere unintentionally, and you remember it forever. 

Halott Pénz

Today, Hungary is often associated with its prime minister and Putin’s close friend—Viktor Orbán. But it shouldn’t be that way. Hungary should be associated with something good, bright, and kind—with beautiful cities, interesting people, and quality music, like that played by the band Halott Pénz. Some call their style avant-garde hip-hop, others consider it anthems for intelligent parties. And some simply love Halott Pénz for their guitar riffs, or their black sunglasses, or their light humour and romantic-philosophical lyrics. Listen to their most popular YouTube hit Darabokra törted a szívem and find out what makes you love this Hungarian hip-hop. 

Okean Elzy

It’s interesting that Svyatoslav Vakarchuk’s band, which has epitomised Ukrainian music culture for several decades, was originally created as a generator of songs for women aged 35+ and children from patriotic families (a strange combination of target audiences, but legend has it that’s exactly how it was). Nowadays, however, women of all ages are fans of Okean Elzy’s hits, along with men and children. This is because the language of the band’s songs is, secondarily, Ukrainian, and primarily, the language of good music, thanks to which millions have genuinely fallen in love with the “nightingale language” since the late 90s. This year, Okean Elzy plans to release their first English-language album in their history. It probably won’t be difficult to do, as Vakarchuk is often teased in his homeland for singing in Ukrainian with his signature fake English accent. I wonder—will you hear it?