Chechnya bans songs deemed too fast or too slow
Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and even The Beatles’ back catalog could be off playlists in Chechnya after the Russian republic instituted limits on musical tempo.
The beat goes on, but much of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and even The Beatles’ back catalog could be off playlists in Chechnya after the Russian republic instituted limits on musical tempo.
From now on, “all musical, vocal and choreographic works,” will be subject to the new limits, the region’s culture ministry said in a Telegram post. Culture minister Musa Dadaev was quoted in the post as saying they should be between 80 and 116 beats per minute (BPM).
It was unclear how the limits would be enforced, but it could potentially rule out much of the modern pop pantheon, most of which would be too fast.
Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off,” and “Cruel Summer” are out, as are Beyoncé's “Single Ladies” and “Run the World (Girls).” However, “Anti-Hero” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” would just about make the grade.
The Beatles “Hey Jude,” would though, be too slow, as would the grandiose Russian national anthem, which is usually played at a tempo of 76 BPM.
Rating: 5