Falling in line: Arab pop music echoes growing political and social constriction

Abstract

Young, sensual and idolized, the Arab pop stars look similar in every
possible way to those of the rest of the world. But in a region particularly
immune and defiant to individual freedoms and political change, those stars
put their glamorous assets at the service of authoritarian regimes in order
to maintain political and moral order, which appear outdated to the Arab
youth – its target audience – and its expectations post 2011.