Bardcore

Bardcore (from the Celtic word “bard” meaning ‘poet’ or ‘storyteller’)[1] or tavernwave is a 2020 internet phenomenon consisting of medievalised remakes of hit pop songs.[2]

For the album BARDCORE (2017), see Library Bards.

History

Prior to 2020, some individual medieval adaptations of popular music had gained attention on YouTube, such as Algal the Bard's version of System of a Down's "Toxicity" which attracted millions of listeners after it was published in December 2017.[3]

However, The Guardian dates the origin of bardcore as a distinct trend to 20 April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, when 27-year-old German YouTuber Cornelius Link released "Astronomia (Medieval Style)". The track is a remake of Tony Igy's 2010 electronic dance track "Astronomia", which had gained widespread attention as the soundtrack to the coffin dance meme.[2]

Link followed this a few weeks later with a medieval-style instrumental version of Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks", which Canadian YouTuber[4] Hildegard von Blingin' (a play on the name of the medieval composer)[5] then re-released with an added vocal track using a medieval-style adaptation of the original lyrics. By the end of June, both versions had reached 4 million views.[2] Hildegard von Blingin' has also covered Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance", Radiohead's "Creep" and Dolly Parton's "Jolene", changing the rhythm and lyrics to fit the genre.[4]

The trend was joined by other YouTubers, including Graywyck, Constantine and Samus Ordicus.[2] Elmira Tanatarova in i-D suggests bardcore "carries with it the weight of years of memes made about the medieval era, and the bleak darkness of that time period that appeals to Gen Z's existential humour."[6]

It has been commented that most examples of Bardcore lack an appreciation of the fundamental defining features of medieval music, such as the use of authentic and plagal modes, opting rather to retain conventional melodies due to concerns that audiences would fail to hear the connection to the original music if altered too significantly. [7]

References
  1. Yalcinkaya, Gunseli (2020-06-23). "Prithee! Bardcore is the medieval music trend taking over YouTube". Dazed. Archived from the original on 2020-07-07. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  2. "Never mind the ballads! How bardcore took over pop music". The Guardian. 2020-06-24. Archived from the original on 2020-07-03. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  3. Dorn, Lori (2020-07-07). "An Incredible Medieval Cover of System of a Down's 'Toxicity' Performed on Traditional Instruments". Laughing Squid. Archived from the original on 2020-07-11. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  4. Romain, Lindsey (2020-07-14). "Medieval Cover of "Jolene" Is a Bardcore Banger". Nerdist Industries. Archived from the original on 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  5. "Q&A Time! Talking Bardcore & Roleplaying with Hildegard von Blingin". Beasts of War Ltd. 2020-06-30. Archived from the original on 2020-07-07. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  6. Tanatarova, Elmira (2020-06-23). "Exploring Bardcore: YouTube's obsession with medieval covers of Lady Gaga". i-D. Vice Media. Archived from the original on 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  7. Roesner, Edward H. (2001). "Rhythmic Modes [Modal Rhythm]". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.
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