Sevdalinka Influence

The Turkish influence on the music played in former Yugoslavia was mostly evident in the region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as Islam was widely adopted by majority of the population. There was a rigid division between the style of music in the village and the one in the town. The village style was composed of rough harmonies and influential rhythms, while the town style exhibited a more sophisticated melody, containing a Western component. Sevdalinka, or love song, is the most common form of urban music. It depicts an atmosphere of regret, as the lyrics are filled with faith of betrayal. The origins of the love songs lie in the combination of songs of the Slavs and the musical forms brought upon by the Turkish invaders. Popular music was used as a weapon of war during the separation of Yugoslavia. During the Yugoslav Wars, prison camps used music as a form of humiliation and violence. A common torture technique was to force prisoners to sing patriotic songs. Music was played loud to harass enemy troops during breaks from combat. During war time, seen as a military asset by entertainment industries and armed forces. Music was commonly used for morale purposes. Entertainers were meant to bring upon the soldiers patriotic spirit, even in front line of the army. In turn,

After the death of Marshal Tito in 1980, the sense of unity faded away as the population became uncertain about the future of the country. Former emphasis on unity among the diverse groups gave right to emphasis on differences between the groups. Forbidden music cassettes consisting of music that emphasized separate nationalities suddenly became available. The general public began to identify more with their own nation, whether than with the country as a whole. One of the first bands to perform and record Croatian songs that were formerly forbidden for political reasons was the band "Zlatni