Is soca music "maturing" ?

I've been asked ( by Claude Gonzales ) my opinion about the winning composition ( not arrangement ) at panorama 2018.

This question is in keeping with some of my recent thoughts , which I would like to share.
That composition happened to be " Year for love " , sung by Voice.


It is no coincidence that the winning panorama tune happens to be one of the sweetest soca melodies heard in years.
As one who has been critical of modern soca music in the past , I mast admit that I’m seeing positive changes in the art-form.
As a matter of fact , it seems that among the new crop of soca tunes over the last few years, the genre apears to finally be maturing , as some singers are moving away from just dance grooves of vocals , tempo and rhythm , to more melodic tunes, and even messages reflecting the genre's calypso roots.

This is also making the music more appealing to steelbands and their arrangers , and hopefully may even give the music "legs" to cross over into music's mainstream.


Since where I live I'm obviously not bombarded on a daily basis with soca on the radio , I have to actively search out soca via other media to stay current with the culture , and lately I've found among the latest crop of soca a few tunes  far more pleasing to my old ears , than in the past.


Of course , like hip-hop , the music tends to "mature" as star artists and their audiences grow older ( and can't "wine" as much :) ), and that may also be happening to soca !

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  • If the winning roadmarch was soca the answer is no

  • Not sure who the responsible person or persons are but with so much pan music in the archives of these members maybe a once a week  internet pan show can be organized, either audio or video, maybe both ??

  • I myself never knew, always look at their you tube past panorama events. Hopefully one of these guys can post Starlift steelband 'The Robot' 1979 panorama,or point where you can hear audio of this fantastic arrangement.

  • Dimanche Gras 2018 - Calypso Monarch Finals - Voice - Year for love - Firepower Fireworks

  • Aaron Duncan - "Better Days" (Official HD Video) [ Soca 2018 ]

  • Glenroy: In for a PENNY in for a POUND!!! I would also like to hear your opinion about the winning Panorama arrangement of this song.

    (For those of you who do not know it, Glenroy Joseph is one of the most devoted lifetime students of CALYPSO and STEELBAND. And probably the world's most prolific archivist of the music on a global scale. Almost anytime you find a Calypso or Steelband Video on YOUTUBE -- it was UPLOADED by Glenroy Joseph!!!)

    • Got to correct you , Claude.

      When it comes to posting videos and promoting our culture on the internet, ODW (IsDePaninMe) is The Man , numero uno , and way ahead of the rest of us..

      I have so much respect for his continuing contributions to our culture.

      Thank you , ODW.

      • Glenroy: You are always chiding me, so I will return the compliment.

        Please note by qualifiers: "one of the most" and "probably" and "almost anytime" -- But if you say we give NUMERO UNO to "IsdePaninme" then I will do that. Either way, both you guys have made a HELL OF A CONTRIBUTION to globalizing and making the music accessible for the world to see and hear.

        Well I had NO IDEA that ODW was ISDEPANINME -- thanks for letting me know that!!!

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