Welsh Language Music Day Date in the current year: February 9, 2024

Music has always been an important part of Welsh national identity. The country has even been nicknamed “the land of the song”. Welsh folk music used to be a form of communication and played an important role in traditional festivals, rituals and ceremonies. Sadly, the annexation of Wales by the Kingdom of England in the 16th century resulted in the suppression of Welsh folk music due to the active promotion of the English language.

The Welsh Methodist revival of the 18th century led to the development of Welsh religious music and choral singing. The second half of the 19th century saw the revival of traditional music and eisteddfodau (Welsh music and literary festivals), as well as the development of secular music. Many of the Welsh classical pieces created in the late 19th and early 20th century were based on folk songs and dances.

The rise of popular music in Wales began in the mid-20th century, when a number of radio stations started to broadcast Welsh language programs. Today, Wales has a flourishing Welsh-language music scene that embraces multiple genres, including rock, pop, electronic music, and hip-hop.

Welsh language music gigs attracts large crowds, but they tend to be covered mainly by the Welsh-language media. Welsh Language Music Day was created to rectify this and promote Welsh language music and music events among wide audiences and have them covered by the English-language media.

Welsh Language Music Day is an annual showcase of Welsh music that was founded in 2013 by Welsh radio and television presenter Huw Stephens. A fluent Welsh speaker, Stephens wanted to promote the Welsh language music scene by organizing a music festival in his home town of Cardiff, as well as hosting events dedicated to Welsh language music in other cities across the United Kingdom and even abroad.

Welsh Language Music Day is supported and promoted by the Welsh Government, BBC Cymru Wales, Sŵn Festival (also founded by Stephens), Clwb Ifor Bach (Cardiff Welsh-language club, community center, music venue and nightclub), Forté Project (Welsh artist development scheme), Big Little Fish (family-friendly micro-festival/rave for adults with children), and other organizations across Wales.

If you happen to be in the UK in early February, see if there are any Welsh Language Music Day events near you and attend one or maybe more. There also are alternative ways to celebrate the holiday for those who cannot attend live events. For example, you can discover Welsh music yourself by browsing YouTube or Spotify, introduce your friends to Welsh music, compile a Welsh music playlist and share it on social media, and even make a resolution to study Welsh. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #WelshLanguageMusicDay and #DyddMiwsigCymru.