Open Letter to Music Aggregators and Streaming Platforms: A Call for Recognition of Calypso and Soca Genres

Dear Aggregators and Streaming Platforms,

We write to you as passionate advocates for preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage embedded within Calypso and Soca music. For over three decades, these genres have not been afforded the respect and proper recognition they deserve within the global music industry, especially their classification on streaming platforms. It is time for this to change.

Despite the profound impact of Calypso and Soca on music worldwide, these genres remain absent from many music genre lists, while their sub-genres and derivatives have gained recognition. Soca, a vibrant offshoot of Calypso, along with Rapso—its musical sibling—have evolved significantly over the years, with Soca now standing on its own as a globally influential genre. Additionally, emerging sub-genres such as Chutney Soca and Neo Kaiso have grown in popularity and deserve acknowledgment on the same platform.

The continued mislabeling and exclusion of these genres from streaming platforms is a disservice to the artists, music lovers, and future generations who will be misinformed about these styles' historical and cultural significance. Today, leading Calypso and Soca artists are often forced to categorize their work as Reggae, Dancehall, World, International, or Caribbean to ensure their music reaches a broader audience. This misclassification is not only a hindrance to their creative expression but a blatant disregard for the history and roots of these iconic genres.

Calypso music, over 100 years old, and Soca, which emerged in the late '70s to early '80s, are foundational to the cultural landscape of the Caribbean and beyond. It is disheartening to see that genres that emerged much later are already recognized while these two timeless styles are still overlooked.

We urge you to immediately rectify this oversight and add Calypso and Soca, along with their sub-genres—Rapso, Chutney Soca, and Neo Kaiso—to the genre list. This change would honor the artists and communities that have nurtured these genres and allow for a more accurate and respectful representation of global music on your platforms.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to seeing these genres given the recognition they rightfully deserve.

Sincerely,

Samuel Archer