World Music Day 2022: History, Theme And 5 Facts About Fête De La Musique

World Music Day, which is also known as Fête de la Musique, is celebrated across the world, usually with street fests, to honour musicians and singers.

World Music Day 2022 is celebrated on June 21 every year.

World Music Day 2022: Music is universal. It doesn’t need a specific place, time or occasion. And it is this universality that the World Music Day celebrates on June 21, the longest day of the year that marks the summer solstice and the beginning of the astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Irrespective of the day of the week, the World Music Day, also called Fête de la musique, is celebrated on June 21 every year.  

World Music Day History

Organised in France, World Music Day was first celebrated in 1982. It is said that Jack Lange, the then French Minister of Art and Culture, along with composer Maurice Fleuret, started Fête de la Musique (festival of music) on the streets of Paris. They reportedly decided to start a day to celebrate music with a special objective to draw the youth towards musical concerts. The first concerts took place on June 21, 1982, at several public locations of Paris, celebrating both professional and amateur musicians from all parts of the country.

The French government supported the idea, making it an official event.

On the European Year of Music in 1985, several other nations adopted this annual concert to celebrate music and artistes. In 1997, a charter was signed in Budapest, and since then, the day has been marked as World Music Day across the globe.

World Music Day Theme

“Music on the intersections” is said to be the theme for the World Music Day this year. 

World Music Day Facts

1. The original idea was to celebrate a day playing free and live music all around

2. On this day, events are organised across the world to encourage young artistes to display their musical talents

3. A postage stamp was dedicated to the World Music Day in 1998

4. According to makemusicday.org, the World Music Day is held on June 21 in more than 1,000 cities across 120 countries

5. The day is open to every kind of musician — young, old, amateurs, professionals. It is supposed to be free and open to the public