The attributes and values of folk and popular songs

Popular songs and music, which came to be known as rigsar, began to develop in Bhutan in the late 1960s, and they have gradually become part of a new entertainment culture. There has been an unprecedented growth of lyricists, singers, musicians and composers who have, within a short period of time, created a market for themselves. However, the development of rigsar songs is not a logical continuation of the folk song tradition. There is an abrupt rupture between the nature and treatment of subject, theme, form, style, tune and music of the traditional folk song and rigsar. Greatly influenced by non-Bhutanese songs and music from the very beginning, rigsar songs are not differentiated as culturally representative. They are very popular particularly among the urban youths. Young boys and girls in rural areas are increasingly learning and singing them. Most of the music studios are specialising in producing them and therefore, they are much more available than traditional songs.