LengPleng to promote local talent in Radio Oun 2021 edition of Top 100 “Songs of all Time” poll
Just how much music is being made, recorded and released on the Cambodian music scene right now? More than you might expect and LengPleng and Radio Oun’s 2021 edition of Top 100 “Songs of all Time” poll may well show you that in spades.
For the last few years, community radio station Radio Oun (formerly Kampot Radio) has been conducting a poll among its listeners to determine the Top 100 Songs Of All Time which culminates in a big countdown show on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve.
For this year’s edition, live music champion LengPleng.com is mounting a special campaign to ensure the wealth of music being produced in the country is well represented in the Top 100 by encouraging performers with recordings to both share and get involved in nominating tunes to help cast a wide net for voters.
“I was particularly inspired by sitting around at Tacos Kokopelli in Phnom Penh with friends on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve listening to the countdown and cheering on each Cambodian entry,” said Leng Pleng writer (and Radio Oun host) Scott Bywater.
He added, “In the times of the pandemic we have seen many new recordings, Little Thieves, Metta Legita, Ernie Buck, Funan Beat Empire, The Schkoots and even myself to name just a few. I’d love to see them jostling shoulder to shoulder in the top 20.”
2021 Radio Oun/LengPleng Top 100 poll nominations underway
This year’s poll has just kicked off the nominations process which will close on December 15. Following the closing of nominations two weeks of voting will take place.
That’s when music fans everywhere will get the chance to vote their favourites into the Radio Oun Top 100. And don’t be shy about encouraging friends abroad to participate, particularly those who have lived or spent time in Cambodia. Voting is indeed open to anyone, anywhere.
Last year’s results had their share of the usual, stale classic rock radio staples you find on other radio station polls but Cambodian music was strongly represented, especially in the top 30.
The number one tune was the locally written and recorded song “Cheap Charlie” by the team of Sochi and Stan. An honourary “unmention” was awarded to the Table Six Miniature Harmonica Orchestra’s cover of Dead Flowers on the strength of its polling very well but being of not even remotely broadcast quality. One had to admire the tenacity of the Table Six crew and their fans in getting out the vote though! Other notable place- getters included the Cambodian Space Project, Reign in Slumber and Kampot Playboys.
How to nominate your favourite tunes
You can nominate three songs, with your choices only limited by your imagination albeit with a few limitations.
The songs should be under five minutes long, contain no profanity and must be of broadcast quality. If obscure? It’s best to include a YouTube or Bandcamp link. Radio Oun management also reserves the right to approve submissions. You can nominate your choices via their Facebook page or by email to studio@radiooun.com.
A bit of history: The poll and the players
The first Top 100 was held in 2019 on January 26, the Australian national day, an outside broadcast at Chinese House in Phnom Penh, concentrating on Australian and Cambodian music. At the end of that year the field was expanded to include the known universe of music and the date changed to 31 December.
RadioOun is a non-profit social enterprise, an English language radio station that seeks to build community and promote Cambodian music and cross-cultural exchange. Commencing broadcasts in Kampot in May 2017, the station rebranded this year to RadioOun. It plans to set up studios in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in the near future and to extend to a national presence. Programming runs 24/7, with a selection of live-to-air shows throughout the day, including Cambodian classics and several niche presentations.
Through a small monthly contribution through Patreon, you can download and listen on demand to selected shows, such as My House To Yours with DJ Scamper or weekly themed show The Nightfly.
Signing up as a Patreon subscriber will get you extra votes in the 2021 edition of the Top 100 Songs poll by the way.
You can listen to the station live online through your web browser at RadioOun.com or download the Android app from Google Play.
Leng Pleng was established in 2009 as an emailing list for musicians and grew into a well-respected gig guide and resource for both audience and performers.
Weekly editions are released on Thursday afternoons via the LengPleng website and also sent directly subscribers’ inboxes. To become a subscriber send an email to gigs@lengpleng.com.
The original weekly wrap containing news and gig highlights has in recent years expanded to include regular full length interviews, mini-profiles of personalities from the scene and staying up to date with new releases.
In 2019 and 2020, collections of Leng Pleng interviews with local and passing-through musicians were published as Around the Traps: a year in music. A third, understandably thinner, volume will be released in January 2022.
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