this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2026
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[–] Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com 70 points 3 weeks ago

All the accent gets magically sent to British rappers

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 42 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's true. Singing pretty much proves they're faking it.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 18 points 3 weeks ago

When nobody else is around, they speak normally, the way pretty much everybody else talks.

[–] unknownuserunknownlocation@kbin.earth 29 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Interestingly enough, when you're talking classical singing, it's the American accent that disappears.

[–] spankysalmon@fedinsfw.app 9 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

In favor of what? Legit question, I'm not that cultured.

[–] CannonFodder@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Canadian.
Seriously, not the east coast Canadian 'aboot' but like southern Ontario is as neutral as it gets.

[–] spankysalmon@fedinsfw.app 3 points 3 weeks ago

I ... also don't think I'm cultured enough to understand that answer. Sorry.

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

What we'd culturally call "good" singing is about producing a loud, clear, consistent note. The best way to do so is to open your mouth wide with your tongue out of the way. When you do this the sound you make is "ah" (like when a dentist says say "ah")

Therefore "when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie" when sung is closer to "Wan tha moon hats yar eye lark a bag pazza pie".

As accents are mostly vowel sounds, it tends to wipe out accents in favour of musicality.

This is generally speaking, not applicable to every singer and every song and every word and every note.

[–] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago

This is true. Or opera

[–] yoshi@lemmy.today 28 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I heard an interview with Mick Jagger where he said that he sounded American singing and English talking because he learned to sing by emulating American singers and picked up their pronunciation.

[–] djdarren@piefed.social 23 points 3 weeks ago

I once heard Ozzy Osborne answer a similar question with "Because it would sound bloody stupid if I sang in a Brummie accent".

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 23 points 3 weeks ago

Because singing is basically its own accent.

[–] arctanthrope@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

but American singers also tend to sound more British, because they often sing without rhoticity, i.e. without pronouncing R's that follow vowels, and are not followed by another vowel, e.g. pronouncing "larger" like "laja"

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago

🎢 And that makes you laja than life! 🎢

[–] Jobe@feddit.org 13 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)
[–] uniquethrowagay@feddit.org 4 points 3 weeks ago
[–] Magnum@infosec.pub 4 points 3 weeks ago
[–] modus@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

My feelings for you are those of indifference.

[–] AndyMFK@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Idk, all the British bands and solo artists I like definitely sound British. Maybe this only applies in pop music?

[–] cattywampas@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

I think it really depends on the individual more than anything.

[–] Zensate@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

🎢 Never moind I'll foind...🎢

[–] db2@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago
[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

I've read it's because singing and speaking are handled by different parts of the brain. Accents are regional, inside your head as well.

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] brosaph@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

https://youtu.be/gpuh1WE-RVw This popped in my head when thinking of british accents in songs. Bowie comes to mind too.

[–] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Imagine singing in Brummie

[–] NoForwadSlashS@piefed.social 7 points 3 weeks ago

You don't have to imagine: The Streets