Based on thirteen interviews with foreign, national, regional, and local folk-pop museum and festival representatives, the article unpacks in what ways these heritage gatekeepers understand folk-pop music as heritage. The authors further analyze to what extent the definitions of popular-music genres as cultural heritage in the diasporas and Slovenia coincide or differ. The analysis shows that the gatekeepers’ understanding of folk-pop as heritage tends to be broader than their heritage activities indicate. Moreover, stakeholders’ assessments of the impact of Slovenian diasporas abroad and foreign influences on Slovenian culture significantly affect their understanding of folk-pop as heritage.
Keywords: folk-pop music, heritage gatekeepers, hybridity, Slovenians abroad, Slovenia

Based on thirteen interviews with foreign, national, regional, and local folk-pop museum and festival representatives, the article unpacks in what ways these heritage gatekeepers understand folk-pop music as heritage. The authors further analyze to what extent the definitions of popular-music genres as cultural heritage in the diasporas and Slovenia coincide or differ. The analysis shows that the gatekeepers’ understanding of folk-pop as heritage tends to be broader than their heritage activities indicate. Moreover, stakeholders’ assessments of the impact of Slovenian diasporas abroad and foreign influences on Slovenian culture significantly affect their understanding of folk-pop as heritage.
Keywords: folk-pop music, heritage gatekeepers, hybridity, Slovenians abroad, Slovenia

To find out how social media is used in contemporary Slovenian folk-pop, the authors have conducted a semiological analysis of the social media activities of the six most popular folk-pop bands. Results show that the bands that are close to mainstream pop are more active than the ones that do not depart stylistically from the older Slovenian folk-pop. Regardless of these differences, all bands in the sample share an emphasis on community and partying: it seems that contemporary folk-pop remains committed to one of the most notable traditionalistic values, community, regardless of their hybridization with mainstream pop. Apparently, what matters is only that the community is partying hard.
Keywords: folk pop music, social media, tradition, community, fun

To find out how social media is used in contemporary Slovenian folk-pop, the authors have conducted a semiological analysis of the social media activities of the six most popular folk-pop bands. Results show that the bands that are close to mainstream pop are more active than the ones that do not depart stylistically from the older Slovenian folk-pop. Regardless of these differences, all bands in the sample share an emphasis on community and partying: it seems that contemporary folk-pop remains committed to one of the most notable traditionalistic values, community, regardless of their hybridization with mainstream pop. Apparently, what matters is only that the community is partying hard.
Keywords: folk pop music, social media, tradition, community, fun

The nationalization of music is more intense in those musical genres that the nation recognizes as traditional. Experts, performers, creators, cultural policy, consumers, and mass media play an important role in this context. Home and homeland are dominant markers of national belonging in their representational image. However, in the contemporary context of migration, the notion of home has also acquired new conceptual frameworks. Based on the findings of contemporary home studies in the milieu of migration, the article compares them with its representations in Slovenian folk-pop music, where home, homeland, Slovenia, longing, mountain, Slovenian places, and mother appear as dominant markers of the national.
Keywords: home, homeland, nationalization, migrations, Slovenian folk-pop music

The nationalization of music is more intense in those musical genres that the nation recognizes as traditional. Experts, performers, creators, cultural policy, consumers, and mass media play an important role in this context. Home and homeland are dominant markers of national belonging in their representational image. However, in the contemporary context of migration, the notion of home has also acquired new conceptual frameworks. Based on the findings of contemporary home studies in the milieu of migration, the article compares them with its representations in Slovenian folk-pop music, where home, homeland, Slovenia, longing, mountain, Slovenian places, and mother appear as dominant markers of the national.
Keywords: home, homeland, nationalization, migrations, Slovenian folk-pop music

Based on quantitative and qualitative methods, the article analyzes the presence of Slovenian and foreign music in Slovenian radio and television media. It pays special attention to the role of media gatekeeping in shaping popular music and musical tastes in Slovenia. The analysis shows that the media selection of music considers specific cultural, social, and political criteria. These criteria are reflected, among other things, in the non-inclusion of “bounce” genres, in the polarization at the level of musical taste, in the regulation of music migration, and in the formation of specific conceptual borders, which gatekeepers both consider and establish.
Keywords: music migration, globalization, media, Slovenian folk-pop, gatekeeping

Based on quantitative and qualitative methods, the article analyzes the presence of Slovenian and foreign music in Slovenian radio and television media. It pays special attention to the role of media gatekeeping in shaping popular music and musical tastes in Slovenia. The analysis shows that the media selection of music considers specific cultural, social, and political criteria. These criteria are reflected, among other things, in the non-inclusion of “bounce” genres, in the polarization at the level of musical taste, in the regulation of music migration, and in the formation of specific conceptual borders, which gatekeepers both consider and establish.
Keywords: music migration, globalization, media, Slovenian folk-pop, gatekeeping