As I ponder the question of why skiing hasn’t spawned its own musical genre, I’m struck by the contrast with surfing. See, surfing has a deep cultural history that’s inextricably intertwined with music, specifically surf rock. Think electric guitars and that distinctive sound that screams ’60s California beach culture. The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, Jan, and Dean – these are the names that come to mind when you think of surf rock. The style is characterized by its bright and clean electric guitar sound, upbeat rhythms, and an overall sense of fun and excitement.
Now, alpine regions do have traditional music stylings, like in the Alps, where alpine yodeling is still a major feature of folk music. But the genre is more tied to the region and not the sport.
So how did this come to be? Why does surfing have an identifiable sound and its own musical genre, while skiing does not?
In the 1960s, surfing went from a vaguely known sport to a cultural phenomenon that exploded across America. This explosion of surf culture was helped largely by the music that surrounded it. The identity of the sport, at least in the minds of the vast majority of Americans, was largely shaped by the pop music that was attached to it when it hit the mainstream.
Skiing, on the other hand, is a sport that has been around for millennia across multiple cultures and societies. It never had a moment when it went from obscurity to mainstream. Because of this, no musical style had a chance to latch itself onto the sport and its culture.
Additionally, the lack of a distinct musical genre for skiing is likely due to the fact that skiing has not had the same level of cultural influence as surfing. Though skiing is vastly more popular when it comes to participants, culturally, its impact is relatively small compared to surfing.
So, while skiing and surfing share many similarities, there is a notable difference in the role that music plays in each sport’s cultural identity. And while skiing may not have its own musical genre, it continues to be a beloved winter sport with its own unique traditions and cultural significance.
