Forward Music

Forward Music is a Lebanon based independent record label specializing in World Music.^[1]

Forward Music S.A.L.

Type	Private
Industry	Music entertainment
Founded	2001[2]
Headquarters	Beirut, Lebanon
Key people	Ghazi Abdel Baki, CEO
Website	forwardmusic.net drmlebanon.com

History

Forward Music was founded in 2001 by CEO, composer, artist and producer Ghazi Abdel Baki. The label released its first three albums in 2004; those included Abdel Baki’s Communique #1, Paul Salem’s Madinatouna and Ziyad Sahhab’s Oyoun al Bakar.^[2]

In 2007, one of Forward’s artists, Ghada Shbeir, received The BBC Awards for world music for the region of North Africa and the Middle East for her album Al Muwashahat.^[3]

In October 2010, Forward Music acquired 13 album licenses from the record label Incognito.^[4] Later, in June 2011, Forward Music introduced a new concert hall in the Hamra region of Beirut: DRM (Democratic Republic of Music), offering weekly shows including local and international artists.^[5]

List of artists

• Charbel Rouhana
• Fareeq el Atrash
• Ghazi Abdel Baki
• Issa Ghandour
• Mustafa Said
• Rayess Bek
• Soumaya Baalbaki
• Tania Saleh
• Toufic Farroukh
• Ziyad Sahhab

Discography

• Communique # 1, Ghazi Abdel Baki
• Madinatuna, Paul Salem
• Oyoun el Bakar, Ziyad Sahhab
• World Music From Lebanon - Vol.1 (3 CD box set), Various
• We Live, Various
• Dangerous, Charbel Rouhana
• Faces, Ibrahim Jaber Gros Bras
• Sourat Trait d'Union, Charbel Rouhana
• Communique # 2, Ghazi Abdel Baki
• Keep On Singing, Ziyad Sahhab
• World Music From Lebanon - Vol.2 (2 CD box set), Various
• World Music From Lebanon - Vol.3 (2 CD box set), Various
• Handmade, Charbel Rouhana
• Arabtango, Soumaya Baalbaki
• Rubaiyat El Khayyam, Mustafa Said
• Beirut Good Vibes - Vol.1, Various
• Handmade DVD, Charbel Rouhana
• Darwish, Issa Ghandour and the Madina Band
• The Last Communique, Ghazi Abdel Baki
• Doux Zen, Charbel Rouhana
• Fareeq ElAtrash, Fareeq El Atrash

• Silent Wave, Ziad Al-Ahmadieh
• Khartech Aa Zamma, Rayess Bek
• Bilbal, Ziad Al-Ahmadieh
• Beyond Traditions, Ziad Al-Ahmadieh
• Bater, Soapkills
• Cheftak, Soapkills
• KhilKhal, Macadi Nahhas
• Jouwa Al Ahlam, Macadi Nahhas
• Hayda Zamanak, Khaled El Haber
• Wehde, Tania Saleh
• Republic, Rayess Bek
• Aam Behkeh Bil Soukout, Rayess Bek

• Things That I Miss, Hazem Shaheen
• Hewar, Hewar
• El Aysh Wel Melh, Masar
• The Collection, Lena Chamamyan
• The Taqalid Series (6 CD box set), Various
• Asil, Asil Ensemble & Mustafa Said
• The Annunciation, Nida Abou Mrad & The Arabic Classical Ensemble
• Wisal, Nida Abou Mrad &The Arabic Classical Ensemble
• Wasalat, Nida Abou Mrad &The Arabic Classical Ensemble
• Tajwid, Sheikh Salah Yammout
• Insan, Twais
• Cinema Beyrouth, Toufic Farroukh
• Taqalid Sampler, Various
• Ya, Omeima El Khalil
• Khameer, Basel Rajoub

References