Sonic Sundays | Autostrad

Autostrad
Image | Tamer Gunner

Autostrad is a Jordanian indie fusion band that came about from more than a decade of friendship between its six members. They formed in Amman in 2007 and have performed extensively around around the Arab world and Europe. The name “Autostrad” is meant to invoke the feeling one gets while driving on a highway. The band is popular with all ages, but the band’s lyrics are inspired by daily experiences in Jordan and is geared towards Jordan’s youth. They sing exclusively in Arabic while fusing genres from all over the world to create their diverse discography.

Autostrad released their first album, Fe Autostrad, in 2008 and followed it with Autostrad in 2011, the album that propelled them to fame in Jordan and around the SWANA* region. Since then, the band has released Nitrogen in 2015 and 2018’s Turathi, or “expanding within,” in which Autostrad collaborated with artists from all over Jordan with the objective of helping their audience in Jordan draw closer to their own musical roots.

Since being on the scene for nearly 15 years, the band is not without controversy; most notable is the concerts Autostrad has given in several occupied Palestinian territories. which they needed an Israeli visa to visit, and from which many Palestinians are barred. Despite criticism and boycotts of their music, Autostrad released a song in 2018, “Mgat3ni,” in which they stood by their decisions to perform in the occupied territories.  In 2021, they also released “Al-Deffa,” a cover of the Palestinian resistance song “Aldefa” by Lebanese singer Ahmad Kaabour.

Among the many influences you will hear in the songs below include Arab pop, reggae, funk, electronic, and traditional Jordanian music. There’s no box that this band fits into, and the subject matter their lyrics tackle is timeless, contributing to their wide appeal and staying power. The lasting impact of Autostrad, though, will be their influence on Jordan’s youth to start their own bands, impacting the country and region’s music scene for years to come.

In the songs below, you can hear how Autostrad smoothly fuses musical influences from all over the world. The bonus video is a live jam session with Autostrad and El Morabba3, another Jordanian rock band, who will be featured on a future Sonic Sunday.

*SWANA stands for Southwest Asia and North Africa, also often known as the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.

“Mirsal”

”Mafi Wagt”

“Orkod 3al Gym”

Bonus video: Autostrad and El Morabba3