Hourani music forms an important cornerstone of Syrian shaabi heritage, rivaling the styles and aesthetics of music from the Syrian Jazeera, coast, and central Syria. It was largely confined to southern Syria until the late 1990s. At that time, some of its singers, like Ahmed Al Koseem, began to achieve wider fame inside and outside Syria, and recording companies such as Music Box International began helping Hourani music transcend its geographical boundaries through wide-scale distribution. Hourani music lived on both sides of the Syrian-Jordanian border, with the Houran plain extending across these countries. Its singers were influenced by Jordanian composer and singer Tawfiq Al-Nimri, who played an important role in collecting and reviving the region's heritage, as well as Syrian singer Fahd Ballan from Suweida. While the 1990s were an era of preserving and excavating traditional heritage, the early 2000s gave way to a wave of innovation and experimentation. During this time, Hourani music, like other Syrian shaabi music, saw the introduction of the keyboard and electronic arrangement, albeit reluctantly at first, begin to compete with the dominant presence of the Hourani mejwiz (double reed wind instrument). Cassettes and CDs played a crucial role in the development of modern Hourani music. Although their sales did not significantly contribute to the artists' profits, these formats served as the primary means of promotion for them, at least until the emergence of social media platforms. They helped the people of the Houran plain to book concerts in Jordan, Lebanon, the Gulf, and other places around the world. Ahmed Al Koseem – Oum Walad / Al Rifae Wedding - Vol 2 Few names have left as significant a mark on contemporary Hourani music as Ahmed Al Koseem. The singer, from the town of Hirak in rural Daraa, began recording Hourani music cassettes in late 1990s. He initially collaborated with producer Mohammed Al-Bahloul, who owned a well-known cassette store in Daraa specializing in shaabi music, including mejwiz and jini. Later, Koseem transitioned to work with Music Box International recordings, where he played an important role in exporting Hourani music beyond the Houran plain. On this 2009 cassette, recorded at a wedding in the village of Oum Walad, east of Daraa city, we listen to a cohesive sequence with mejwiz music for the first half-hour. Al Koseem intermittently sings with a warm voice while the mejwiz predominates the arrangement. This is followed by a set of folkloric songs, during which he is occasionally accompanied by a male chorus—an uncommon feature in Syrian wedding parties. Houran Duo (Ahmed Al Koseem and Samir Muselmani) – Ishq el Wahm (Love of the Illusion) Hourani mejwiz and dabke singer Samir Muselmani collaborated with Ahmed Al Koseem on several occasions. They were dubbed here as the Houran Duo. This studio-recorded cassette includes a collection of traditional songs that celebrate the culture of the Houran plain. It takes the form of a pop album by containing a set of short, diverse songs that vary in energy, singing style, and instrumentation, unlike many wedding party recordings which feature longer, more cohesive songs. The cassette was released by Music Box International recordings, which Ahmed Al Koseem told us was exploring Hourani music during their work with him in the early 2000s. Eventually, the company dedicated a branch specifically to Hourani music, and launched a YouTube channel called Houran Songs, which today has more than 80,000 followers. Faraj Keddah – Sahm Al Jolan (The Arrow of Golan) Hourani mejwiz and dabke singer Faraj Keddah achieved considerable fame in the Houran plain and its surroundings, singing at numerous weddings and parties. Music Box International also recorded several of his cassettes. On this largely distorted cassette, released by Al-Faihaa recordings in Aleppo, we hear Keddah performing at a wedding in the Golan plain. His powerful voice vies with the mejwiz for the highest energy and impact, presenting us with one of the most lively and joyful cassettes in this archive. Khalil Rumman – Inkhil Party Khalil Rumman established himself as one of the most prominent mejwiz players in the Houran plain, earning the title "Poet of the mejwiz". He remains active today on social media and continues to perform at concerts, either alongside a singer, as he does in this cassette with Samer Al-Rifai, or performing solo. The Imad Center for Music from Suweida recorded this cassette at a party in the town of Inkhil, located in rural Daraa.