In a shocking incident that has rattled the arts community, the late Saudi artist Talal Maddah's YouTube music library has been hacked, resulting in the deletion of over 90% of his work that has been available online for more than 15 years. This has stirred considerable outrage, particularly from those in the artistic and cultural sectors who feel the absence of institutional support in preserving such cultural legacies.
Prominent Saudi critic Muhammad Salama brought the incident to light through his Twitter account, where he expressed regret and frustration over the loss of Maddah's extensive music collection. “Unfortunately, the library of the artist Talal Maddah has been hacked, and all of its contents have been deleted, which constitutes 90% of Maddah’s legacy available on the internet,” Salama tweeted. He further criticized the negligence of cultural institutions regarding the safeguarding of artists’ legacies.
Salama's comments underline a growing sentiment among artists and critics that the lack of attention from cultural bodies is detrimental to the preservation of the region's rich artistic heritage. He noted, “It is astonishing that institutions did not even bother to inquire about this loss, let alone take part in its documentation as if Talal was an inexperienced artist, rather than the pioneer of Saudi music.”
The sense of urgency expressed by Salama is evident as he pledges to restore the legacy of Maddah. In light of this incident, he announced plans to create a new channel to archive and upload over 5,000 recordings of Maddah’s work under better security conditions. “I will launch a new channel and we will raise more than five thousand recordings, and we will enhance the quality of these works, despite the monumental effort it will take to do so,” he declared, emphasizing that it should not be a personal battle but rather a collective responsibility.
In what he described as an attempt to do right by Maddah, Salama expressed disbelief at the apparent indifference of higher-profile cultural figures, including the Minister of Culture. He stated, “I find it hard to believe that Minister of Culture Prince Badr Al-Farhan is unaware of this situation, and if he is, he should not stand for this disregard towards a giant figure in Saudi music who greatly contributed to shaping our cultural scene.”
The late Talal Maddah, known for his extraordinary contribution to Saudi music, passed away on August 11, 2000, while performing on stage in Abha. His influence continues to resonate within the music industry, making this incident all the more distressing for fans and supporters of his work.
The hacking incident not only represents a personal blow to those who cherished Maddah’s music but also reflects a systemic issue within cultural preservation in the region. Critics argue that without proactive measures and institutional support, the legacies of artists like Maddah could be jeopardized even further.
While immediate steps have been called for to restore Maddah’s collection, the broader conversation about safeguarding the legacies of artists is likely to continue, as stakeholders grapple with the implications of such a loss—and the responsibility to uphold the memory and contributions of past cultural icons.
As this story develops, the arts community is poised to rally together, urging institutions to take responsibility for protecting the artistic heritage that is an integral part of Saudi Arabia's cultural fabric.
The future of Talal Maddah’s library on YouTube now rests not only on the efforts of individual patrons like Salama but also on public awareness and institutional accountability. The community continues to hold its breath, hopeful for a restoration of Maddah’s artistic contributions while realigning focus on the measures necessary to ensure such incidents do not occur again.
