European Soul Index 2019: what happens where

[Amsterdam Russ]

For five years now, I've run a Facebook group called the European Soul Club Network. It's a listing of soul events that are held in 'mainland' Europe (including Eire). For several of those years I've collated all the listings to give an annual summary of the number of events held by country, town and city.

It's far from scientific and relates solely to events posted within the group, but it does provide an interesting snapshot of what happens where. 

One clear observation is that there were less events (297) in 2019 than in 2018 (325). Also, we see an increase in the number of events in some countries (Ireland, Germany and Spain, for example) and a notable falling away of events in others (for example, The Netherlands).

In the country ranking, Germany is yet again the clear leader. And not only does it hold the most soul events annually, but it also has the most towns and cities that host soul events.

Berlin continues to be the hottest spot for soul action with 39 events recorded there during 2019 as opposed to 25 the previous year.

 

ESCN Soul Index 2019

Most soulful countries of 2019 by number of events recorded in the European Soul Club Network:

(+ ranking & number of events for 2018, 2017 & 2016)

1 = Germany: 132 events (#1/119 + #1/85 + #1/65)

2 = Spain: 32 events (#5/25 + #4/23 + #5/16)

3 = Italy: 28 events (#2/32 + #2/33 + #3/23)

4 = Ireland: 22 events (#6/15 + #7/14)

5 = Sweden: 20 events (#4/27 + #5/22 + #4/19)

6 = The Netherlands: 15 events (#3/28 + #3/27 + #2/32)

7 = France: 13 events (#5/25 +7/14 + #6/10)

8 = Belgium: 11 events (#7/10 + #10/8 + #8/7)

9 = Denmark: 9 events (#6/15 + #8/11 + #7/8)

10 = Czech Republic: 4 events (#9/6 + #10/8 + #9/5)

10 = Greece: 4 events (#8/9 + #11/7 + #11/3)

11 = Switzerland: 3 events (#10/4 + #12/6 + #10/5)

12 = Portugal: 2 events (#10/4 + #13/5 + #12/2)

13 = Austria: 1 event (#11/2 + #14/2 + #13/1)

13 = Russia: 1 event (-/-)

Total = 297 events (325/266/195 events)

 

Most soulful cities/towns by number of events recorded in the European Soul Club Network, plus position in ranking 2018:

(+ number of events for 2018, 2017 & 2016)

 

1 (1) = Berlin (DE): 39 events (25/18/13)

2 (3) = Hamburg (DE): 27 events (21/20/20)

3 (5) = Dublin (IE): 20 events (14/13/-)

4 (2) = Amsterdam (NL): 13 events (22/25/27)

5 (15) = Munich (DE): 10 events (2/2/-)

5 (6) = Stockholm (SE): 10 events (12/13/11)

6 (4) = Copenhagen (DK): 9 events (15/11/8)

7 (13) = Düsseldorf (DE): 7 events (4/2/-)

7 (9) = Milan (IT): 7 events (8/7/4)

7 (7) = Rome (IT): 7 events (10/4/-)

7 (16) = Valladolid (ES): 7 events (1/-/-)

8 (12) = Bilbao (ES): 5 events (5/4/-)

8 (11) = Brussels (BE): 5 events (6/3/3)

8 (8) = Cologne (DE): 5 events (9/2/1)

8 (14) = Dresden (DE): 5 events (3/3/-)

9 (11) = Barcelona (ES): 4 events (6/7/7)

9 (15) = Bologna (IT): 4 events (2/-/-)

9 (12) = Darmstadt (DE): 4 events (5/1/-)

9 (11) = Nice (FR): 4 events (6/4/1)

9 (10) = Tübingen (DE): 4 events (7/5/4)

10 (-) = Duisburg (DE): 3 events (-/-/-)

11 (9) = Gothenburg (SE): 3 events (8/7/6)

11 (-) = Leon (ES): 3 events (-/-/-)

11 (16) = Malmo (SE): 3 events (1/-/-)

11 (12) = Nüremberg (DE): 3 events (5/4/5)

11 (11) = Prague (CZ): 3 events (6/5/5)

12 (16) = Aachen (DE): 2 events (1/-/-)

12 (15) = Albufeira (PT): 2 events (2/2/-)

12 (15) = Antwerp (BE): 2 events (2/1/-)

12 (9) = Athens (GR): 2 events (8/7/-)

12 (15) = Bamberg (DE): 2 events (2/1/-)

12 (-) = Bruges (BE): 2 events (-/-/-)

12 (16) = Falun (SE): 2 events (1/-/-)

12 (-) = Leipzig (DE): 2 events (-/-/-)

12 (14) = Mönchengladbach (DE): 2 events (-/-/-)

12 (12) = Örebro (SE): 2 events (5/-/-)

12 (14) = Paderborn (DE): 2 events (3/-/-)

12 (14) = Saint Gallen (CH): 2 events (3/3/-)

12 (13) = Stuttgart (DE): 2 events (4/5/4)

12 (16) = Töging am Inn (DE): 2 events (1/-/-)

12 (13) = Villingen-Schwenningen (DE): 2 events (4/4/-)

 

Locations with one recorded soul event:

 

Benidorm (ES) I

Bordeaux (FR) I

Bremen (DE) I

Calvia (ES) I

Calvisson (FR) I

Carpi (IT) I

Collecchio (IT) I

Corfu (GR) I

Donostia (ES) I

Dortmund (DE) I

Eindhoven (NL) I

Erfurt (DE) I

Fontanafredda (IT) I

Fucecchio (IT) I

Galway (IE) I

Genova (IT) I

Hagen (DE) I

Ibiza (ES) I

Inchicore (IE) I

Kassel (DE) I

Lavarone (IT) I

Leuven (BE) I

Linz (DE) I

Los Alazarez (ES) I

Los Alcazares (ES) I

Lucerne (CH) I

Lyon (FR) I

Madrid (ES) I

Malaga (ES) I

Marburg (DE) I

Marseille (FR) I

Mojacar (ES) I

Monterotondo (IT) I

Ninove (BE) I

Oviedo (ES) I

Pamplona (ES) I

Passau (DE) I

Plzen (CZ) I

Rhodes (GR) I

Rimini (IT) I

St Petersburg (RU) I

Tomelloso (ES) I

Turin (IT) I

Utrecht (NL) I

Valencia (ES) I

Vienna (AT) I

Weissenhaeuser Strand (DE) I

Wittmund (DE) I

 

As mentioned, it's ultimately a bit of entertainment. At the same time it does show there's a thriving soul scene across Europe, and long may that continue!

[Zoomsoulblue]

Russ - great info you’ve really gone into a number, just one Question - where’s Scotland on the list - lol 

ok that was only a joke sorry for my childish humour

[Amsterdam Russ]

25 minutes ago, Zoomsoulblue said:

Russ - great info you’ve really gone into a number, just one Question - where’s Scotland on the list - lol 

ok that was only a joke sorry for my childish humour

Thanks.

As for Scotland, when it's no longer part of the UK, I might think about including it in the list. 

[Geeselad]

A great informative read, be interesting to see a UK guide. 

[Amsterdam Russ]

2 minutes ago, Geeselad said:

A great informative read, be interesting to see a UK guide. 

Thanks! A UK equivalent would be interesting, but it'd take a hell of a lot of doing!