Uke Popularity

I think it's due more to the mainstream guys you mention, along with all the YouTube covers of stuff that makes the uke seem more accessible, cool, and fun. Obviously Jake's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" has something to do with it, but I didn't really find him, James Hill, or Aldrine until I started specifically searching for ukulele-related stuff.

There's also a whole pseudo-folk revival thing going on in contemporary music with the likes of Mumford & Sons, the Avett Brothers, etc, and the uke fits right in with all that. I like to think of the uke as more of a folk instrument anyway, so I make that connection.
 
For me personally, I had always wanted to learn and play ukulele for long time. But I could not afford one, nor find one in Thailand (back then). Now I can afford it, and hence making my dream come true :)

Since I came across UU and its tutorial videos, Aldrine has been my inspiration! I am very grateful to him :D
 
I actually think it's something else entirely, which is the global recession. When there is an economic downturn, people tend to go out less for entertainment. So a one time expense for infinite entertainment at home becomes an appealing financial decision. The uke makes a lot of sense in this context because it is:

A) Relatively inexpensive
B) Relatively easy to learn
C) Extremely portable/storable
D) Really, really fun.

I think the (re-)rise of the ukulele in popular music is a result of its popularity at home -- not the other way round.
 
I actually think it's something else entirely, which is the global recession. When there is an economic downturn, people tend to go out less for entertainment. So a one time expense for infinite entertainment at home becomes an appealing financial decision. The uke makes a lot of sense in this context because it is:

A) Relatively inexpensive
B) Relatively easy to learn
C) Extremely portable/storable
D) Really, really fun.

I think the (re-)rise of the ukulele in popular music is a result of its popularity at home -- not the other way round.

That's a great point of view. I think it's also true that the Uke is not the only instrument getting more popular. My local music stores have more banjos and Mandolins on the wall than ever before!
 
I think the (re-)rise of the ukulele is more complex than simple, meaning there are many reasons for the recent popularity.

Observation
In the Music Department at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, the "Old Time Ensemble" is one of the most popular ensembles among students. As I walk home from the building, it is common for me to hear banjo, guitar, and mandolin from front porches. Most of the music front-porch ensembles are comprised of students who are playing these instruments for personal enjoyment, as their primary instruments are "orchestral" instruments.

Ukes
So far, two faculty and three four students are playing ukes. Those are the only ones of which I know. I'm sure there are more players of who I am unaware.
 
I actually wonder if it has less to do with popular artists and more to do with economy. The heyday for the ukulele was the 20's and 30's also the same time as the great depression. An ukulele costs a fraction of the price of a guitar. It makes it accessible to more people with tighter wallets. After all even in a depression people still want to make music. I have a feeling because the world economy is in a similar place the affordable ukulele is becoming popular again. I think all the popular muscians making ukulele music are doing so in reaction to this trend due to poor economics. Just a thought.
 
I had hardly heard of any of the players mentioned! I just fancied a change
from guitar,following a major illness.And now having got into the whole 'uke
thing' I never touch guitar! And having heard the people you mentioned,I
find some of them okay,and actively dislike the Mraz person!
 
Ew Train (no offense)

I think it's got to be the mainstream guys, but I think Eddie V actually did an amazing job recognizing the uke as a an instrument one can use for more than happy island music. Most of the mainstream guys get a uke to get the island sound, and to convey that "this song is a happy song and I don't have a care in the world!"

I think that in the next 5-10 years we'll see a lot more artists taking the Eddie route and using the uke as an all around instrument in songwriting. At least, that's my opinion of the future of uke...not that people won't play happy songs on it, just that you'll probably see much more variety in the feel of the uke. I mean, listen to "Ukulele Songs"...some songs he just sounds tortured and that uke is finding a whole new level of emotion! Not bad for something someone once called a happiness machine.
 
I am with bonesigh, I didn't know anything about anything or anyone when I got into it, but I am glad for the recent reinforcement from the mainstream and the up and coming talent.
 
I have been in love with the sound of the ukulele since the mid 1970's but on the East Coast, especially, it was as foreign as a Japanese samisen and you could not even find lessons. For me, the lure was what one would naturally associate with the ukulele- the love of Hawaiian music. So, I was surprised to learn about this ukulele revival and I believe that it is due to a number of reasons, most notably, the inclusion of the ukulele by mainstream artists. Hearing more ukulele music on TV commercials and mainstream songs. Going hand-in-hand with that is the fact that when others tried to cover those songs they found the ukulele to be reasonably priced. Not only that, the ukes that are now in music stores do not have the feel and look of cheap toy instruments. They are gorgeous and allow the user to appear to be playing a "for real" musical instrument. Then, combine all of this with the fact that you can learn to strum a song in a reasonably short time and you then have the makings for a revival. I know that when I first told my friends I was serious about learning the ukulele, the looked at me with that look that says, I would never do that." But, when I actually showed them my ukulele's, played in front of them, and showed them some chords to play on it, a few of my friends who showed that look of disdain are now the proud owners of their own ukulele's and very much into the instrument. in their own words, they are "having a ball."
 
I too had no knowledge of any players other than george Formby, when I first bought one. That knowledge came from googling AFTER buying my mighty green Dolphin. My chum Johnny has always played one, and I fancied one, but didn't want to battle with learning yet another tuning as I already play several other stringed instruments. Guess what though? I'm bloomin glad I did!! I play uke almost to the total exclusion now of my banjo and Octave Mandolin.
 
When I took it up, I didn't have any knowledge of any other players but Tiny Tim (not really my thing), and George Harrison. I was just looking for a change. But I discovered the sound on a flash intro on a website. In other words, I decided I like it because I got to hear what it was. That's what the Youtube vids are doing. People are hearing what a uke is, and what you can do with one.

Whenever I hear people say the uke is a happy instrument, I just think of Craig Robertson's music and smile to myself. He primarily plays uke, and his songs are rarely ever happy, and therefore awesome.
 
Interesting discussion... I started playing because I played when I was a kid, not because it was suddenly in the media. I had narrowed it down to uke or piano (my two childhood instruments), but living in a 250-square-foot apartment, uke was the obvious best choice :)

It was only after I began to play that I became aware that there was kind of a uke zeitgeist going on. Being female, instead of the performers mentioned in the OP's post, I get a lot of "Do you play like Kate Micucci? Janet Klein? Zooey Deschanel?" which used to annoy me (no, on all counts) but now I see it as more of a general reflection of the uke's place in pop culture - hey, at least folks know what a uke is!

I think the point about the economy is a very valid one. At the guitar shop where I spend far too much time and money, I see people looking ukes all the time, and more often than not they end up leaving with a Mahalo. While the uke snob within me wants to steer them toward, oh, at least a Kala, the idea that for less than $50 they might be buying a little bit of joy and gaining a new skill always makes me smile.
 
Do you think it's due to guys like Jake, Aldrine, and James

or

because of Jason Mraz, Train and Eddie Vedder?

The latter, and Beirut. It's mostly people who already play uke who ever hear of the first group. Most people are never exposed to them, they discover the uke when a band they like uses it.
 
Whenever I hear people say the uke is a happy instrument, I just think of Craig Robertson's music and smile to myself. He primarily plays uke, and his songs are rarely ever happy, and therefore awesome.

Craig tends to post new songs on the Flea Market Music bulletin board page, and over the last year his songs have often been downright sunny. At this point, it just sounds wrong to me every time he plays an upbeat song.
 
I don't understand why people associate the uke to Jason Mraz. He played I'm Yours on a guitar. I know of only one song that he does on a uke. It's a baritone uke and it's called If It Kills me. Great song. :)
 
I had hardly heard of any of the players mentioned! I just fancied a change
from guitar,following a major illness.And now having got into the whole 'uke
thing' I never touch guitar! And having heard the people you mentioned,I
find some of them okay,and actively dislike the Mraz person!

How can you actively dislike Jason Mraz? I'd be interested in hearing more about the reasons behind that.
 
I fell in love with the uke when I moved her in Hawaii not because of the well known players. When I saw the KoAloha tenor for the first time, it was love at first sight and then I caught a really bad case of UAS. Has anyone figured out whats the best cure for UAS???
 
Top Bottom