Bebel, Delfini 1967: The Rise of Yugoslavian Mods
In the 1960s, Yugoslavia stood apart from the rest of the Communist world. While it remained a socialist state, it followed its own independent path, maintaining a delicate balance between Moscow and Washington. Under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito, the country became the most economically successful and progressive Communist regime, playing a key role in the Non-Aligned Movement alongside nations like India. Tito himself was a larger-than-life figure, hosting world leaders and Hollywood stars, often seen socialising with icons like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida.
But one of Yugoslavia’s most striking departures from the Communist norm was its embrace of pop music and 1960s youth culture. While most Eastern Bloc nations viewed rock and pop as Western capitalist propaganda, Yugoslavia took a different approach, not just allowing pop music to flourish, but allowing youth culture to develop outside Communist youth movements like the young pioneers.
It became the first Communist country to fully embrace pop music, launching the Communist World’s first dedicated pop label—Jugoton.
The Birth of Communist Pop: Jugoton
Founded in Zagreb in the 1940s, Jugoton initially operated like any other state-run Communist record label. Its catalog consisted mainly of light classical recordings, patriotic speeches by Tito, and folk music representing Yugoslavia’s diverse ethnic groups. However, in the 1950s, the label tentatively dipped into pop music with crooners like Ivo Robić and Đorđe Marjanović.
Everything changed in 1961 when Yugoslavia became the first Communist nation to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. This bold move opened the floodgates for a thriving domestic pop scene. Jugoton swiftly pivoted to pop, becoming the first Communist record label to focus on the genre. Eurovision fever inspired a wave of Yugoslavian beat groups, initially modeled on the Shadows and later on the Beatles.
A Unique Approach to Rock and Pop
Unlike their Eastern European counterparts, Yugoslavian bands were permitted to travel abroad. To boost the competitiveness of its homegrown music industry, the government even sent bands to London to study British pop trends. Groups from Zagreb and Belgrade returned from Carnaby Street with covers of The Who and Small Faces—and, of course, some seriously groovy slacks. Not every band was a musical powerhouse, but their infectious enthusiasm and passion for pop made them a joy to listen to.
Jugoton expanded beyond records, opening boutiques, while new record labels emerged in Belgrade, Ljubljana, and Sarajevo. Although Yugoslavian fashion wasn’t quite on par with London’s swinging scene, the country’s boundless enthusiasm for mod-beat culture more than compensated.
The Singles-Driven Market
Despite its openness to pop music, the Tito regime imposed restrictions on album production. Instead, bands were encouraged to release a steady stream of singles, with most tracks clocking in under 2 minutes and 30 seconds—perhaps a reflection of Communist values of brevity and efficiency. It wasn’t until 1969 that these rules were relaxed, allowing LPs to be produced.
One standout single from the era is a Yugoslavian cover of Small Faces’ “Sha La La La Lee,” with its lyrics reworked into a Serbo-Croat “Happy Birthday.”
Yugoslavia’s Musical Exchange and Influence
Yugoslavia’s active role in the Non-Aligned Movement fostered cultural exchanges with universities and youth groups worldwide. As a result, cities like Belgrade were far more diverse than other Communist capitals. This global influence fed directly into the music scene, giving rise to mixed-race mod and soul bands.
This is Elipse, with their late 60s line up, playing the civil rights classic "Change Gonna Come":
Yugoslavian pop found an eager audience across the Eastern Bloc, especially in Poland. Music festivals became major events, drawing Italian pop acts while Polish and Czech bands—unable to record freely in their own countries—traveled to Zagreb and Belgrade to lay down tracks.
From the late 1960s onward, Yugoslavian record labels began securing deals with Western artists, releasing some of the first Western rock records in the Communist world. One of the earliest examples is a Who EP featuring “I Can See for Miles” and “Pictures of Lily.” Notably, it was also among the first Who records to be released under Polydor rather than Track or Reaction.
By the time Quadrophenia was released, Yugoslavia was one of the first countries to see it:
As Western rock became more accessible, Yugoslavian bands gradually shifted from covers to original material.
A Distinct Cultural Identity
Yugoslavia’s independent streak wasn’t confined to music. While most Communist nations promoted Socialist Realist art—featuring square-jawed labourers heroically wielding machine tools—Yugoslavia fostered its own vibrant pop art scene.
It was also the first non-English-speaking country to air Monty Python’s Flying Circus, beating even Germany to the punch.
The Legacy of Yugoslavian Pop
The story didn’t end in the 1960s. Throughout the 1970s, Yugoslavian labels continued to thrive, with regional music scenes developing distinct identities. Belgrade became a hub for funk and disco, while the rest of Serbia embraced heavy rock. Bosnia and Macedonia leaned into progressive rock, while Slovenia—perhaps less fortunately—gravitated toward tragic Austrian-style Schlager pop.
I will return in a few weeks to talk about Yugo Punk and New Wave, but the legacy of 60s Yugoslavian pop lives on through pop starts like Dua Lipa and Rita Ora. They just don't capture the sheer joy of being young, and alive and being allowed to play pop music liie Delfini and their comrades.