The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Republic recently announced an end to very uplifting or very relaxed songs in an effort to comply with the country’s musical traditions and to root out any sign of Westernization.

This results in beloved international artists such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, the Drakethe Ariana Grande and many others have to conform a large part of their music production to the new rules, or their songs will not be in Chechnya’s Top 40, according to Politico.

“From now on all musical, vocal and choreographic works must correspond to a tempo of 80 to 116 beats per minute,” the ministry said in a statement last week, as reported by the Moscow Times.

According to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the idea is to make the music “conform to the Chechen mentality”.

“Borrowing musical culture from other peoples is unacceptable,” Chechen Culture Minister Musa Dadayev said.

Which songs are rejected

For example, Shake it off by Taylor Swift has a speed of 160 BPM, so it is rejected, while Lover (69 BPM) and Love Story (119 BPM), among others, will have a similar course. The hits Look What You Made Me Do (128 BPM), Cruel Summer (170 BPM) and Bad Blood (170 BPM) will have the same fate.

As for Beyonce’s tracks, Run the World (Girls) (127 BPM), Ladies (193 BPM) and 16 Carriages (127 BPM) are rejected. However, there are also her songs that would probably continue to be heard in Chechnya as there are pieces of hers that are within the framework of the new rules.

The viral hit Texas Hold ‘Em (110 BPM), the timeless Halo (80 BPM) and Crazy in Love (99 BPM) are some of them.

What will probably not be heard again in Chechnya as they do not comply with the new rules are most techno/trance songs but also those with mambo, salsa and waltz music while Drake’s God’s Plan on the other hand is very slow at 77 BPM.

Ariana Grande fans will probably have to make do with other tracks as most of her music collection doesn’t fit within the new rules.

Also prohibitive is Footloose’s iconic soundtrack (174 BPM), along with Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball (120 BPM) and Titanic’s My Heart Will Go On (67 BPM). Except for the Mamma Mia soundtrack with the exception of Dancing Queen (100 BPM).

The impressive thing is that according to the new limits it should to ban the national anthem of Russia, which usually runs at 76 BPM.