world music
what it is
The term "World Music" has been credited to ethnomusicologist Robert E. Brown who coined it in the 1960s. The term became current in the 1980s as a marketing/classificatory device in the media and the music industry.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make world music a playlist
turn these 29 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is world music?
The term "World Music" has been credited to ethnomusicologist Robert E. Brown who coined it in the 1960s. The term became current in the 1980s as a marketing/classificatory device in the media and the music industry.
What are good world music albums to start with?
Try Elysium For The Brave by Azam Ali, Le Voyage De Sahar by Anouar Brahem, Anatomic by Afro Celt Sound System, and Feast Of Silence by Vas.
Who are some women making world music?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/world-music/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making world music, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20