For millennia music has been a tool which allows humans to connect, express and celebrate. With the vast array of cultures and peoples in the world it is no wonder that genres of music differ across the globe. We have taken a look at some of the most unique, popular and interesting music from around the world.
From the rock and pop world through to classical and traditional music, this list only scratches the surface of the differing music styles across the planet. You can take a language course plus music in different places across the world.
Music From Around the World
UK
The UK has been a world leader in popular music for the last century. From days of The Beatles, Queen and Pink Floyd in the 1960s and 70s to One Direction and Arctic Monkeys in more recent years, the UK music scene has been popular across the world.
Home to some of the worlds most famous festivals such as Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds, new artists have access to the world stage with relative ease compared to other countries.
The popularity of homegrown pop and rock across the UK is also matched by other genres such as rap, folk and drum & bass. During the 1990s a wave of rave and techno music was popular amongst the youth of the country and saw new artists emerge.
This new influx of electronic music and artists has since infiltrated other genres, with artists such as Ed Sheeran, Enter Shikari and The Prodigy all incorporating this style into their own tracks at varying levels. It is safe to say that the current UK music scene is one that is constantly evolving.
With the vast percentage of artists singing or rapping in English, it is common to find people across the world using music as a way to learn basic English phrases.
Spain
Spanish pop music has infiltrated the charts across the world for many years, though it should be noted that not all artists are in fact from Spain.
Due to the vast amount of countries which speak Spanish as their first language, it is no wonder that a lot of the most popular artists actually come from South American nations.
With artists such as Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Carlos Santana and Gloria Estefan all hailing from Spanish speaking countries, the influence of Spanish on the worlds pop charts is obvious. These artists have produced or worked on tracks in both English and Spanish, all hitting high on charts across the world!
Italy
Italy is the birthplace of opera. With world famous singers such as Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli, operatic music is known across the globe. The first ‘play’ considered to be a modern day opera was ‘Dafne’, first performed in 1597. Naples became the centre of the Opera world in the eighteenth century with the San Carlo Theatre now the longest continually operating opera house in the world!
While Opera is considered to be the most famous export of Italy in terms of music, this southern Europe nation also favours local pop music. While the majority of artists find themselves localised to Italy, their popularity in the country is huge.
Tizziano Ferro is considered by many to be the face of Italian pop music. With 7 studio albums to his name, 6 of which reaching number 1 in Italy, his reach across the country is vast. However, like most Italian pop artists, his global influence is somewhat limited.
Germany
The home of classical music, Germany is the birthplace of some of the most famous composers in history. From Bach and Beethoven to Brahms and Handel, the list is extensive. Multiple museums and exhibitions can be found across the country dedicated to these masters. But it is not just classical composers which the country is famous for.
Industrial metal ban Rammstein are one of the largest modern exports from Germany in terms of music. Famous for their high-octane and impressive stage shows combined with their mix of heavy metal and electronic music, Rammstein are regular festival headliners across the world. Their music has been featured in multiple Hollywood films and members of the band are even certified pyrotechnicians!
Brazil
Brazil is known for its many music genres. From Samba and Bossa Nova to Funk Carioca and MPB there are many to discover! Many of these music genres are also unique and contributing to the fascinating Brazilian culture. Brazil is also known for Carnaval which is a combination of street party and music.
Whilst Samba is the most well known of these music genres and being widely associated with Rio de Janeiro, MPB mixes many of the traditional Brazilian music genres with foreign influences into something unique. MPB stands for Música Popular Brasileira (Popular Brazilian Music) and one of the most famous artist in this genre is Chico Buarque. Chico Buarque is a notorious singer, songwriter and author – having won the The Camões Prize in 2019 (the most important literature prize in the Portuguese language).
Over the past 10 years Funk Carioca has been gaining momentum as one of the most prominent music genres in Brazil and abroad. Originally from Rio de Janeiro as the name suggests (Carioca is the name of people from Rio), Funk Carioca is associated with favelas and baile funk. Some of the most notable funk carioca artists nowadays are Anitta and Ludmilla with music topping the global charts on Spotify.
USA
When thinking about music in the USA we are met with images of multiple genres and artists. From pop and rock music to blues and jazz, the range of music from this country is insurmountable. Due to its vast size it is no wonder that the popularity of different genres varies from state to state.
Bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam reached new heights in the early 1990s sharing the ‘grunge’ era with the world from the North Western states. Blues and country music emerged at the turn of the last century from the ‘deep south’. Pop music has always been linked with states such as California while jazz music has its roots firmly embedded in Louisiana and in particular New Orleans.
Thanks to vast size of the USA and its influence on the rest of the world, these genres and bands have spread across the globe! The popularity of American artists in other countries is unequalled by any other nation. It is almost impossible to meet any person on the planet who cannot name a single American musician or artist, past or present.
More information about Music from Around the World and their countries of origin with Cactus:
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