World music is a vague term, typically used to describe a genre of popular music that draws on multi-cultural fusions. For example, the Afro-Celt Sound System, a band that combines Irish and West African traditions, or the multiple varieties of Afro-funk played by the likes of Fela Kuti.

World music can also be a catch-all marketing term for popularized folk traditions and ethnic music, or pop from outside of the Anglo traditions of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Thus, the "world music" section in a record store might include albums of Hawaiian slack-key guitar, Cajun zydeco, Dominican merengue and Algerian raï.

This category of articles contains broad articles covering the various kinds of fusions and other subjects within the "world music" field, while the multifarious sub-categories contain articles on music of any kind specific to a region, culture, race or ethnic group, religion or language.

See also: Crossover (music)

Subcategories

Articles in category "World music"

L

• List of cultural and regional genres of music

W

• World music