SAEDNEWS: World Music is a category of music that encompasses a variety of global styles, including folk, indigenous, traditional, neo-traditional, and fusion music. Sound and rhythm are the most important elements in music theory. In this section of Saed News, we provide a comprehensive introduction to the world music genre.
The term “World Music” is used to describe a wide range of musical genres that are not commonly found in Western countries, particularly in North America and the UK. This term encompasses diverse global styles, including folk, indigenous, traditional, neo-traditional, and fusion music.
The term “World Music” was coined in the 1960s by ethnomusicologist Robert Edward Brown and became widely used in the 1980s to classify and market non-Western local music in media and the music industry.
World Music was first applied in the 1980s to non-English music, especially in the UK and the United States, regions where this style has some of its earliest recorded roots. International music draws from elements that shape civilizations and cultures, including language, religion, and customs. With the rise of recording and distribution technologies, this music became popular and accessible to people worldwide.
World Music represents the music of different cultures around the globe; each country has its own unique musical traditions and composers.
Global music encompasses many forms, including non-European classical music, koto music, raga, Tibetan chants, Eastern European folk, Northern European folk, and diverse tribal folk music from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Central and South America, as well as Indonesian music.
When World Music gained recognition in the 1970s and 1980s, Zimbabwean guitar ensembles were introduced as early representatives of this genre. Their compositions quickly became iconic examples of World Music, blending traditional African rhythms with contemporary instrumentation.
Another prominent example is Qawwali music from Pakistan, which seeks to combine spiritual Sufi teachings with melodic music to create a transcendent experience for performers and listeners alike. Qawwali performances typically feature one or two lead vocalists accompanied by a chorus providing rhythmic clapping. In the 1980s, at the insistence of Fateh Ali Khan, this music was introduced to the global audience.
In general, World Music encompasses the music of cultures from all parts of the world. It includes different musical styles, some Western folk forms, selected ethnic music, indigenous music, non-traditional music, and music that draws from multiple cultural traditions. For example, when epic music or Western popular music is blended with other cultural forms, it may be classified under World Music.
Due to its diversity and flexibility, defining World Music precisely is challenging. Its rise in the early 1980s coincided with efforts by promoters, record companies, stores, journalists, and media in the UK and the U.S. to introduce music from other countries, especially African music. Globalization further expanded its reach and audience, giving rise to subgenres such as World Fusion, Global Fusion, Ethnic Fusion, and World Beat.
Examples of global music forms include non-European classical music such as Chinese and Japanese koto, Indian raga, Tibetan chants, Eastern European folk (e.g., Balkan), Northern European folk, and numerous folk and tribal traditions from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Central and South America, and Indonesia. While Western World Music has a long cultural history, many non-Western traditions exist as part of daily life rather than formal concerts, often relying on improvisation and oral transmission. These music forms cannot always be described using standard Western notation and require a combination of ethnomusicology and anthropology for study.
Some well-known subgenres of World Music include African, Asian, Bollywood, Celtic, European, Indian, Icelandic, Japanese, Klezmer, and Middle Eastern music.
When the term first gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, Zimbabwean guitar ensembles were often used to introduce this genre. Their performances, based on African musical traditions and incorporating guitar and drum harmonies, became highly influential examples of World Music.
World Music—also called international music—represents musical traditions from around the globe, reflecting the cultures, civilizations, and identities of different peoples through elements such as language, religion, and customs. Often positioned in contrast to Western classical music, World Music gained global recognition in the 1980s, spreading widely thanks to advances in recording and distribution, and capturing the interest of audiences worldwide.
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