African music

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Generally, traditional music from the area of Africa south of the Sahara desert. The continent of Africa is the home of thousands of different musical styles, but these divide roughly into two regional traditions: North African music, which is strongly influenced by Islam and Arab music; and the music of sub-Saharan Africa (sometimes called ‘Black Africa’), which many people consider to be ‘true’ African music. The music of western, central, and southern Africa is based on rhythm much more than melody or harmony, and so percussion instruments, especially drums, almost always play a prominent part.

Within these two categories there are naturally many subdivisions, and some African music falls outside either classification. For example, Madagascar and parts of East Africa have been influenced by the music of Southeast Asia, and music in Egypt and Ethiopia has been influenced by Coptic Christianity. Used loosely, however, the term ‘African music’ is generally taken to mean the traditional music of western, central, and southern Africa.

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