World music (original) (raw)

World music is a term that covers all music that is not part of mainstream pop music or classical music and has some kind of "ethnic" component. The connotation of the term is pop music from the third world, European pop music that uses influences from the third world, and traditional music especially but not only from the third world. The term is used primarily as a marketing/classificatory device, sometimes referring to any kind of foreign music, especially in a foreign language. Obviously, the various kinds of ethnic music that are included under the rubric "world music" do not have anything in common genetically or musically in virtue of which they are called "world music."

Music labels:

• Luaka Bop, David Byrne's music label
• Real World Studios, Peter Gabriel's music label
• Rough Guide series
• Folkways series

See also: List of regional genres of music