African popular music

"Afropop" redirects here. For the radio program, see Afropop Worldwide.
South African isicathamiya, choral vocal group Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds pictured in 1941- most famed for their song "Mbube" , the origin of The Lion King's song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight".

African popular music (also styled Afropop, Afro-pop, Afro pop or African pop),[1] can be defined as any African music, regardless of genre, that uses Western pop musical instruments, such as the guitar, piano, trumpet, etc.[2] Afropop is a genre of music that combines elements from both African traditional music with Western pop music, characterized by the use of African rhythms and melodies, as well as western instrumentation and production techniques.[2] Like African traditional music, Afropop is vast and varied.[1] Most contemporary genres of western popular music build on cross-pollination with traditional African American and African popular music. Many genres in popular music of rock, metal, pop, blues, jazz, salsa, zouk, and rumba derive, of varying degrees, musical traditions from Africa cultured to the Americas, by enslaved Africans. These rhythms and sounds have subsequently been adapted by newer genres like hip-hop, and R&B. Likewise, African popular music have adopted Western music industry recording studio techniques. The term does not refer to a specific style or sound but is used as a general term for African popular music.[3][4][5]

  1. ^ a b Braun, Ken (9 January 1994). ".POP MUSIC; The Rise and Rise Of Irresistible Afropop". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b Olabode, O. (2023, January 24). Afropop shaping the future of global music. FAB L’Style.
  3. ^ Collins, Professor John (2002). "African Popular Music". University of Alberta. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  4. ^ Conteh, Mankaprr; Makinde, Tami; Miya, Madzadza; Saraki, Seni; Wangeci, Tela (28 December 2022). "The 40 Best Afropop Songs of 2022". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  5. ^ Pareles, Jon (13 May 1984). "With The Traditional And The Exotic, Africa Invigorates Pop". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2024.