Directory
African Music Styles A to Z
Africa's music is as varied as its 54 countries. This quick guide lists major styles, where they come from and artists worth exploring on official channels.
Bakolo Music International rehearsing: Jeanne Vu Van, CC BY-SA 4.0
| Style | From | Sound | Start with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afrobeat | Nigeria, 1970s | Long jazz-funk grooves, horns, percussion | Fela Kuti, Tony Allen |
| Afrobeats | Nigeria and Ghana, 2000s to now | Pop, hip hop and dancehall with West African rhythms | Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tems |
| Amapiano | South Africa, 2010s | Deep house with log drum bass and piano | Kabza De Small, Tyla |
| Highlife | Ghana, early 1900s onward | Guitars and horns, joyful melodies | E. T. Mensah, Daddy Lumba |
| Juju | Nigeria | Yoruba percussion, talking drum, guitars | King Sunny Ade |
| Mbalax | Senegal | Fast sabar drum rhythms with pop | Youssou N'Dour |
| Congolese rumba | DR Congo and Congo | Smooth guitars, Cuban influence | Franco, Papa Wemba |
| Soukous | Congo region | Faster dance guitar music | Kanda Bongo Man |
| Bongo Flava | Tanzania | Hip hop and R&B in Swahili | Diamond Platnumz |
| Kwaito | South Africa, 1990s | Slowed house beats with chanted vocals | Arthur Mafokate |
| Ethio-jazz | Ethiopia | Jazz with Ethiopian scales | Mulatu Astatke |
| Desert blues | Mali and Niger | Hypnotic electric guitars | Ali Farka Toure, Tinariwen |
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Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources (updated Oct 13, 2026). Spot an error? Email hello@fireempireshop.com.