Want to discover more fantastic foreign or non-English music? Let us - or rather, our jetsetting members - take you on a world music world tour. Although English-language music from the USA and UK tends to top the charts, even in countries where English isn’t the first language, and Just About is (for now) an English-language platform, music is a universal language. We challenged our community of music lovers not once but twice to share their favourite songs from around the globe. We’ve separated the winning suggestions by region, and we can’t wait to show you these world music wonders. We’ll start in Oceania, do a loop of Asia, travel down through Africa and back up into Europe before finishing in South America. Prepare to expand your musical horizons!

World music from Oceania

New Zealand

Introducing: Alien Weaponry! The epic New Zealand band was nominated by mar1gold who says:

“They’re a metal band who sing a lot of their songs in [Te Reo] Māori - a language that works excellently with the metal genre. Their stuff isn’t super heavy, so they’re a great starter band for people who haven’t listened to much metal. Their album Tū is particularly good.”

Australia

FUN INC recommends the Australian art-rock band The Red Paintings, led by the awesomely named Trash McSweeney. Unfortunately, if you want to listen to them, you’re going to have to do some sleuthing or head down to a record store since, as Fun Inc explains, they’ve gone offline: 

“You’ll struggle to find much of their stuff online; they removed it as an ‘f u’ to the music industry, vowing only to sell physical copies. It’s very difficult to know who to compare them to, but think indie-rock doused with some child-like lullabies and punk-infused guitar riffs, all served up with violin, cello, bass, and drums.” 

It sounds like they put on a great show too: 

“They’ll often have local artists painting blank canvases as a backdrop to their shows. And that’s not to forget their costumes, concept art, human canvases, and a collection of visuals greater than you could shake a stick at. If you ever got a chance to see them, you’ll have asked yourself why they’re not massive!”

One other band nomination from ‘down under’ is Karnivool, recommended by Just About’s Boomer. The prog-metal band from Perth formed when the members were in high school and made a name for themselves playing Nirvana covers at house parties. It was in that era that they settled on their band name, after being continually referred to as ‘a bunch of clowns’. With three studio albums, multiple world tours, and a Rolling Stone review praising their “buzzing riffs and jagged guitar lines, soaring and harmonised vocals, and cerebral writing” under their belt, you’ve got to ask: who’s laughing now?’ Here’s Boomer’s favourite track:

World music from Asia 

Malaysia and Indonesia

Our world music world tour moves onto its second continent. Not a million miles from Oz, in the Malay archipelago, sits the world’s third-largest island: Borneo. It’s the home of the sape (or sapeh) - a traditional lute-like instrument played by the indigenous Dayak population. Konquest recommends the music of local artist Jerry Kamit, who’s helping to keep the sape alive. 

Japan

Our top pick for Japan comes from Makster in the form of alt rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation (AKFG). Loads of ‘00s anime adopted AKFG’s sound, which consists of fast tempo tracks, prominent power-chord riffs, emotional lyrics, and rhythmic groove. Here’s why Makster nominated them:    

“I have to give a shoutout to my boys Asian Kung-Fu Generation. They ruled my iPod throughout my teenage years. Recently, they re-recorded Haruka Kanata, which you may recognise as Naruto’s second opening theme song. The re-release has undeniably cleaner instrumentals, but it was the first iteration that made me fall in love with them. It’s fast, raw, youthful, and full of punk energy.”

For other great Japanese music recommendations, check out:

• Limal's nomination of Babymetal, who “perfectly bridge classic J-pop, metal, and traditional Japanese influences, with incredibly choreographed live performances” 

• Lanah Tyra's detailed and compelling nomination of iconic anime OST (Original Soundtrack) band L'Arc-en-Ciel, who’ve made songs for Rurouni Kenshin, Fullmetal Alchemist, and ReLIFE.

• TheGreatestBanana12's uplifting nomination from the funky and eccentric electro-rock band World Order.

• Marcus's nomination of Eve, another OST band. He especially recommends the song below, which is about moving on from the loss of a loved one: “The animation and lyrics help to tell the story; it’s sad yet the music remains upbeat and hopeful.”

• MURRRAAAAY's nomination of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, specifically their song PonPonPon. “It’s so catchy, you can’t help but start smiling and bopping along. Just check out the audience!”

South Korea

We received a few nominations for South Korean music - okayameji put forward Day6 for their fun yet touching multi-layered love songs - but our number one pick comes from Shovel: 

“Before you had BTS and Blackpink and before Kpop became mainstream, one group absolutely dominated the genre: Bigbang. I remember first listening to their song Fantastic Baby 12 years ago. Give it a listen and tell me you don’t want to get up and have a little boogie!” 

Mongolia

Metal might not be the first genre to come to mind when you think of the vast and tranquil Mongolian plains (though we’d wager you’d change your mind if you were to witness rush hour in Ulaanbaatar). Lanah Tyra nominated The HU, here’s why:

“They’re becoming more popular in the West, but these guys still don’t get as much attention as they deserve. I absolutely love their energy combined with the sound of their traditional instruments and throat singing. I saw them live once in Glasgow, and it was an incredible show. They didn’t speak much English back then and didn’t have an interpreter, so all communication with the crowd was based on energy, screaming, and cheering. It worked!”

It looks like The HU have found a new fan in Kane Carnifex too, who adds: “Ah, praise the internet for this.” And while we’re on the topic of Mongolian rock, check out Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad in our list of anime shows for beginners.

Russia

Cross the Altai Mountains and you’ll find yourself in Russia, home of DerRoteKonige's pick, Arkona: 

“One simply cannot forgo mentioning this pagan folk metal band. Ranging from dark and atmospheric ritual soundscapes to lighter works celebrating moments in life, the esoteric always runs through Arkona’s tracks. They’ve been touring for most of the last decade, often undertaking gruelling nine-month multi-continental tours. Their crowning performances tend to be on their native soil, where they often employ choirs, orchestras, and other bands for massive collaborative shows. I’ve only ever missed one of their US tours.”  

India

The folk metal train skirts its way down to India now, where you’ll discover the aptly named Bloodywood, nominated by Sturmer. Expect epic visuals, epic sounds, epic hair, and epic dancing:

“Bloodywood blends traditional Indian music with heavy metal, creating a distinctive sound that adds the powerful beats of local instruments to the genre. The band incorporates Indian culture and heritage into their music and visuals, and their high-production-value videos often feature vibrant landscapes, attire, and cultural motifs.” 

Palestine and Lebanon

We’ve got one more piece of brilliant world music from Asia to introduce, but for that we suggest you head on over to our Members’ Corner post to read Stella’s fascinating piece on Habibi Funk. 

World music from Africa 

Uganda

Our thanks go to Sturmer for introducing us to Eddy Kenzo - an artist who overcame a deeply difficult start in life to become a highly accomplished Grammy-nominated Afropop and dancehall musician. 

South Africa

Next up we have Lisa se Klavier by Koos Kambuis - a song that alternates between Leonard Cohen-esque spoken word and delicate melodies. It was nominated by Retro Stu, who also shared a more upbeat soft-rock cover: 

“I first heard the cover of this song by South African band The Parlotones who added a bit more energy, but the original is by their countryman Koos Kombuis. The song is sung in Afrikaans and translates to ’Lisa's Piano’. 

“The original was released in the ‘90s. Koos is a shortened version of Jacobus/Jakobus but is also Afrikaans slang for chamberpot, and Kombuis is Afrikaans for kitchen - a reference to when he squatted on a drug dealer's kitchen floor. He was somewhat of a pioneer in South Africa in the ‘80s. Refusing to conform to the apartheid regime, he and other musicians who shared his position toured campuses across South Africa to spread their non-conformist message.”

Ghana

We’re filing Baraka as Ghanaian, because the country is the childhood home of their founder Ben Baddoo. However, the group is as multicultural as it gets, with members from Zambia, Dominica, Congo, and Ireland. Jason Boomer came across them at a jazz and blues festival and made a point to travel back to see them again the following year. They don’t have much of an online presence, but you can get a taste of their live performances’ funky grooves and soaring melodies below:  

Guinea-Bissau

We also love this “really cool, chill, yet jazzy number” by Bissau-Guinean artist Kimi Djabaté, nominated by FrostySomething. Born in a poor but musically accomplished family, Djabeté was a phenomenon from a young age. Now based in Lisbon, he provides a modern link to a family of West African music that extends back centuries. If you’re a fan of afrobeats, prepare to groove! 

Mali

Our final nominee from Africa is Ballake Sissoko. We’ll pass the reins to Annette, who shared a lovely story of her introduction to them: 

“Years ago, I stayed in a little homestead deep in the Drakensberg mountains - a remote place, far from any civilised distractions but close to a string of untrammelled African-alpine paragliding launches. Unfortunately, the rain arrived at the same time I did. Instead of whirling up to the cloudbase as I had expected, I was stuck watching mountain thunderstorms through the homestead’s many windows.

“That week, as the rain crashed relentlessly down on the thatch roof, the man who owned the house played an album of Ballake Sissoko's over and over and over. Pinned as I was to the confines of his (beautiful) living room, I had the opportunity to discover just how much resonant density Sissoko packs into every stanza. I think I understand now why my South African host played it so obsessively that week: the instrument, in Sissoko's hands, seems to speak in the language of rain.”

World music from Europe 

Italy

Laser-Bicep nominated Prisencolinensinainciusol by Italian artist Adriano Celentano. The song isn’t sung in English, though nor is it sung in Italian. The lyrics are actually nonsensical sounds that Adriano made up to simulate the sounds of English words and US music. It became a hit all over Italy. Have a listen, and you’ll see why:

Bulgaria

Konquest nominated a house/EDM remix of a Bulgarian tradfolk song: “After years, this song still hits hard. I don’t understand the language, but it sounds beautiful and this remix just vibes perfectly with it.”

Poland

avrona gave us the idea for the bounty that led to this world music world tour, and has followed through with a selection of artists from Poland. Check out their original post for a fuller breakdown, but in summary:

Budka Suflera: “A rock band unlike anything else. Hauntingly good vocals with a fantastic emphasis on melody and a slow, contemplative pace.”  

Sanah: “Sung poetry is a huge genre in Eastern Europe, maybe something to do with how depressed our countries are. I love her because she transcends generations, exposing even the youngest people to the poetry of Polish greats.”

Lady Pank: “Beautifully arranged ‘80s and ‘90s rock with just the right amount of crazy.” 

Pidżama Porno/ Strachy na Lachy: “I’m grouping these two amazing punk rock bands together because they’re similar and originate from the same person. They made what’s still my favourite ever Polish song:” 

Germany

You’ve likely heard of Rammstein. The industrial metal gods are one of the better-known artists on this list - not to mention making their way onto our list of the 20 greatest rock artists of all time. To learn even more about them, head on over to 0ffworld's (Cyruz's) highly enjoyable and impressively detailed breakdown of the Rammstein songs that “only Germans or die-hard fans know”. In the meantime, here’s one of Cyruz’s favourite tracks: 

Kane Carnifex adds a +1 and shared his own favourite track (⚠️language warning⚠️):

We have another German artist to recommend too, this time from FirestormGamingTeam. They’ve nominated DJ team and production label Sash!, and in particular the timeless dance classic Encore Une Fois:

Belgium

Gaypengwing nominated the beautiful, melancholic hip hop track papaoutai by Stromae. It’s a play on words that translates to ‘Dad, where are you?’, and is a song about Stromae’s frustration and grief at the absence of his father, who was killed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

France

Josh B nominated Tilted, a song by French band Christine and the Queens and this article’s author’s favourite song to dance around the kitchen to. Wait for the bridge for the French lyrics: 

We have a second musician of French nationality to recommend, albeit one who doesn’t actually sing in French. Denez Prigent sings in Breton, the only remaining Celtic language on the European mainland. Prigent debuted at just 16, and became known for a cappella covers of traditional songs. A lot has changed since then, and you can expect techno accompaniments to his more recent releases. It was Remi who nominated him, after discovering his collaboration with Lisa Gerrard in the movie Black Hawk Down.

Wales

Talking of Celtic music, check out TheGreatestBanana12's nomination for the folk singer Eve Goodman, whose music is very much rooted in the natural landscapes of her homeland, Wales:

Faroe Islands

Given the entire world’s music to choose from, two of our members nominated Eivør, who sings in Faroese. We’d say that’s a testament to Eivør’s quality. And if that isn’t, well this certainly is: 

“Eivør is a band (and is also the name of this lovely lady) from the Faroe Islands. She has a truly unique sound that makes her stand out, even from many of the other talented Nordic artists. The things she can do with those pipes of hers would put many mainstream artists in the US and UK to absolute shame. I feel this track best demonstrates the range of her abilities. She's also pretty handy on the guitar.”

That was CelestialFlea's nomination, and here’s the other, from 0ffworld:

“I don't know if Spotify was watching me play Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, but one day I randomly came across Eivør. She makes music that's a mix of synth pop, folk rock, and Nordic folk. The songs can be very entrancing, even though they're very different from my usual tunes. Í Tokuni is one of her more popular songs and means ‘in the fog’. It's beautiful.”

Iceland

Our final European stop is Iceland, home of one of our favourite games, EVE Online. It was at the annual convention, EVE Fanfest, where Sturmer was first introduced to Daði Freyr: “I’m not usually a fan of popular music, but their performance instantly captivated me. I discovered just how melodic the Icelandic language can be.” There’s no denying it, this funky Icelandic tune slaps. Good luck learning the lyrics though. 

World music from South and Central America

Mexico

We’d like to give an extra special shoutout to taha's nomination of Qué Más Quieres - What More Do You Want - by the Mexican rock band The Warning, “It's a really catchy hard rock song and they're great if you like bands like Metallica because they also did a cover of Enter Sandman with Alessia Cara!”

Just About’s Rich is a fan too, he adds: “They've released several original records since their viral Enter Sandman success. Though their style is pretty comparable to Western heavy rock, they represent their roots, singing several songs per album in Spanish.”

Rich also nominated another Mexican great, the one and only Carlos Santana: 

“Carlos Santana was born and raised in Mexico, and though his family moved to San Francisco and he became a naturalised US citizen before he turned 20, I'll nominate him anyway for his mastery of Latin guitar music as well as his ability to fuse it with other styles to create something entirely new. That's perhaps best exemplified in songs like Samba Pa Ti, a lovely two-part instrumental song that, especially in the speedier second part, fuses samba with blues:

“Or Corazón Espinado, a collaboration with Latin rock band Maná. Put these songs together with his bigger commercial hits like Smooth (one of my all-time favourite rock songs, full of passion, virtually flawless) and Maria, Maria (which shows he can make bangers alongside hip hop artists too) and you really get a sense of Santana's range and musical vision, bringing various Latin guitar traditions into more commercial ones. What’s more, he's been doing it for years - he was at Woodstock 1969, electrifying the crowd with psychedelic hippie rock. Dude's a genius.”

Colombia 

While much Colombian music is famed for its frenetic energy, Sturmer is a fan of this decidedly melancholy track from Manuel Medrano. At 742 million YouTube views, he’s clearly not alone. Have a listen and find out why. You don’t need to speak Spanish to understand the pain. 

Brazil

In both the classic and modern music of Latin America, you’ll find songs that will get your hips shaking and your heart breaking. Sometimes, impressively, at the same time. Our penultimate song from the Americas was nominated by Asim. It’s Ai Se Eu Te Pego by Michel Teló, which roughly translates from Portuguese to “Oh if I catch you!”. Here’s Asim:

“It’s got to be Ai Se Eu Te Pego! I first heard it thirteen years ago at university. It’s just such a super catchy song. Fun fact: legendary Brazilian footballer Neymar made it his theme song and even performed it once!”

Argentina

And that brings us to Argentina and Cristian J. Hidalgo's nomination of the late, great Gustavo Cerati. Gustavo was the lead vocalist and guitarist of Soda Stream, and is considered to be one of the most important figures in Latin rock. Cristian nominated his song El Lago in el Cielo - ‘The Lake in the Sky’. Take a listen and tell us if you can hear one of Gustavo’s chief influences, The Police. 

“He passed away in 2014 but his legacy still lives in us.❤️ That guitar performance from 5:11 to 6:52 😎”

If you have any more world music to share, add it in the comments. We’ll leave you with this amazing global collaboration of street musicians, organised by Playing for Change: 

We hope you enjoyed our world music world tour! Let us know which new artists you enjoyed and share your own recommendations in the comments! Some text has been amended for brevity and clarity. You can find the original wording at the first bounty post, the second bounty post, this discussion post, and this one.