In April 2018, Songlines magazine published a list featuring the 50 great moments in world music. I stumbled upon this list while preparing a lecture on the concept of world music. The diverse array of names and events I encountered during my research sparked my curiosity – and prompted me to create my own list, just for fun.
My list, which was meant to be limited to 50, ended up being three times longer, simply because of the sheer number of difficult choices I had to make. The Songlines list was compiled by music experts, but mine was deeply personal – based on my modest yet long-standing knowledge and experience in the world music field, gathered over 30 years, as well as the many books I had to go through while preparing my lectures.
Many of you will certainly react that there is a lack of important music events and artists that I haven't mentioned – and which should have earned a place here. Yes, that is definitely true. That is why I extended my list from 50 to 150 – and had to stop because I felt the search would never end. There are so many artists and events that have marked the history of world music that it is impossible for me to continue searching and choose every single right person or event. In every country there are heroes, icons, and great artists – even a list with a thousand names wouldn't be enough to pay tribute to them all.
Bob Marley appears several times on my list – which feels only right, given his enormous impact on the world stage. Through his politically charged songs and his presence at countless events, Marley's music sparked a revolution, especially among marginalized communities in Jamaica, Africa, and far beyond. His legacy is built on messages of struggle, hope, justice, love, and understanding.
In Europe, Paris and London became the twin pillars of world music – London for its role in Caribbean music, and Paris for African artists. It was in London that the term "world music" was first coined, while Paris launched the Sono Mondial festival in 1982.

My list is limited to the 80´s

1- JOHN BLANKE - The first African artist in Europe - 1511

John Blanke was a prominent African trumpeter in the early 16th-century English royal court of Henry VII and Henry VIII. As a documented by Black Tudor, he is famously depicted in the 1511 Westminster Tournament Roll, highlighting his role in major ceremonies.

2- HARBALLABH SANGEET SAMMELAN FESIVAL  - 1875

Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan is the world's oldest festival dedicated to Hindustani classical music. It is held annually at the sacred site of Baba Harballabh's samadhi – a saint and a prominent figure in Hindustani classical music. The first Sammelan took place in 1875 at Sidh Peeth at the Shri Devi Talab in Jalandhar.

3 - WORLD´S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION - 1893 - The real birth of world music.

The World's Columbian Exposition was many different things. It was like a museum and a science fair and a carnival and a symposium, all rolled into one. It was also a world music festival. No one called it that, but just think if you spent a day strolling down the Midway, you'd hear musicians from Algeria, Tunis, Egypt, Turkey, Persia, China, Java, Samoa and Africa. 
The "village" concept from the 1889 fair was modified and greatly expanded. There were a South Sea Island Village, a Java Village, a Turkish Street Village, the Street in Cairo, a Persian Village, an Algerian Village, an Indian Bazaar, a Chinese, Dahomean village, Irish Village, German, Austrian, Lapland, and Aztec Village. Other nationalities, including Native Americans, Hungarians and Brazilians, held forth in theaters, restaurants and other venues built for them.

4 - JESSE WALTER FEWKES - The first field recording – 1890

On March 15, 1890, ethnographer Jesse Walter Fewkes became the first person to use a phonograph for recording indigenous people in a field setting. Walking onto a field in Calais, Maine, he powered his machine with a foot treadle and recorded a Passamaquoddy Indian singing a salutation song – marking the very first field recording of traditional music ever made.

5 - ESTONIAN SONG CELEBRATION

The first Estonian Song Celebration took place in Tartu 1869, featuring 878 male singers and brass musicians. The Estonian Song Celebration (Laulupidu) is a cultural phenomenon that, every five years, unites a vast choir for a single weekend in July; approximately 100,000 spectator’s gather to witness the concerts – many joining in as beloved national songs echo across the grounds. For many of the participating peasants, it was a revelation: their folk traditions could take their place alongside the so-called high culture of Europe.

6 - GAUHAR JAAN - India's first ever recorded musician.

India's first recording sessions included Gauhar Jaan, singing a khayal in Raag Jogiya, recorded by Fred Gaisberg, an American musician, and recording engineer. This historical recording took place in Calcutta on November 8, 1902. Gauhar Jaan recorded more than 600 songs from 1902 to 1920 in over ten languages, including Bengali, Hindustani, Gujarati, Tamil, Marathi, Arabic, Persian, Pashto, French, and English, during her lifetime.

07 – ERNESTO JOAQUIM MARIA DOS SANTOS - The first samba recording.

"Pelo Telefone" is considered to be the first recorded samba. In 1917, samba emerged as a defining genre with this song, written by Donga and Mauro de Almeida and popularized by Bahiano. Figures like Ismael Silva also helped shape its evolution.

08 - JOSEITO FERNANDEZ - The man behind the famous Guantanamera

"Guantanamera" is a Cuban patriotic song whose lyrics come from a poem by the Cuban poet José Martí. The official writing credits are given to Joseíto Fernández, who first popularized the song on the radio as early as 1929. It celebrates the woman from Guantánamo. The song is one of the most famous ever, having been played all over the world for decades.

09 - THE CAIRO CONGRESS OF ARAB MUSIC - Cairo 1932

The First Congress of Arab Music was a significant international symposium and music festival convened by King Fouad I in Cairo, Egypt, from March 14 to April 3, 1932. The congress served as the inaugural large-scale forum to present, discuss, document, and record the diverse musical traditions of the Arab world, spanning from North Africa to the Middle East.'

10 - DISCS GV

The "Golden Voices" (G.V.) Series consisted of 10-inch 78 rpm gramophone records produced in Europe and the United States from 1933 to 1958, were exported to colonial Africa, introducing Afro-Cuban music into modern African popular culture. These records influenced African artists and contributed to the creation of some of the most successful modern musical styles in West, Central, and East Africa, such as rumba, salsa, cha-cha-cha, benga, and bolero."

11 - PEREZ PRADO – The King of Mambo.

The "Mambo" dance is attributed to Perez Prado who introduced this style at” La Tropicana night-club” in Havana (Cuba) in 1943.

12 - LÉA SAUVIA - The first Arab nusic store in Paris.

Madame Sauviat opened her music store on Boulevard de la Chapelle in Paris in 1946. She quickly realized that the North African workers in the neighborhood constituted an interesting clientele. Consequently, she rapidly developed the Arab music market section. A few years later, the store became the essential destination for the Arab and African music community in Paris in particular and in France in general. The store still exists today, run by her grandchildren.

13 - ASMAHAN  - The Marilyn Monroe of the Middle East

A Syrian princess with a golden voice, an actress with many escapades, husbands and lovers, an adventurer. Asmahan was the sister of the famous singer Farid El-Atrash. Envied by the queen and — some would say — by Umm Kulthum herself, she died in a mysterious car accident.

14 - ASTOR PIAZOLLA - The man who revolutionized the Tango.

Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla is one of the most celebrated musicians from Argentina and Latin America. A composer, arranger, and bandoneón player, he was a major innovator in the music of his country  and he revolutionized and internationalized the tango.

15 - ENRIQUE JORRIN - La Engañadora and cha cha cha.

The main contribution of Enrique Jorrin to music took place in 1950. During this year he released in the music venues located between Prado and Neptuno his first cha cha cha, “La Engañadora”, which would give title to his first album recorded in 1953. The new musical rhythm soon gained public acceptance thanks to the balance between time and melodies that characterized setback.

16 - HARRY BELAFONTE - Introduced calypso music to America.

Belafonte had his breakthrough album with Calypso (1956), which became the first LP in the world to sell more than one million copies in a year. The album introduced American audiences to calypso music, which had originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 19th century, and Belafonte was dubbed then the "King of Calypso". But the reel King of Calypso is Mighty Sparrow Known as the "Calypso King of the World".

17 - E. T MENSAH – LOUIS ARMSTRONG - The meeting of the giants.

In 1956, E. T. Mensah performed at a packed Accra stadium alongside Louis Armstrong. Armstrong's visit to Ghana was perceived as moral support for the country on its path to independence, which was achieved on March 6, 1957. Mensah's hit song "All for You," performed in honor of Armstrong, brought the Ghanaian artist fame beyond continental borders and elevated highlife music to the status of African urban music symbol in England and the United States.

18 - FODÉBA KEITA : Les Ballets Africains

Fodéba Keïta from Guinea was founder and leader of a pioneering African dance company which introduced traditional African dance and music to the rest of the world. He was a Guinean dancer, musician, writer, composer and politician. He founded the famous "Ballets Africains" in 1950. Politically engaged, he joined Sékou Touré in 1956. In 1961, he was appointed Minister of National Defense and Security. In 1969, accused of conspiracy himself, Keita Fodeba was arrested and executed without tria.

19 -DEBEN BHATTACHARYA -  A 12,000-Mile road trip to capture the sounds of the world.

Deben Bhattacharya (1921–2001) was a Bengali radio producer, record producer, ethnomusicologist, anthropologist, documentary filmmaker, photographer, translator, poet, writer, broadcaster, lecturer, and folk music consultant. He produced over 100 records, 23 films and published more than a dozen books in his lifetime and much of his work was carried out under the auspices of UNESCO.
In 1955, Deben Bhattacharya traveled from London to Calcutta in a milk van and recorded over 40 hours of music.
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20 - OLATUNJI - Introduced Africa to the World

Babatunde Olatunji's 1959 album Drums of Passion was a groundbreaking introduction of African rhythms to the West, deeply inspiring artists like John Coltrane (who wrote "Tunji" for him) and Mickey Hart, with its iconic track "Jin-go-lo-ba" famously covered by Santana (as "Jingo"), Serge Gainsbourg, Fatboy Slim and many more, cementing its legacy in world music and beyond. In 1965, he founded the Olatunji Center of African Culture in Harlem, New York City. 

21 - NUEVA CANCION - The birth of new musical & political movement.

Nueva canción is a musical genre and political movement that originated in Latin America during the 1950s and 1960s. Two singer-songwriters, Violeta Parra in Chile and Atahualpa Yupanqui in Argentina, spearheaded the movement to reclaim their homelands' social and cultural integrity. By the early 1960s, their music became known as nueva canción, gaining a strong following, especially in Chile

22 - JOSEPH KABASELE – Indépendance Cha Cha.

Indépendance Cha Cha" was a song performed by Joseph Kabasele, best known by his stage name Le Grand Kallé, from the group L´African Jazz. The song has been described as "Kabasele's most memorable" and one of the first Pan-African hits. The song, written on January 20, 1960, was first played at the Hotel Plaza in Brussels on January 27, 1960, to celebrate the independence of Congo from colonial Belgium.  

23 - CELIA CRUZ - The défection of the Queen of Salsa!

As the Cuban revolution raged in 1960, Celia (who was touring in concert in Mexico at the time) made the decision not to return to her country. In 1961, she moved to the U.S. and married the trumpet player Pedro Knight. Fidel Castro was so enraged by Cruz’s defection that he barred her from returning to Cuba. Celia has never returned to her homeland since that time.

24 - ROBERT EDWARD "Bob" Brown - world music program.

The ethnomusicologist Robert Brown is credited with being the first to use the term "world music" by the early 1960s. He attributes the inspiration for the phrase to his experiences in the late 1950s in the pioneering ethnomusicology program directed by Mantle Hood at the University of California, Los Angeles. Alongside David McAlester, Robert Brown established the World Music Program at Wesleyan University in 1965.'

24 - JIMMY LITTLE 

Jimmy Little was the most famous Aboriginal musician. He made history in 1963 as the first Aboriginal artist to top the mainstream Australian pop charts with his hit "Royal Telephone". He later became a celebrated icon of country music.

25 - Emergence of Brazilian Popular Music (MPB)

Brazilian Popular Music (MPB) is a musical genre that emerged in Brazil in the 1960s, during a difficult time, in the midst of the 1964 Military Dictatorship. MPB combines elements from Bossa Nova, Samba, Jazz, and Folk Music, blending rhythms and styles from different parts of Brazil. The genre became a vehicle for social commentary, advocating for social justice, democracy, and the preservation of Brazil’s cultural heritage.

26 – ASTRUD GILBERTO – The girl from Ipanema.

Astrud Gilberto, the singer behind 'The Girl from Ipanema,' helped bring bossa nova music into the mainstream. The song is a Brazilian bossa nova and jazz classic. It became a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s and won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. Written in 1962, the music was composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim with lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes. The first commercial recording was made in 1962 by Pery Ribeiro.

27 - MARAVILLAS DU MALI in CUBA

In 1963, ten Malian students travelled to Havana to study Cuban music, led by Boncana Maïga. During their time in Cuba, they formed a band that they named Les Maravillas of Mali Inspired by the music of Orquesta Aragón and Orquesta Maravillas de Florida; the African band toured throughout the island and appeared on Cuban TV. They recorded their first album in the legendary Egrem studio, where renowned Cuban musicians such as Celia Cruz, Chucho Valdés, and Omara Portuondo also recorded. The Maravillas of Mali were received by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara during their stay in Cuba.














28 - MULATU ASTAKE - The man who created Ethio jazz

Mulatu Astatke is an innovative multi-talented musician, composer, arranger and the founder of Ethio Jazz. Born in Jimma, Ethiopia, Mulatu Astatke studied at Lindisfarne College and Trinity College of Music in England and Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. As a vibraphone, conga and percussion player, he has performed at numerous concerts in Ethiopia in the whole Europe, Canada and USA, including appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Lincoln Center in New York, Beethoven-Haus in Bonn and Barbican Center in London.

29 - FANIA RECORDS - The birth of Fania records label 1964

Fania Records is a New York based record label founded by Dominican-born composer, organiser, bandleader and producer Johnny Pacheco and Brooklyn born Italian-American lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964. Among Fania's signature stars was: Willie Colon, Celia Cruz, Larry Harlow, Ray Barretto, Ralfi Pagan, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Bobby Valentín, Rubén Blades, Héctor Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano, Adalberto Santiago, Ismael Miranda.

30 - LEO SARKISIAN - The Voice of America - 1965

Leo Sarkisian (January 4, 1921 – June 8, 2018) was an American ethnomusicologist and broadcaster for Voice of America radio. He is known for his work to showcase African music through the Music Time in his African radio program. The radio program, Music Time in Africa, is the oldest and longest running English-language radio program broadcast to the African continent by the Voice of America. Music Time in Africa was first broadcast in May 1965.

31 - GOOGOOSH - The Voice of Iran

Googoosh, whose real name is Faegheh Atashin, is not just a pop icon. The 75-year-old women was a former actress who starred in more than 25 Persian movies released in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. In 1980, she was imprisoned for around a month after the Islamic revolution. Googoosh stayed in Teheran until 2000 but she did not perform for 21 years due to ban on female signers. After the hiatus, she travelled to Canada in 2000 and sang for the first time in 21 years in the Air Canada Center Arena Toronto, for awaiting 18,000. Googoosh has a recording career tracing back to 1966, when she released her first single “Ghesseye Vafaa”

32 - MERIAM MAKEBA - Pata Pata

In 1966, Miriam Makeba became the first African woman to win an American Grammy, for an album along with Harry Belafonte.  She was the first artist from Africa to popularize African music around the world and she is most known for the song "Pata Pata", first recorded in 1957 and released in the U.S. in 1967.

33 - FESTMAN FESTIVAL 1966 – The first world festival of black arts.

The First world festival of Black Arts was held in Dakar, Senegal, 1–24 april 1966, followed by Festac '77 in Lagos (Nigeria) In 1977 and the Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algiers in July 1969.

34 - TROPICALIA - The birth of a revolutionary movement.

Tropicália was a revolutionary movement of subversion and beauty that swept Brazil in the late 1960s. Its participants formed a large collective, with stars including the singer-songwriters Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, along with Gal Costa, Nara Leão, Tom Zé, Torquato Neto, and the band Mutantes.

35 - MIKHIS THEODORAKIS – Exile

Mikis Theodorakis, has composed over 1000 songs and gave his first concert as early as 1942. In addition to "Zorba" (1964), he was behind the film music for "Z - He Lives" (1969) and "Serpico" (1973). He was imprisoned and tortured for his opposition against the brutal rule of the Greek junta from 1967 to 1974. After a period of four years in exile (1970 – 1974), he returned to the country and served in the parliament.

36 - VIOLETA PARRA - Gracias a la vida

"Gracias a la vida" is a song composed and first performed by Chilean musician Violeta Parra, one of the artists who set the basis for the movement, known as Nueva Canción. Parra composed "Gracias a la vida" in La Paz in 1966. The song was released on Las Últimas Composiciones, the last album Parra published before committing suicide in 1967. The song is one of Parra's most renowned and is performed throughout the world, and remains as one of the most covered Latin American songs in history.

37 – OUM KALTOUM - The unforgettable Paris concert.

On November 14, 1967, Oum Kalthoum gave the only European concert of her career. The sold-out performance remains legendary in the history of Arabic music. After the concert, French President General De Gaulle sent her a congratulatory message, writing: "I felt in your voice the vibrations of my heart and the hearts of all French people."

38 - FANIA ALL STARS - Birth of the salsa group Fania All Stars.

In 1968, Johnny Pacheco and Jerry Masucci created the Fania All Stars – a salsa supergroup featuring emerging artists such as Willie Colón, Larry Harlow, Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda, and Justo Betancourt.

39 - BRIAN JONES - The Pipes of Pan at Joujouka

Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka is an album produced by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. The album features recordings of the Moroccan group the Master Musicians of Joujouka, captured during a performance on July 29, 1968, in the village of Joujouka, Morocco. The album is considered as one of the first albums of what later became known as 'world music' to enter the pop mainstream.

40 - GIL GILBERTO AND VELOSO - The exil

On December 27, 1968, Brazilian musicians Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso were arrested by the military dictatorship. They spent three months in prison without charge or trial, followed by another four months under house arrest, after which they were released on the condition that they leave the country. They then lived in exile in the UK for several years.

41 - FESTIVAL PANAFRICAIN – Algiers – 1969.

In 1969, Algeria organised what was to become the most notable cultural event in Africa, the first Pan-African Cultural Festival. The Pan-African Cultural Festival was held in Algiers as a celebration of African identity and culture as well as an occasion to unite and promote interaction between liberation movements, and an opportunity for the Algerian government to promote the newly independent country.

42 - FRANCO - The Sorcerer of the Guitar.

Franco is best known for being one of the "masters" of Congolese rumba. He was part of the group OK Jazz ("Orchestre Kinshasa Jazz"), which later became TP OK Jazz ("Tout Puissant Orchestre Kinshasa Jazz"), accompanied by singers Josky Kiambukuta and Ntesa Dalienst, guitarists Simaro Lutumba and Papa Noel, as well as saxophonist Verckys Kiamuangana Mateta, among other musicians. He is considered one of the founders of contemporary Congolese music and is sometimes referred to as the "Guitar Sorcerer."

43 - SANTANA - Abraxas – 1970

Abraxas, Santana's second album, achieved platinum status with hit songs like "Oye Como Va" and "Black Magic Woman," which popularized the band's unique blend of blues, salsa, and African rhythms. Regarded as one of the greatest Latin rock albums of its time, it soared to number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. With this album, Santana paved the way for the seventies salsa movement and the broader explosion of Latin music.

44 – RAVI SHANKAR - The Godfather of world music.

George Harrison with Indian Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi ...Pandit Ravi Shankar and George Harrison shared a profound, decades-long mentorship and friendship that revolutionized Western music by introducing Indian classical sounds and spirituality, with Shankar teaching Harrison sitar, influencing Beatles hits like "Norwegian Wood," and Harrison promoting Shankar's work, notably with the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, creating a lasting bridge between Eastern and Western cultures. 

45 - OSIBISA - The pionneer of afro-rock.

Osibisa Ghanaian-British Afro-rock band were the most successful and longest lived of the African-heritage bands in London, alongside such contemporaries as Assagai, Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, Demon Fuzz, Black Velvet and Noir. They are among the first bands who contributed for the establishment of world music in the UK.

46 – RAVI SHANKAR, ALI AKBAR KHAN, ALLAH RAKHA - Bangladesh Concert 1971

On August 1st, 1971, the Concert for Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison to aid victims of famine and war in Bangladesh, took place at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Three of the most prestigious Indian artists, Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Allah Rakha, performed together for the first time alongside superstars such as Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Badfinger, and more, in front of over 40,000 people.

47 – SOUL TO SOUL - Accra 1971

On March 6, 1971, the Soul To Soul concert brought together the best Ghanaian and American musicians in Accra for the 14th anniversary of the country's independence.  Roberta Flack, Ike & Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, the voices of East Harlem, Santana, featuring Willie Bobo, Les McCann and Eddie Harris offering a historic musical encounter between two continents.

48 – JACQUES BIZOLLON – The man who produced more than 1500 artists.

Jacques Bizollon is a French producer who moved with his family in the 60s to Ivory Coast. Hi has produced over 1,300 artists since the 1970s at his JBZ studio in Abidjan. Iconic musicians such as Oumou Sangaré, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Youssou N’Dour, and Miriam Makeba have all recorded albums in his studio. Additionally, Tinariwen recorded their first cassette tape here, and Alpha Blondy's debut album, 'Brigadier Sabari,' was also produced at JBZ.

49 - ALAIN STIVELL - The man who brought Celtic music to the maintreet.

Alan Stivell is widely credited with coining the term and launching the global phenomenon of modern "Celtic music". By blending traditional Breton, Irish, and Scottish sounds with contemporary rock, folk, and ambient styles, he brought Celtic heritage to an international audience.

50 – MANU DIBANGO - Soul Makossa.

Manu Dibango – a Cameroonian saxophonist and vibraphonist – created a unique sound that blended jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian rhythms. Though his international breakthrough came in 1972 with the iconic "Soul Makossa," he had already spent two decades performing in Africa, Belgium, and France. Today, "Soul Makossa" stands as the most sampled African song in history.

51 - ALDEMARO ROMERO - Introducing “Onda Nueva”

Aldemaro Romero – a composer, arranger, and pianist – was a true innovator of Venezuelan music who helped bring it to international attention. He introduced a new genre, "Onda Nueva" (or "new wave"), which became the signature theme of the Caracas Music Festival from 1971 to 1973.

52 - AHMED HACHLAF – The man behind CDA in Paris.

Ahmed Hachlaf  was a radio host, producer, and artistic director responsible for the Oriental repertoire at Pathé-Marconi in 1947. In 1972, he and his brother founded the record company Le Club du Disque Arabe, making more than five thousand Arabic songs available worldwide. He curated the most significant and extensive catalog of Arabic music, featuring artists such as Oum Kalthoum, Abdelwahab, Asmahan, and Farid El Atrache.

53 – VICTOR JARA – Assassination, 1973.

Víctor Jara, born Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez, was a Chilean folk singer and one of the pioneers of the nueva canción genre, known for politically charged popular songs in Latin America. His activism led to his torture and execution by the regime of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet on September 16, 1973, in Santiago. The shocking assassination of Víctor Jara in 1973 turned him into a powerful symbol not only for the struggle of the Chilean people but also for the entire Latin American continent."

54 – FANIA ALL STARS - At the Yankee Stadium.

Friday, August 24, 1973 was a historic day for Latin music. Fania All Stars dumped 40,000 screaming fans into New York's Yankee Stadium for a night to remember. A year later, in 1974, the group drew twice that audience, with 80,000 attending at Kinshasa stadium in Zaire.

55 - CHRIS BLACKWELL - Internationalized the reggae music

Chris Blackwell, the co-founder of Island Records, is credited with discovering and introducing Bob Marley and reggae music to the world. The album he produced, 'Catch a Fire,' in April 1973 marked the beginning of a significant journey in reggae music history. His contributions were recognized with the Polar Music Prize in 2023.

56 – ZAIRE 74

Zaire 74 was intended to precede 'the fight of the century' between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa. This musical marathon brought together the finest artists from Zaire and North America, including James Brown, B.B. King, Bill Withers, and the Spinners, the Fania All Stars led by Johnny Pacheco, and the incredible Celia Cruz, from September 22 to 24, 1974. The event aimed to celebrate the reunion between Africa and its diaspora.

57 - HASSAN MÉGRI - The founder and creator of the “Mégri Musical Movement

Hassan Mégri was the founder and creator of the “Mégri Musical Movement”, which resulted in the creation of the “Arab World Music” which was non-existent in the time of the Beatles, Elvis Presley and the giants of Western Music.
Lili Touil” (Long is my Night) from the Mégri repertoire, would obviously be the first Arabic song to be translated and performed successfully in English and French. These are “Children of Paradis” by Bonny M and “Pont de Musique” by the French singer Maria Dorossi.

58 - IDIR – Avava Inouva – The man who modernised the Algerian music.

Idir, an icon of Algerian music, gained worldwide acclaim in the 1970s with his hit song 'A Vava Inouva'. The song was broadcasted in 77 countries and translated into fifteen languages. It played a significant role in opening doors to the modernization and internationalization of Algerian music, especially Kabyle music."

59 – DON CHERRY - The world music globetrotter.

Nomadic wanderer, cosmic explorer, and blithe spirit, pocket trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist Don Cherry were all these and more. Part of the revolutionary free movement with Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and Coltrane, Don showed up everywhere in the world of music, literally and figuratively. Don incorporated during his travels instruments and vibrations from all places of the world during decades before marketing people coined the term World Music.

60 - FRANCOISE GRUND – CHERIF KHAZNADAR

In the mid-1970s, Françoise Gründ and Cherif Khaznadar founded the Festival des Arts Traditionnels in the city of Rennes, where they showcased traditional artists from around the world. One notable act at the festival was Les Tambours du Burundi, a percussion band. Their performance caught the attention of Mark Kidel and Thomas Broman, who later invited the drummers to perform at the first WOMAD festival they organized in London in 1982.

61 – AHL NANA - Pioneer of the Desert blues?

The Ahl Nana band is credited as one of the pioneering groups in the development of Desert blues style. They transformed Sahara folk music into a modern, cosmopolitan sound by incorporating Western instruments such as the electric guitar. Their innovative approach paved the way for subsequent artists like Ali Farka Touré, Tinariwen, Mdou Moctar, Bombino, and many others.
Ahl Nana is one of the first known Saharan bands to include modern instruments such as the electric guitar. In all of their tracks, the electric guitar communicates with the traditional desert folk instruments, which creates an assonant discourse between the present and past.

62 - FESTAC '77 - The second biggest African festival

The Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, best known as FESTAC ’77, took place in Lagos, Nigeria, from January 12 to February 15, 1977.

63 – BOB MARLEY - The one love peace concert - 22 april 1978

Bob Marley brought together the leaders of Jamaica's warring political parties as a showing of unity at the One Love Peace Concert. It was a historic moment for Jamaican music which led to Bob being awarded the United Nations Peace Medal. In addition to the performance of Bob Marley, joined Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller, Dennis Brown, Big Youth, Beres Hammond, Culture, Junior Tucker or Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus.

64 - ABIDJAN – The capital of the African music.

The country's stability and prosperity, coupled with its thriving cocoa economy, and its many modern clubs and studios, attracted the majority of African artists to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in the 1970s and 1980s. De Rochereau in Fela, Manu Dibango, Rail Band, Les Ambassadeurs, Laba Sosseh, Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, Horoya Band and Sam Mangwana, performed in Abidjan, which has gradually become the capital of African music.

65 – MICKEY HART - First world music Grammy.

Micke Hart is a man who has made significant contributions to the discovery and promotion of world music. He won the first Grammy for World Music in 1991. Since the seventies, he has collaborated with and produced famous artists such as Zakir Hussain, Hamza El Din, Babatunde Olatunji, Ustad Sultan Khan, and the Gyuto Monks. He organized a memorial concert on September 16, 1978, in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza, with the Sudanese oud player Hamza El Din as a guest.

66 - MAMADOU KONTÉ - Created the first African festival - Africa fête.

In 1978, Mamadou Konte – a Malian worker living in France – founded the Africa Fête music festival. By the 1980s, it had become the essential gathering for the African diaspora. Many of today's biggest names in African music took their first steps on the Africa Fête stage – including Youssou Ndour, Baaba Maal, Manu Dibango, Touré Kunda, Angélique Kidjo, Djamal Allem, and countless others.

67 - CHEIKHA REMITTI - The queen of Rai music

In 1926 she made her first recording, In kunt asamih (If I forgive you).  This marked the beginning of a highly successful career. She sung about desire, love, pain, and separation. Starting in 1934, and for the next 27 years, she gave a concert every first Thursday of the month that was broadcast live on Radio Cairo. She moved primarily in the Goutte d'Or neighborhood of the 18th arrondissement in Paris in 1978—a district with a large Algerian community
Her concerts in Japan (NHK Hall, 1980s) made her the first pan-Asian idol

68 - FAIROUZ - The International Breakthrough - Olympia de Paris (1979) 

The most famous living Arab singer and the crown jewel of Lebanese music, Fairouz, earned her fame on the steps of those temples in feature presentations that the Rahbani brothers – their creators – called “Lebanese Nights.” In 1979, Fairouz performed for the first time at the Olympia in Paris.

69 - AMANDLA FESTIVAL OF UNITY -   To support Southern African liberation from apartheid 

The Amandla Festival of Unity was a historic 1979 world music festival at Harvard Stadium in Boston, headlined by Bob Marley & the Wailers to support Southern African liberation from apartheid and fight local racism, uniting global anti-racism efforts with reggae, jazz, and African music, creating a powerful cultural moment for justice.
Soul legend Patti LaBelle, jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri, drummer Babatunde Olatunji, drummer Yaya Diallo, the South African band Jabula, the Art of Black Dance, the comedian Dick Gregory and the front figure Bob Marley were presents.

70 - BOB MARLEY - Celebrating Zimbabwe's independence.

Bob Marley, Thomas Mapfumo, and Osibisa were among the great artists who participated in the gigantic concert in Harare, Zimbabwe, on April 18, 1980, to celebrate Zimbabwe's independence. Representatives from 100 countries, including 11 heads of state, traveled to Zimbabwe for the celebrations."

71 – JEAN FRANCOIS BIZOT & RADIO NOVA -  Creation of  Sono Mondial

Jean-François Bizot was a French journalist and the founder of the magazine Actuel (1969) and Radio Nova in 1981. He is mainly credited with the creation of the term SONO MONDIALE, which is the equivalent of the English term WORLD MUSIC. SONO MONDIALE is better accepted than the term WORLD MUSIC. 

72 - FELA KUTI - The pioneer of Afrobeat & Pantin concert - 1981

Fela Anikulapo Kuti (15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is best known as a pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, a blend of traditional Yoruba and Afro-Cuban music with funk and jazz. According to Martin Meissonnier, Fela was the catalyst for world music. The concert he gave in Paris in 1981 at Porte de Pantin, which gathered 10,000 people, marked the beginning of the rise of world music in France."

73 - KASSAV - The birth of Zouk music.

The band Kassav was formed in 1979 by Guadeloupeans Pierre-Edouard Décimus and Jacob F. Desvarieux joined later by Jocelyne. They broke through in 1981 with the song "Love and Ka Dance and thus create the music genre Zouk. The band has collected many gold and platinum records made sixty Zenith concerts. 

74 - MERCEDES SOCA - Exile

At a concert in La Plata in 1979, Sosa was searched and arrested on stage, along with all those attending the concert. Their release came about through international intervention. Banned in her own country, she moved to Paris and then to Madrid. Sosa returned to Argentina from her exile in Europe in 1982.

75 - BARBES ROCHECHOUART - The heart of the world music market

In the 1980s, Boulevard de la Chapelle in Paris was transformed into a vibrant record market, with at least twenty record stores and music companies settling in and engaging in selling, producing, importing, and distributing music records. All of them specialized in Arabic, African music, reggae, zouk, Latin and Indian music. Barbès has become over the years the epicenter of world music in Europe.

76 – IBRAHIM SYLLA - The "Berry Gordy of African music"

Ibrahima Sylla (2 April 1956 – 30 December 2013) was a Senegalese record producer born in Ivory Coast and founder of the African music label Syllart Records. He helped bring African music to a worldwide audience in the 1980s. Sylla's record shop near Gare du Nord in Paris was a key meeting point for African workers and immigrants in the 80s, which I visited many times.

77 - LES TOURÉ KUNDA - Emma

In 1982, the independent Celluloid label was among the first to bridge the gap between immigrant and indigenous European markets, selling more than 300,000 albums by the Senegalese group Touré Kunda with the success of the album 'E'mma. The album, featuring acoustic, electric, and traditional elements, popularized Touré Kunda's music, establishing them as pioneers of world music,"

78 - WOMAD – 1982

WOMAD was founded in 1980 by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, along with Thomas Brooman, Bob Hooton, Mark Kidel, Stephen Pritchard, Martin Elbourne, and Jonathan Arthur. The first WOMAD festival took place in Shepton Mallet, UK, in 1982. The audience witnessed performances by Peter Gabriel, Don Cherry, The Beat, Drummers of Burundi, Echo & The Bunnymen, Imrat Khan, Prince Nico Mbarga, Peter Hammill, Simple Minds, Suns of Arqa, The Chieftains, and Ekome National Dance Company, founded by Barrington, Angie, Pauline, and Lorna Anderson, the pioneering African arts company in the UK, among others.

79 – STERNS - African record store – 1982

Sterns record shop was launched by three music lovers, Don Bayramian, Robert Urbanus, and Charles Easmon in London. The record shop is located on Warren Street in London. Since its launch in 1982, it has been the epicenter of the African music scene. Sterns is also the first British record label to release recordings by Salif Keita, Youssou N'Dour, Franco & OK Jazz, and gradually hundreds of other artists.

80 - YOUSSOU N´DOUR - First apparition in Paris

Rolling Stone described him as "perhaps the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and much of Africa and ranked him in 2023 at number 69 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. He won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album for Egypt in 2005. UNICEF appointed him a Goodwill Ambassador in 1991, and he has been called West Africa's cultural ambassador. His iconic 1994 hit "7 Seconds" with Neneh Cherry brought him global fame. 

81 - CLIFTON CHENIER - Introduced the Creole music of rural Louisiana to the world. 
Clifton Chenier introduced the Creole music of rural Louisiana to the world – now known as zydeco, the name derived either from the Creole pronunciation of haricots, or possibly a West African word for music-making. Chenier's popularity peaked in the 1980s, and he was recognized with a Grammy Award in 1983 for his album I'm here!  Chenier received a 1984 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. government's highest honor in folk and traditional arts.

82 - HENRI DEBS - Founder of disques Debs International 

Henri Debs is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, sound engineer, producer, distributor, publisher, record store owner, and founder of the most important record label in the French-speaking Caribbean. He played a major role in popularizing beguine music, zouk, and compas. He has recorded over 6,000 tracks and composed nearly 250 songs. He discovered unknown talents and launched new groups such as Les Aiglons, Les Vikings, Malavoi, Francky Vincent, and Zouk Machine, among others.

83 – FESTIVAL METISSSES

The French producer Gilbert Mousset was among one of the first festival promoters to be thanked for bringing African artists to his festival, Musiques Métisses, in the early 1980s. Amazones de Guinée, Super Biton, Salif Keita, Thomas Mapfumo, Miriam Makeba, Mory Kanté, and Johnny Clegg were among the first artists to be invited to his fesival.

84 - KING SUNNY ADE – The King of Juju music.

King Sunny Ade (born September 22, 1946, Oshogbo, Nigeria) is a Nigerian popular musician in the vanguard of the development and international popularization of juju music—a fusion of traditional Yoruba vocal forms and percussion with Western rock and roll.
The clearest sign of the growing interest in African music was the success of Nigerian juju band leader King Sunny Ade, whose first two internationally released albums for Island Records sold more than 100,000 copies each in the United States in 1983–84. The album 'Juju Music' was a critical and commercial success, peaking at 111 on Billboard's 'Pop Albums' chart. .

85 - PABLO MILANES – SILVIO RODRIGUEZ – The historic concert stadium Estadio Obras Sanitarias

The two most emblematic singers of Cuba came to Argentina for the first time in 03 april 1984, for en historical concert in the Estadio Obras Sanitarias de la ciudad de Buenos Aires.

86 - TAM TAM for Ethiopia.

"Starvation", a cover version of a Pioneers song, featured a number of musicians associated with the 2 Tone era (the group were originally going to be called "The 2 Tone All Stars"), including members of The Specials, Madness, UB40 and General Public, as well as The Pioneers themselves. It was produced by Jerry Dammers and recorded at Liquidator Studios in London.
"Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie" was recorded in Paris and featured an ensemble of African artists as M'Bamina, King Sunny Ade, Salif Keita, Touré Kunda, Mory Kanté, Ghetto Blaster, Souzy Kasseya, Ray Lema, and Tony Allen. It was produced by Manu Dibango.

87 - SOS RACISME - Paris concert - 1985

On June 15, 1985, at the initiative of the association SOS Racisme, a large concert took place at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, described as a 'multiracial musical festival.' For the first time in France, bands and artists from Africa, the Maghreb, Haiti, and Jamaica such as Nass El Ghiwane, Malavoi, Karim Kacel, Djurdjura, Steel Pulse, and many others played side by side with French artists in front of a mixed audience (French and immigrant). The barrier of marginalization was broken at that point, and a new spirit of demand for equality, justice, and fraternity was born.

88 - NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN  -  WOMAD - July 20, 1985

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was invited to the WOMAD Festival in 1985. The legendary Qawwali singer performed for the first time in front of a mainly non-Asian audience. After his performance at the festival, he became internationally known one and he is today counted among the greatest and most beloved world music artists of all time. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died at the age of just 48 on 16th August, 1997.

89 - SUN CITY - ARTISTS AGAINST APARTHEID

Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activist and performer Little Steven and record producer Arthur Baker to protest against apartheid in South Africa. Many world music artists such as Ray Barretto, Jimmy Cliff, Big Youth, Ravi Shankar, Ruben Blades, Sonny Okosuns, Lakshminarayana Shankar, participated alongside Bob Dylan, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Ringo Starr, Bob Geldof, Lou Reed, Herbie Hancock, and more.

90 - DAN DEL SANTO - Birth of world beat

DAN DEL SANTO is claimed to have coined the term 'world beat' in the US. World beat was a new genre of music, mixing rock, hip hop, soul, and funk with African and Caribbean influences that Dan Del Santo experimented with in his album 'World Beat'.

91 - PAUL SIMON - Graceland

Paul Simon's visits to South Africa were widely criticized for breaking the cultural boycott of apartheid-era South Africa. The visit resulted in a Grammy for the album "Graceland" in 1986. The album, though criticized, is thought to have helped bring African music to a global audience and break the apartheid barrier against African artists. It opened doors for South African artists and served as a wake-up call to the world.

92 - RAI FESTIVAL - Bobigny - France - 1986

The first Raï festival outside of its country of origin, Algeria, took place in Bobigny, in the suburbs of Paris, on January 23, 1986. The festival allowed artists like Cheikha Rimitti, Khaled, Cheb Mami, Raina Rai, and Cheikha Remitti to become internationally known and to spread Raï music all over the world, similar to what Bob Marley did for reggae.

93 - CLUB BALATTOU - Lamine Touré - Montréal

Lamine Touré is one of the most important figures on the world music scene. In 1986, he opened Montreal's club Ballatou on Saint-Laurent Boulevard and founded the Festival International Nuits d'Afrique (FINA) one year later. The festival, dedicated to African and Caribbean cultures, has become a not-to-be-missed event on Quebec's cultural scene and has built an enviable reputation worldwide..

94 – AMALIA RODRIGUES – Queen of Fado

Amália Rodrigues is considered one of the greatest fado singers of all time. In 1944, she gained recognition among Brazilian audiences by performing at the Copacabana Casino and making her first recordings in Rio de Janeiro, marking the beginning of an international career.

95 – MORY KANTÉ - Yé ké yé ké

Yé ké yé ké" is a song by Guinean recording artist Mory Kanté. Released in 1987, the song was one of Africa's best-selling hits at that time, making it the first African single to sell over one million copies. The commercial success of "Yéké Yéké" encouraged record companies to support African artists, playing an important role in the promotion of African popular music and contributing to the craze for "world music

96 – BHUNDU BOYS - NME Cover

The Bhundu Boys from Zimbabwe were among the first bands in what we now call world music. They were the first African band to make an appreciable impact, appearing on the cover of NME in February 1987. They were praised by Eric Clapton and Elvis Costello, and Madonna asked them to be her support act at Wembley Stadium in 1987.

97 – ALI FARKA TOURÉ – To London first concert.

Ali farka Touré made his first concert i England and recorded the new album”source "at the Fire House studio, London on October, 1987 produced by the label World circuit.
The concert took place as part of the festival "Crossing the Border"from 2-10 October, 1987. The festival featured a range of musicians including Najma Akhtar, Kathryn Tickell, Jenny Cardenas from Bolivia, and Ali Farka Toure from Mali, Ketama from Spain, Bruce Cockburn and many others.

98 – EMPRESS OF RUSSIA - Birth of the world music label - 1987

The term "world music" was coined for the first time on July 13, 1987, during a meeting at the Empress of Russia pub in Islington, North London, as a marketing term. It was coined to bring "foreign" music closer to the mainstream of Western popular music. The meeting was masterminded by Ben Mandelson and Roger Armstrong from Globestyle Records, along with other record label executives, promoters, festival organizers, DJs, and journalists.

 99 - FIRST WORLD MUSIC CASSETTE

The first world music compilation cassette was launched year 1987. It contains 19 artists including Salif Keita, Nadjma Akhtar, Ofra Haza, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abdelaziz Moubarek, Sasono Mulyo, Ketama, Zouk Time, Jali Musa Jawara, Sidiki Diabate, and Dilika.

100 – GIPSY KINGS - Bamboleo - 1987

The song Bamboleo from the Spanish band Gipsy King became a worldwide mega-hit in 1988, selling more than 20 million albums.

101 - CESARIA EVORA – Concert in the new morning

Cesária Évora performed for the first time at New Morning in Paris on October 1, 1988, following the release of her acclaimed album La diva aux pieds nus that same year. She enjoyed great success in the '90s and won a 2003 Grammy Award for her album Voz d'Amor.

102 – AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - Human Rights Now! Tour.

The Human Rights Now! Tour was a twenty-concert world tour held over a six-week period in September–October 1988. The tour commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is the virtual manifesto of Amnesty International's mission. The tour starred Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Sting, and Peter Gabriel, along with Tracy Chapman and Youssou N'Dour.

103 - RUBEN BLADES – WILLIE COLON - Siembra

Rubén Blades, one of the most successful vocalists and songwriters in Panamanian music and salsa history, produced the famous album "Siembra" in 1988 with Willie Colón, another salsa pioneer. The album has been called the "Sergeant Pepper of salsa," after the Beatles’ famous album. It has sold over 25 million copies and included the track "Pedro Navaja," a song that would make Blades a superstar across Latin America.

104 - NELSON MANDELA - 70th Birthday Tribute.

The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was a popular music concert staged on June 11, 1988, at Wembley Stadium, London, and broadcast to 67 countries with an audience of 600 million. Hugh Masekela, Youssou N'Dour, Miriam Makeba, Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, Salif Keita, the Farafina Drummers, Sly & Robbie, Aswad, alongside artists such as Dire Straits (with Eric Clapton), Tracy Chapman, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Simple Minds, Sting, Peter Gabriel, and Eurythmics.

105 - THE CHIEFTAINS - Popularized Irish music. 

They are regarded as having helped popularize Irish music around the world. They have won six Grammy Awards during their career and they were given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2002 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Some music experts credit the Chieftains with introducing traditional Irish music to a global audience.

106 - MIGHTY SPARROW 

Arrow's ebullient recording became a signature song of the Notting Hill carnival in west London. Arrow himself appeared at Notting Hill in 1988 and 1989. The song was repeatedly played on sound systems and pirate radio stations and became a mainstay of dance clubs all over the world. It reached its greatest audience when it was chosen as the official anthem of the 1986 World Cup, held in Mexico.

107 – REAL WORLD - 1989

Real World Records was founded in 1989 by WOMAD and Peter Gabriel to provide talented artists from around the world with access to state-of-the-art recording facilities and audiences beyond their geographic region.'

108 - PACO DE LUCIA

Paco de Lucía, has revolutionized the genre by using the guitar as a lead solo instrument. De Lucía also incorporated jazz elements into his music and introduced the cajón, a percussion instrument from Peru, to Spain through his percussionist Rubem Dantas (Brazil).

109 - LE MYSTERE DES VOIX BULGARES

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares (1986): The release of the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir's recordings by the British label 4AD in 1986 brought traditional Bulgarian music to global attention, winning a Grammy for a follow-up in 1989.

110 - MARI BOINE - The silver tern from Finnmarksvidda

Mari Boine’s debut album Gula Gula (“Listen, listen”), recorded in 1989 and released on the Sámi label Iđut before gaining broader attention via Real World, was groundbreaking—earning the Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy) and marking a cultural milestone. Blending Sámi joik vocals with a rich mix of traditional and global instrumentation, Boine delivers haunting, powerful blendings of indigenous sound and social commentary

111 - INTI - ILLIMANI & QUILAPAYUN - Return from exile

In the late 1980s, Inti-Illimani and Quilapayún finally returned to Chile, bringing with them a more internationally influenced form of nueva canción – one that reflected a wider range of musical traditions. Both ensembles continued to perform around the world well into the 21st century, though with changing lineups over time.

112 - BI KIDUDE -  Queen of Taarab

Bi Kidude (c. 1910–2013) – born Fatuma binti Baraka – was a legendary singer from Zanzibar, celebrated as the "Queen of Taarab and Unyago" and a true ambassador for Swahili culture. She started singing in the 1920s and went on to tour the world, performing well into her nineties, and was often described as the world's oldest touring artist. In 2005, she was honored with the WOMEX Award in recognition of her lifelong contribution to music and culture.

113 - AZAM KHAN - The Legacy of Azam Khan.

Azam Khan (1950-2011) was a legendary Bangladeshi freedom fighter and the pioneering "Pop Guru" of Bangladesh, known for introducing rock and pop music to the nation post-independence, forming the iconic band Uchcharon and blending Western sounds with Bangla lyrics, while also being a celebrated figure in the 1971 Liberation War. He's remembered for hits like "Rail Liner Oi Bostite" and songs that resonated with youth, defining a new era of Bangladeshi music. 

114 - SHIN JOONG HYUN - The Godfather of Korean Rock

Shin Joong Hyun & the Men was a popular South Korean music group active in the 1960s and 1970s. The group was led by the guitarist and composer Shin Joong Hyun, who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in the history of Korean popular music. Shin Joong-hyun is considered as the "Godfather of Korean Rock" for his pioneering work in the 60s and 70s. Yoo Jaeha: While he released only one album before his death in 1987.

115 - HOU DEJIAN - The singer who ‘defected’ to Beijing

Promising singer-songwriter Hou Dejian surprised the nation by illegally moving to China in 1983; he was deported back in 1990 after playing a key part in the Tiananmen Square protests- Hou found himself as one of the “Four Gentlemen of Tiananmen Square” who led a hunger strike during the final days of the student demonstrations.

116 - CUI JIAN - Godfather of Rock

Cui Jian, China's "Godfather of Rock," is famous for performing at the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, where his song "Nothing to My Name" became an anthem for student demonstrators seeking freedom and self-expression. His performances there, alongside He Yong, fueled the movement, but led to years of censorship and bans by Chinese authorities. He remains a symbol of youthful dissent, though he now navigates a complex relationship with the state, often facing self-censorship to continue performing. 

117 - AL- BARA´EM - The musical olive trees

Al-Bara'em became the first band to write and perform original Arabic rock and roll music in Palestine, combining poetic justice with musical heritage. They were also the first to feature women front and center on stage – their sisters, who performed songs by Lebanese singer Fairuz, backed by the band.

118 - CLARENCE WIJEWARDENA - The "Father of Sinhala Pop-

Clarence Wijewardena is widely considered the greatest Sri Lankan musician of the 60s to 80s, often hailed as the "Father of Sinhala Pop" for revolutionizing local music with electric guitars and simple melodies. He dominated the era with bands like The Golden Chimes and Super Golden Chimes.

119 - SHARHABIL AHMED - The King of Sudanese Jazz. 

The legend of Sudanese music Sharhabil Ahmed, who earned the title of Sudan’s King of Jazz for his unique style of music, is equally renowned for his art, in particular his cartoon illustrations in the much-loved children’s magazine Al-Sibyan. He is a trailblazer, setting up the first jazz band and which included the first female band member guitarist in Sudan, his wife Zakia. 

120 - KAREL GOTT - The Golden Voice of Prague.

Karel Gott – often called the "Sinatra of the East" – was a Czech singing legend who sold millions of records worldwide. From the mid-1960s onward, he released nearly 300 albums and over 1,000 songs, selling tens of millions of copies across the globe.

121 - LEPA BRENA AND SLAVIC HIRAETH - The Queen of Yugostalgia. 

Lepa Brena was the undisputed queen of 1980s Yugoslav pop – a superstar who blended folk traditions with polished pop production. She came to embody a modern, progressive vision of the "Yugoslav Woman," steering folk music in a fresh and contemporary direction.

122 - NARAYAN GOPAL GURUWACHARYA - The Emperor of Melody.

Narayan Gopal Guruwacharya (4 October 1939 – 5 December 1990) is remembered as one of Nepal's greatest musical legends. Born into a traditional Newar family in Kilagal Tole, Kathmandu, he rose from modest beginnings to become a towering figure in Nepali music. With over 135 songs to his name, he blended classical depth with themes of love, longing, and patriotism – earning him the title Swara Samrat (Emperor of Melody), as well as the poignant nickname "Tragedy King."

123 - HASSAN ZIRAK - The "nightingale of Kurdistan

Hassan Zirak, the pure voice and treasure of Kurdish folk music, passed away on June 26, 1972, at the age of 51 in in Bokan, East part of Kurdistan. He left an artistic archive for his nation, which has become a rich source of the original art of the Kurdish people.
Hassan Zirak spent most of his life in exile and he did not enjoy his life in Iran or Iraq. He was arrested in Baghdad and spent 18 months in an Iraqi prison. Later, Iranian security agencies arrested and tortured Hassan Zirak.

124 - YALLA - The "Uzbek Beatles" 

Yalla, the "Uzbek Beatles," are widely considered the most prominent Central Asian band from the 1970s–80s, pioneering a blend of Uzbek folk melodies with Western rock and disco. 

125 - AHMED RUSHDI - The first pop singer of South Asia.

Ahmed Rushdi is considered the first pop singer of South Asia. He sang the region's first pop song, "Ko Ko Korina," and recorded over 5,000 songs across 583 films. The 1980s were dominated by pop icon Nazia Hassan, known as the "Queen of Pakistani Pop." Other foundational figures include playback singer Noor Jahan, ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, and folk artist Alam Lohar.

126 - JOHN NDENZE - The founder of 'Africa's best band
'
John Amutabi Nzenze (1940–2020) was a pioneering Kenyan musician, singer, guitarist, and dancer best known for introducing and popularizing the African twist genre in the 1960s. He, among the pioneers of the Kenyan Twist music, founded the Air Fiesta Matata Band in the mid-1960s. The band performed with Miles Davis in Germany, who was impressed with the band and arranged for them a tour of America. In 1971, BBC World Service gave them a Best Band in Africa award.

127 - NAZIA HASSAN -  The Queen of South Asian Pop. 

Nazia Hassan (1965–2000) was a pioneering Pakistani singer-songwriter, lawyer, and social activist, widely revered as the "Queen of South Asian Pop". Rising to fame at age 15 with the 1980 hit "Aap Jaisa Koi," she revolutionized music in the region alongside her brother, Zoheb Hassan, selling over 65 million records. Her debut album, Disco Deewane (1981), was a massive hit across 14 countries, breaking records in South Asia.

128 - BHUIJHANGY - introducing Bhangra in the UK

Bhujhangy is the first group to introduce Bhangra in the UK. Balbir Singh (BEM) has been placed into the Guinness book of world records for the 'Longest running Bhangra Band in the UK’ being the only member to have continuously performed for 55 years under the name ‘Bhujhangy’ which is trademarked by Balbir Singh.