We're back with another 100 Greatest list, and this time, to coincide with our World Music Festival event, we've chosen the 100 Greatest World Music Albums of All Time.
"World music" is an exceptionally wide-ranging term. Does world music
mean music thatís not in English? Does a world music artist have to
create music from his/her own particular country or ethnic background?
What about "big name" world artists (like Enya, Celtic Woman, Bob
Marley) who have had mainstream Top 40 hits? In the end, we came up
with the following criteria:
- Broadly speaking, world music is not traditionally Western. Weíve
chosen albums featuring music from a particular region, culture, or
heritage.
- Albums can include lyrics in English and/or Top 40 hits, as long as
the music itself draws from non-western rhythms, instruments, or
melodies.
- One album per artist
- No EPs or singlesóthis list is about albums
- No greatest hits collections or compilations except in cases where no
actual album was available, or where the collection acts as a proper
album. Bob Marleyís Legend, being a greatest hits compilation album, did not make our list, but Catch a Fire did.
Of course, our editors exercise their judgment regarding quality and/or
historical significance. If you disagree with our choices (and there's
a good chance you will), let us know in the comments below, or on the customer discussion on our list landing page.
This list is MP3s, but if you prefer CDs, you can find the list here.
1. Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective - W·tina
2. Bulgarian State Television Female Choir - Le MystËre des Voix Bulgares
3. Fela Kuti - Live!
4. Abdoulaye Diabate - Djiriyo
5. Konono No1 - Congotronics
6. Os Mutantes - Everything Is Possible
7. Black Uhuru - The Dub Factor
8. Jorge Ben - Forca Bruta
9. Huun-Huur-Tu - The Orphan's Lament
10. Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club
11. Bob Marley - Catch A Fire
12. Mahmoud Ahmed - Ethiopiques, Vol. 7: Ere Mela Mela
13. King Tubby - Dub From The Roots
14. Paco de Lucia - Entre Dos Aguas
15. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
16. Solomon Ilori - African High Life
17. Willie Bobo - Juicy
18. Gal Costa - Gal Costa
19. Sara Tavares - Balance
20. Ravi Shankar - The Ravi Shankar Collection: Live: Ravi Shankar At The Monterey International Pop Festival
21. Sevara Nazarkhan - Yol Bolsin
22. Ali Farka TourÈ - Red & Green
23. Amalia Rodrigues - Art of Amalia
24. Nanae Yoshimura - Art of the Koto, Vol. 1
25. King Sunny Ade - JuJu Music
26. Salif Keita - Amen
27. Mariza - Fado Em Mim
28. Tito Puente - Dance Mania
29. Franco - OriginalitÈ
30. Etoile De Dakar - Volume 4 - Khaley Etoile
31. Ja Man All Stars - In The Dub Zone
32. Cheb I Sabbah - La Kahena
33. Rachid Taha - Diwan
34. Pham Duc Thanh - Vietnamese Traditional Dan Bau Music
35. Khaled - Sahra
36. Think of One - Camping Shaabi
37. Asha Bhosle - Precious Platinum
38. Ali Akbar Khan - Traditional Music of India
39. Liliana Barrios - Troileana
40. Tania Maria - Via Brasil vol.2
41. David Nzomo - Songs from Kenya
42. Cesaria Evora - Cesaria
43. Toumani Diabate With Ballake Sissoko - New Ancient Strings
44. A.R. Rahman - Lagaan
45. Paolo Conte - Reveries
46. Taraf de HaÔdouks - Taraf de HaÔdouks
47. Marcel KhalifÈ - Promises of the Storm
48. Ernest Ranglin - Below The Bassline
49. Joyce - Just a Little Bit Crazy
50. Puerto Plata - Mujer de Cabaret
51. Tinariwen - Aman Iman: Water Is Life
52. Ghazal - Lost Songs Of The Silk Road
53. Kandia Kouyate - Kita Kan
54. Antonio Carlos Jobim - Wave
55. The Congos - Heart of the Congos
56. Thomas Mapfumo - Spirits To Bite Our Ears
57. Willie ColÛn & Ruben Blades - Siembra
58. Bassekou Kouyate - Segu Blue
59. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali
60. Augustus Pablo - East of the River Nile
61. Ofra Haza - Fifty Gates of Wisdom: Yemenite Songs
62. Dhafer Youssef - Electric Sufi
63. Olatunji - Drums of Passion
64. Los Amigos Invisibles - The Venezuelan Zinga Son Vol. 1
65. Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco - Celia & Johnny
66. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Shahen-Shah
67. Eddie Palmieri And Friends - The Sun of Latin Music
68. Seu Jorge - Cru
69. Youssou N'Dour - ImmigrÈs
70. Kodo - Live at the Acropolis
71. Ibrahim Ferrer - Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer
72. Lama Gyurme - The Lama's Chants
73. Elis Regina/Tom Jobim - Elis & Tom
74. KoÁani Orkestar - Alone At My Wedding
75. Idan Raichel - The Idan Raichel Project
76. Cheo Feliciano - Cheo
77. Tomatito & Michel Camilo - Spain
78. Issa Bagayogo - Mali Koura
79. Hermanos Ayala - Bomba de Loiza
80. Hugh Masekela - The Lasting Impressions Of Ooga Booga
81. Peter Tosh - Legalize It
82. Peru Negro - Zamba Malato
83. Flaco Jimenez - Squeeze Box King
84. Waldemar Bastos - Pretaluz
85. Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela
86. Orchestra Baobab - Pirates Choice
87. Hugh Mundell - Africa Must Be Free by 1983
88. Vicente Fernandez - El Hijo Del Pueblo
89. Walter Ferguson Gavitt - Mr. Gavitt: Calypsos of Costa Rica
90. Gamelan Semara Pegulingan - Music of Bali
91. Djivan Gasparyan - I Will Not Be Sad in This World
92. Kassav' - An-ba-chen'n La
93. Andy Statman - Between Heaven And Earth: Music Of The Jewish Mystics
94. Ami Koita - Songs of Praise
95. Tom Ze - Danc-Eh-Sa
96. Ruben Gonzalez - IntroducingÖRuben Gonzalez
97. Gotan Project - La Revancha Del Tango
98. Vieux Farka TourÈ - Fondo
99. Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Gift Of The Tortoise: A Musical Journey Through Southern Africa
100. Frankie Kennedy & Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh - Altan
--Alan Wiley
