Lusophone music - Definition and Overview

Portugal and its former colonies are linked musically by the shared influence of fado, a bluesy form of music derived from itinerants in Lisbon. In varying forms, the genre has dominated Portuguese music since the early 20th century, and has also spread to its former colonies, especially Brazil and the African colonies (Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and Angola), while having a lesser influence on the Asian colonies of Sri Lanka and East Timor.

Of all the Lusophone countries, the one with the most internationally renowned popular music is probably Brazil. One of the largest countries in the world, Brazil's mix of diverse African and indigenous styles with fado and other Portuguese traditions has produced an eclectic mix of styles, most famously including bossa nova, as well as samba, choro and lambada. Portuguese fado has had some success internationally, as has Cape Verdean morna, which is closely related to fado. Mozambique boasts popular timbila and marrabenta music, and Guinea-Bissau's gumbe scene once thrived; Angolan semba accentuates the later crosscultural linking between the Lusophone countries -- it is related to Brazilian samba, but the origins of both are murky and unclear.