Folk song traditions were taken to Australia by early settlers from England, Scotland and Ireland and gained particular foothold in the rural outback. The rhyming songs, poems and tales written in the form of bush ballads often relate to the itinerant and rebellious spirit of Australia in The Bush, and the authors and performers are often referred to as bush bards. The songs tell personal stories of life in the wide open country of Australia. Typical subjects include mining, raising and droving cattle, sheep shearing, wanderings, war stories, the 1891 Australian shearers' strike, class conflicts between the landless working class and the squatters (landowners), and outlaws such as Ned Kelly, as well as love interests and more modern fare such as trucking. Indigenous Australian music includes the music of Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who are collectively called Indigenous Australians; it incorporates a variety of distinctive traditional music styles practiced by Indigenous Australian peoples, as well as a range of contemporary musical styles of and fusion with European traditions as interpreted and performed by indigenous Australian artists.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Indigenous Australian, Bunggul, Clan Songs & Songlines, Death Wail, Krill Krill, Kun-Borrk, Wangga, Aboriginal Rock, Bush Music, Folk Rock

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_music

The music of Southeastern Europe or Balkan music is a type of music distinct from others in Europe. This is definitely because it was influenced by traditional music of Southeastern European ethnic groups and mutual music influences of these ethnic groups. The music is characterised by complex rhythm. The music of the Slavic countries of Southeastern Europe is significantly different from the music of Eastern Europe, which includes the Slavic states of the former USSR. The latter was much more influenced by the common eastern Slavic culture, notably by Kievan Rus and more recently the USSR.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Traditional Bulgarian Music, Traditional Serbian Music, Progressive Balkan Folk, Balkan Soul Funk, Flamenco Balkan Fusion, Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Republic Of Macedonia, Turkey

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Southeastern_Europe

The term bard came to be used in the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, and continues to be used in Russia today, to refer to singer-songwriters who wrote songs outside the Soviet establishment, similarly to beatnik folk singers of the United States. Stylistically, the precursor to bard songs were Russian "city romances," also known as urban romances, which touched upon common life and were popular throughout all layers of Russian society in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. These romances were traditionally written in a minor key and performed with a guitar accompaniment. What separates bard poetry from other songs is the fact that the music is far less important than the lyrics; chord progressions are often very simple and tend to repeat from one bard song to another. A far more obvious difference was the commerce-free nature of the genre; songs were written to be sung and not to be sold. Many bards performed their songs for small groups of people using a Russian guitar, and rarely, if ever, would they be accompanied by other musicians or singers.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Tourist Song, Political Song, Outlaw Songs, Other Songs

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bard_(Soviet_Union)

Belarus is an Eastern European country with a rich tradition of folk and religious music. The country's folk music traditions can be traced back to the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Documentation of its music stretches back to at least the 15th century. Prior to that, skomorokhs were the major profession for musicians. A neumatic chant, called znamenny, from the word 'znamia', meaning sign or neume, used until 16th century in Orthodox church music, followed by two hundreds of stylistic innovation that drew on the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Belarus

Caribbean music genres are diverse. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and Indigenous influences, largely created by descendants of African slaves (see Afro-Caribbean music), along with contributions from other communities (such as Indo-Caribbean music). Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside of the Caribbean include reggae, zouk, salsa, bouyon, calypso, soca, reggaeton and punta. Caribbean is also related to Central American and South American music. The divisions between Caribbean music genres are not always well-defined, because many of these genres share common relations and have influenced each other in many ways and directions. Some critics have defined Latin music as an incorporation of four elements: music style, geography, cultural background of the artist and language. The first of those encapsulates all music styles generated from Latin countries, such as salsa, merengue, tango and bachata; as well as other styles derived from a more mainstream genre, such as Latin pop, rock, jazz and hip-hop.

The cultures that encompass these musics and compose of its wide array of genres is so extensive that we cannot fit it into this description. Therefore, all of the music that falls under Caribbean & Latin American music is at your disposal for discussion. Here are good sources for the collective of genres and styles that are Caribbean and Latin American:

Source 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_music_genres
Source 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_music

Celtic music is a term used by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic peoples. These traditions include Irish, Scottish, Manx, Cornish, Welsh, Breton traditions. Gerald de Barri (1188) claimed that the two main instruments used at this time were the "harp" and "tabor" (see bodhrán), that their music was fast and lively, and that their songs always began and ended with B-flat. Unaccompanied vocals are called sean nós ("in the old style") and are considered the ultimate expression of traditional singing. This is usually performed solo (very occasionally as a duet). The Caoineadh-type song is therefore a lament song which is typified by lyrics which stress sorrow and pain.Irish traditional music was largely meant (to the best of our current knowledge) for dancing at celebrations for weddings, saint's days or other observances.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Sean-nós (music for singing), Caoineadh Songs (laments), Reels, Hornpipes, Jibs, Waltzes, Mazurkas, Polkas, Highlands, Barndances

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_music_of_Ireland

Archaeological discoveries date Chinese folk music back 7000 years; it is largely based on the pentatonic scale. Chinese folk music is different from western traditional music, paying more attention to the form expression as well. China has many ethnic groups besides the Han, concentrated in the southeast and northwest. These include Tibetans, Uyghurs, Manchus, Zhuang, Dai, Naxi, Miao, Wa, Yi, and Lisu. Traditional music in China is played on solo instruments or in small ensembles of plucked and bowed stringed instruments, flutes, and various cymbals, gongs, and drums. The scale is pentatonic. Bamboo pipes and qin are among the oldest known musical instruments from China; instruments are traditionally divided into categories based on their material of composition: animal skins, gourd, bamboo, wood, silk, earth/clay, metal, and stone. Chinese orchestras traditionally consist of bowed strings, woodwinds, plucked strings and percussion.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Ethnic Han Music, Chinese Opera, Nanyin, Nanguan, Jiangnan Sizhu, Guangdong Music, Cantonese Music, Tibet, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Northeast China, Xinjiang, Hua'er, Kuaiban

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_China#Folk_music

Czech folklore is the folk tradition which has developed among the Czech people over a number of centuries. Czech folklore was influenced by a mix of Christian and pagan customs. The Czech Republic is divided into a number of ethnographic regions. Each of them has special folklore traditions, songs or costumes and specializes in different crafts. Music played an important part in life of common people or peasants in the Czech Republic. It offered both means of expression and a vent for their emotions. Resulting music varies not only by the region of its origin but also in the purpose of its use. Therefore, there are myriads of distinct folk songs. There are a number of instruments associated with Czech folk music, which add to its distinct sound – violin and the double bass; instruments specific to Bohemia and Moravia such as bagpipes (bock), shepherd’s pipe, dulcimer and trumpet.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_folklore

The music of England refers to various types of traditionally based music, often contrasted with courtly, classical and later commercial music, for which evidence exists from the later medieval period. English folk music has produced or contributed to several important musical genres, including sea shanties, jigs, hornpipes and dance music, such as that used for Morris dancing.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: British Folk Revival, Progressive Folk, Electric Folk, Folk Punk, Folk Metal, Traditional Folk Resurgence, Ballads, Carols, Children's Songs, Erotic Folk Songs, Hornpipes, Jigs, Morris Dance, Protest Songs, Sea Shanties, War Songs, Work Songs, East Anglia, The Midlands, North West England, Northumbria, South East England, London, Sussex, The West Country, Cornwall, Yorkshire

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_music_of_England

Ethnic Russian music specifically deals with the folk music traditions of the ethnic Russian people. It does not include the various forms of art music, which in Russia often contains folk melodies and folk elements or music of other ethnic groups living in Russia. The roots of Russian folk music can be dated as far back as to the first millennium AD, when Slavic tribes first settled in the European part of what is presently Russia. The performance and promulgation of ethnic music in Russia has a long tradition. Initially it was intertwined with various forms of art music, however, in the late 19th century it began to take on a life of its own with the rise in popularity of folkloric ensembles, such as the folk choir movement led by Mitrofan Pyatnitsky and the Russian folk instrument movement pioneered by Vasily Andreyev.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Authentic Folk Music, Folkloric Music, Fakeloric Music, Vocal Music, Instrumental Music

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_Russian_music

As Europe experienced a wave of roots revivals in the 1950s and 60s, France found its regional culture reviving traditional music. Brittany, Limousin, Gascony, Corsica and Auvergne were among the regions that experienced a notable resurgence in the popularity of folk music. In many cases, folk traditions were revived in relatively recent years to cater to tourists. These groupes folkloriques tend to focus on very early 20th century melodies and the use of the piano accordion. Folk music and dance now has an established place as a popular pastime in its own right with innumerable festivals, concerts and bals folks across France and a number of regular publications devoted to it.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Provence, Alps, Roussillon, Béarn, Languedoc, Gascony, Auvergne, Limousin

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_folk_music

Greek folk music includes a variety of Greek styles played by ethnic Greeks in Greece, Cyprus, Australia, the United States and elsewhere. Apart from the common music found all-around Greece, there are distinct types of folk music, sometimes related to the history or simply the taste of the specific places.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Crete, Aegean Islands, Cyclades, Dodecanese, Central Greece, Epirus, Peloponnese, Ionian Islands, Macedonia, Thessaly, Thrace, Pontus, Constantinople, Cyprus

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_folk_music

Hungarian folk music includes a broad array of styles, including the recruitment dance verbunkos, the csárdás and nóta. Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók observed that Hungarian "peasant music" use isometric (with an even number of structures) strophe structure and certain pentatonic (five tone) formations, along with a liking for tempo giusto (rhythm consisting chiefly of equal values). These features jointly may be considered as altogether typical, and differentiate "Hungarian peasant music" from that of any other nation.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_folk_music

Indian music is diverse because of India's vast cultural diversity. It has many forms including bhangr , lavani, dandiya and Rajasthani. The arrival of movies and pop music weakened folk music's popularity, but
s, saints and poets to have large musical libraries and traditions to their name, often sung in thumri (semi- the folk music of India is dance-oriented.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Bhavageete, Bhangra, Bihugeet, Lavani, Uttarakhandi Music, Dandiya, Pandavani, Bauls, Garba, Dollu Kunita, Kolata, Veeragase, Naatupura Paatu

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_folk_music

Despite all common roots the folk music in each different part of Iran has certain characteristics in correlation with its native myths, dialects, geographical and social situation. Overall, Iranian folk music features a variety of distinct styles. The modal concepts in Iranian folk music are directly linked with that of the Iranian classical music. However, improvisation plays a minor role as folk tunes are characterized by relatively clear-cut melodic and rhythmic properties. The function of each folk melody determines its mood. The varying aesthetic requirements of wedding songs, lullabies, love songs, harvest songs, dance pieces, etc., are met with transparent and appropriate simplicity. The majority of the classical instruments are too elaborate and difficult for the folk musicians. Instead, there are literally dozens of musical instruments of various sorts found among the rural people. In fact, each region of the country can boast instruments peculiar to itself.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Persian, Sistan, Baluchistan, Kurdish, Khuzestan, Azarbaijan

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_folk_music

Italian music has a deep and complex history. Italian folk music reflects Italy's geographic position at the south of Europe and in the center of the Mediterranean Sea: Arabic, African, Celtic, Persian, Venetian, Roma, and Slavic influences are readily apparent in the musical styles of the Italian regions. Today, Italy's folk music is often divided into several spheres of geographic influence: The Celtic and Slavic influences on the group and open-voice choral works of the north contrast with the Arabic, Greek, and African influenced strident monody of the south. In central Italy these influences combine, while indigenous traditions like narrative and ballad singing remain. The music of the island of Sardinia is distinct from that of the rest of Italy, and is best known for the polyphonic chanting of the tenores.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Italian Folk Revival, Northern & Central Italy, Southern Italy, Ethnic Greeks, Sicily, Sardinia

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_folk_music

Moldovan music is closely related to that of its neighbour and cultural kin, Romania. Moldovan folk is known for swift, complex rhythms (a characteristic shared with many Eastern European traditions), musical improvisation, syncopation and much melodic ornamentation. Pop, hip hop, rock and other modern genres have their own fans in Moldova as well. During the Soviet era, Moldovan folk culture flourished, and was strongly promoted by the government. The Mioriţa is ancient ballad that is a very important part of Moldovan folk culture.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Moldova

Nordic music includes a number of traditions in Northern European, especially Scandinavian, countries. The Nordic countries are generally taken to include Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. The dulcimer and fiddle are the two most characteristic instruments found throughout Scandinavia. Norway and Sweden, however, have a tradition of virtuosic solo fiddling, which is unknown in Denmark. In Norway, the eight- or nine-stringed hardanger fiddle is also found. Danish traditional music has a more prominent guitar than the northern neighbors. Gammaldans are a kind of dance song played by harmonica and accordion, popular in both Sweden and Norway in the late 19th and early 20th century. Circle dancing while singing ballads are a historic part of the folk traditions of all of northern Europe. Iceland is home to many ancient musical practices no longer found elsewhere in the Nordic area, such as the use of parallel fifths and organum. Greenland's Inuit population has their own musical traditions, which have been melded with elements of Nordic music, such as the kalattuut style of Danish polka. Finnish traditional dance music is often called pelimanni music in English. Nordic folk dance music consists of various dance rhythms that do not originate in the Nordic countries but once were the fashion dances among the European nobility. The majority of the tunes are in minor keys. Traditionally, there were many tunes in keys that can not be classified as either minor or major (Modes). The most typical instrument is the fiddle. In most cases normal violins are used, but there are exceptions such as the hardingfele, used in parts of Norway, which has a set of sympathetic strings in addition to the normal four strings. Another unique instrument, the nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle). Other instruments that were used traditionally were simple clarinets, and later accordions. Contemporary Nordic traditional dance musicians might also use other less traditional instruments, as well as writing new tunes in the old style.

As

The traditional music of the Philippines, like the folk music of our countries, reflects the life of common, mostly rural Filipinos. Like its counterparts in Asia, a lot of traditional songs from the Philippines have a strong connection with nature. However, much of it employs the diatonic scale rather than the more "Asian" pentatonic scale. Traditional Philippine music is reflective of the country's history as a melting pot of different cultures. Among the dominant cultural strains noticeable today are Hispano-Mexican, American and to some extent Chinese, Indian and Islamic. It is thus difficult to strictly classify the whole corpus of Philippine music as either Western or Eastern.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Vocal Music, Dance Music, Christianised Groups, Muslim Groups, Indigenous Groups

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_folk_music

Typically nomadic, the Romani people have long acted as wandering entertainers and tradesmen. In all the places Romanies live they have become known as musicians. The wide distances travelled have introduced a multitude of influences, starting with Indian roots and adding elements of Greek, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Serbian, Czech, Slavic, Romanian, German, French and Spanish musical forms. Romani music characteristically has vocals that tend to be soulful and declamatory, and the music often incorporates prominent glissandi (slides) between notes. Instrumentation varies widely according to the region the music comes from. Apart from Romani music for local use, in Eastern Europe a separate Romani music originated for entertainment in restaurants and at parties and celebrations. Original Romani folksongs - not derived from the countries where the Romani live - are relatively rare. This particular folk music is mainly vocal and consists of slow plaintive songs and fast melodies which may be accompanied by dancing. The fast melodies are accompanied with tongue-clacking, hand-clapping, mouth-basses, clicking of wooden spoons, and other folk techniques.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Hungary, Western Europe

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_music

The music of Slovenia is closely related to Austrian music because of its common history and Alpine and littoral culture. Croatian and Northern Italian music from the regions close to Slovenian border also bear some resemblance to Slovenian music. In the minds of many foreigners, Slovenian folk music means a form of polka that is still popular today, However, there are many styles of Slovenian folk music beyond polka, kolo and waltz. Lender, štajeriš, mafrine and šaltin are a few of the traditional music styles and dances. Rural harmony singing is a deep rooted tradition in Slovenia, and is at least three-part singing (four voices), while in some regions even up to eight-part singing (nine voices). Slovenian folk songs, thus, usually resounds soft and harmonious, and are very seldom in minor. Typical Slovenian folk music is performed on Styrian harmonica (the oldest type of accordion), fiddle, clarinet, zithers, flute, and by brass bands of alpine type. In eastern Slovenia, fiddle and cimbalon bands are called velike goslarije.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Classical, Opera, Folk Music, Country Music, Popular Music

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Slovenia

The genre of Sri Lankan music is known as Oriental music. The art, music and dances of Sri Lanka were derived from the elements of nature, and have been enjoyed and developed in the Buddhist environment. The music is of several types and uses only a few types of instruments. The folk songs and poems were used in social gatherings to work together. The Indian influenced classical music has grown to be unique. The traditional drama, music and songs are typically Sri Lankan. The music of Sri Lanka has its roots in four primary influences: ancient folk rituals, Buddhist religious traditions, the legacy of European colonization, and the commercial and historical influence of nearby Indian culture—specifically, Bollywood cinema.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Pagentary, Kolam, Nadagam, Noorthy, Sinhala Light Music, Western Classical Music, Ancient Srilankan Ravanahatha

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Sri_Lanka

Turkish music combines the distinct cultural values of all civilisations that have lived in Anatolia and the past territories in Europe and Asia. Its unique structure includes regional differences under one umbrella. Music accompanied by words can be classified under the following headings: Türkü (folksongs), Koşma (free-form folk songs about love or nature), Semai (folk song in Semai poetic form), Mani (a traditional Turkish quatrain form), Destan (epic), Deyiş (speech), Uzun Hava (long melody), Bozlak (a folk song form), Ağıt (a lament), Hoyrat, Maya (a variety of Turkish folksong), Boğaz Havası (throat tune), Teke Zorlatması, Ninni (lullaby), Tekerleme (a playful form in folk narrative), etc. These are divided into free-forms or improvisations with no obligatory metrical or rhythmic form, known as "Uzun Hava", and those that have a set metrical or rhythmic structure, known as "Kırık Havalar" (broken melodies). Both can also be employed at the same time. Music generally played without words, and dance tunes, go by the names Halay, Bengi, Karsilamas, Zeybek, Horon, Bar, etc. Each region in Turkey has its own special folk dances and costumes.

Associated Cultural Styles Of Music: Türkü (folksongs), Koşma (free-form folk songs about love or nature), Semai (folk songs in Semai poetic form), Mani (a traditional Turkish quatrain form), Destan (epic), Deyiş (speech), Uzun Hava (long melody), Bozlak, Ağıt (a lament), Hoyrat, Maya, Boğaz Havası (throat tune), Teke Zorlatması, Ninni (lullaby), Tekerleme (playful form in folk narrative), Kırık Havalar (broken melodies), Halay, Bengi, Karsilamas, Zeybek, Horon, Bar

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_folk_music