Global Music

Global music is the market category for music from around the world consciously created or presented for an international audience. It covers traditional musicians recording for world labels, diaspora artists, and fusions that join local instruments and languages to pop, rock, jazz or electronic production. The category was consolidated in the late 1980s, when the record industry adopted 'world music' as a retail label and festivals, magazines and specialist labels built a worldwide circuit. Its landmark releases — from *Paul Simon*'s "Graceland" to the *Buena Vista Social Club* recordings — made regional traditions commercially visible far beyond their home audiences.