[2026] A Guide to Bossa Nova: From Classic Standards to the Latest Hits!

Pyjamas (ft Remi Wolf)NEW!Benny Sings

Benny Sings – Pyjamas ft Remi Wolf (Official Video)

If you’re looking for great songs that distill bossa nova’s light rhythms into contemporary pop, you can’t overlook the work of Dutch singer-songwriter Benny Sings.

The track I’m introducing today appears on his album “Young Hearts,” released in March 2023.

Featuring Remi Wolf as a guest, the song is marked by a soft, bossa nova–inspired beat and an easygoing melody.

The lyrics humorously portray a mismatch in passion between a man and a woman, sketching an endearingly unlikable antihero.

Crafted with Kenny Beats, its polished sound makes it perfect background music for a relaxing day off.

Please enjoy it on a calm afternoon!

Agua De BeberAstrud Gilberto

Astrud Gilberto – AGUA DE BEBER – 1965 Stereo!

In 1962, João Gilberto, the father of bossa nova, had moved to the United States.

That same year, among the tracks on a bossa nova album he released in collaboration with American saxophonist Stan Getz was a song called “The Girl from Ipanema,” sung by João’s wife, Astrud Gilberto.

The song became a huge hit in the United States, helping the music of bossa nova spread around the world.

Then, in 1963, the couple created “Água de Beber” (pronounced “Ah-gwa jeh beh-beh”), known in Japanese as “Oishii Mizu” (“Delicious Water”).

It is a very famous bossa nova classic that has been covered by musicians around the globe.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem

Mas Que NadaMiriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba – Mas Que Nada

Mas que Nada is a song by Jorge Ben Jor, a beloved Brazilian national musician known for incorporating funk and rock into samba.

Three years after its release, in 1966, it was covered by Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66 and became a worldwide hit.

In Japan, it has been featured in TV commercials and is often heard in various settings such as wind ensembles and jazz bands—an energetic bossa nova number that feels very familiar.

The song has been covered by many musicians, and the version by South African singer Miriam Makeba is also well known.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem

waveTom Jobim

WAVE – Tom Jobim

It’s a composition by Antônio Carlos Jobim (Tom Jobim).

Since it was released in 1967, it’s a piece from a little after he had established the world of bossa nova.

I hear the Portuguese title means “Let me explain to you.” It evokes the feeling of very gentle waves rolling in.

DesafinadoGal Costa

Gal Costa – Desafinado

The Tropicálismo movement, which began in the late 1960s.

Rather than traditional bossa nova, it was a movement to release bossa nova that also incorporated rock and soul music flowing in from Europe and the United States at the time.

A leading figure of that movement was the female singer Gal Costa.

She walked alongside the shifts in Brazil’s bossa nova culture, and her voice evokes that very history.

Listeners of the time—and those yet to come—will be captivated by her beautiful singing.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem

Maria MoitaNara Leao

Nara Leão – Maria Moita

Nara Leão was a bossa nova singer who was active in the turbulent Brazil of the 1960s.

In 1964, after the establishment of the Brazilian military dictatorship, restrictions were imposed on music and the arts, and musicians felt increasingly constrained.

As a result, bossa nova—which had often featured abstract lyrics—saw a rise in songs addressing political and social issues.

In this context, the song “Maria Moita” from the album Nara was released, and it includes elements of social criticism.

As a bossa nova sung by a woman, it remains a historically significant piece whose words still carry powerful impact and enduring appeal.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem

Você AbusouMaria Creuza

Maria Creuza – Você Abusou

Maria Creuza is a Brazilian singer whose husky voice is both beautiful and sentimental, perfectly matching the dry tone of a gut-string guitar.

She is one of the indispensable musicians in the history of bossa nova, active since the 1960s.

The song “Você Abusou” has a remarkable structure with a surprising duality that still feels striking today.

Just when you think it’s going to stay tender and subdued, a burst of joyful samba suddenly emerges.

Let yourself be amazed by its experimental, almost rock-like development and timbres.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem