[2026] A Guide to Bossa Nova: From Classic Standards to the Latest Hits!
Bossa nova is one of the quintessential genres of Brazilian music, and it enjoys worldwide popularity—including here in Japan.
Our site already features an article compiling the leading bossa nova artists, but in this piece we’re introducing a curated selection of classic bossa nova tracks, spanning both past and present.
Alongside masterpieces from bossa nova’s golden era, we’ve also picked out various types of standout songs that incorporate bossa nova elements.
In recent years, new-generation artists like Ravei, whose music reflects influences from bossa nova, jazz, and even classical music, have gained global popularity.
Whether you’re new to bossa nova or looking to catch up on recent trends, be sure to check it out!
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[2026] Recommended Bossa Nova: From Classic Standards to the Latest Hits! (51–60)
VagamenchiWanda de Sah
Wanda de Sá, renowned for her whispery vocals, has undeniably left a significant impact on later female singers.
Vagamundi is a track from her debut album, and one of its highlights is the participation of numerous major musicians in the recording.
Samba E AmorChico Buarque
Chico Buarque is a composer and lyricist who has been active since the 1960s, when bossa nova was born in Brazil and sparked a boom.
His song “Samba E Amor” is known as a collaboration with Antônio Carlos Jobim, the architect of bossa nova.
It has a characteristically calm bossa nova feel—classic Brazilian music that suits the atmosphere of cafes and bars.
Chico Buarque has also collaborated with many other bossa nova musicians, and delving into that history can be a lot of fun.
You and IMaysa
Eyes that seem to be gazing into the distance, a dry-sounding voice, and yet somehow tinged with melancholy—it’s incredibly captivating.
It feels like they’re skillfully steering the song, and we, too, are guided along and drawn in deeper and deeper.
The song itself seems to be a passionate, powerful expression of love for a partner.
Nao Tem Nada NaoMarcos Valle
Are you familiar with the genre known as Música Popular Brasileira, or MPB for short? It’s Portuguese, and as the name suggests, it means Brazilian popular music.
Building on traditional Brazilian styles like samba and bossa nova, it offers a more pop-oriented listening experience.
A representative musician of MPB is Marcos Valle.
His works, ranging from socially conscious songs in the 1960s to pop-oriented tracks, have shared a wide spectrum of Brazilian music with the world.
He’s a recommended artist for anyone who wants to listen to contemporary-sounding bossa nova.
[2026] A Guide to Bossa Nova: From Classic Standards to the Newest Hits! (61–70)
DomingoCaetano Veloso
It’s a classic song from an album that forms a pair of companion works by Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa.
Both went on to achieve great success without being confined to the bossa nova framework, but listening now, it feels very refreshing to hear that this is the kind of atmosphere they had when they debuted.
BabyGal Costa
He was apparently a leading figure in Brazil’s Tropicália movement.
It might feel a bit removed from the image of bossa nova, but this song really conveys how much he loves the baby.
His high, embracing vocals have a warm, nurturing quality.
Lugar comumGilberto Gil
Bossa nova was born in the 1950s and sparked its first boom.
This traditional genre of Brazilian music receded from the forefront of popular trends in the 1960s as rock ’n’ roll, soul music, and psychedelic music flowed into Brazil.
Then, from the late 1960s, the Tropicália movement began releasing a succession of bossa nova works that incorporated rock and soul.
At the center of that movement was the musician Gilberto Gil.
His performance of “Lugar Comum” is a number that was innovative within the bossa nova of the 1960s.