Lovely Western music

A roundup of great masterpieces and popular songs of Brazilian music

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

If your knowledge of Brazilian music is limited to stylish, relaxing bossa nova you hear at cafés or the samba played during Carnival, this article is a must-read! Brazil is a vast, multiethnic country with a wide range of musical styles—so many, in fact, that when you include subgenres, the variety is astonishing.

In this piece, we’ve researched and compiled a selection focused on classic Brazilian standards and historically significant masterpieces.

Give these tracks a listen, and your image of Brazilian music might just change!

Great and Popular Brazilian Music Classics (21–30)

OceanoDjavan

Djavan – Oceano (Ao Vivo)

OceanoDjavan

Composed by Djavan, this very beautiful and moving piece blends traditional Brazilian rhythms with songs popular in America, Europe, and Africa.

As a result, you can feel a variety of elements, including a pop sensibility, a samba flavor, and Latin influences.

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Quando a Chuva passarIvete Sangalo

Ivete Sangalo – Quando A Chuva Passar

Quando a Chuva passarIvete Sangalo

Among songs by contemporary Brazilian artists, Ivete Sangalo is the best-selling singer.

She is famous not only as an MPB singer but also as an actress and TV host, and is known for her powerful vocals.

Here is one of her signature tracks.

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E O AmorZezé Di Camargo & Luciano

É O Amor-Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano

E O AmorZezé Di Camargo & Luciano

A brother duo of singers.

They perform in the sertaneja/country genre, and this song—from their debut album released in 1991—was the most popular track of that year.

It became emblematic of the Brazilian music genre known as sertanejo.

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CarinhosoPixinguinha

Carinhoso (Pixinguinha/Braguinha)

CarinhosoPixinguinha

Meaning “affectionately,” this piece is called a choro, which has a slower rhythm than samba.

It is a work by Pixinguinha, known as the father of Brazilian popular music, and is beloved by many Brazilians.

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Beija FlorTimbalada

Timbalada – Beija Flor

Beija FlorTimbalada

Beating drums and percussion of various sizes, they perform against the backdrop of Salvador’s city streets and the sea.

Their distinctive body painting.

With its light, buoyant rhythms that make you want to start dancing, Timbalada’s music seems sure to lift the cheerful mood of a midsummer day drenched in sunshine even higher.

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Vai PassarChico Buarque

Chico Buarque – Vai Passar

Vai PassarChico Buarque

Contrary to its lively samba rhythm, this song criticizes both the military regime that ruled Brazil at the time of its release and the era when Brazil was “discovered” and governed as a Portuguese colony.

You can listen while reflecting on that context, or simply listen without thinking at all.

It reveals the profound depth of music.

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RomariaRenato Teixeira

Renato Teixeira – Romaria

RomariaRenato Teixeira

The title “Romaria” refers to believers who take part in pilgrimages and religious festivities.

It’s a song that conveys a distinctly Brazilian quality, where religion—especially Catholicism—still deeply permeates everyday life.

You can sense the simple, rural folk reflecting on God.

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