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)

Asa BrancaLuiz Gonzaga

Luiz Gonzaga – Asa Branca ft. Fagner, Sivuca, Guadalupe

Asa BrancaLuiz Gonzaga

A track meaning “White Wings,” included on the 1971 album Caetano Veloso.

Composed by Luiz Gonzaga, a leading figure in Northeastern (Nordeste) music, it’s a bright song featuring accordion and performed with traditional rhythms.

Ranked No.

4 on Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest Brazilian songs.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

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.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

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.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

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.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Toda menina BahianaGilberto Gil

Gilberto Gil Toda menina Bahiana

Toda menina BahianaGilberto Gil

Gilberto Gil, who helped lead MPB and Tropicália and later served as Minister of Culture, is an iconic figure in Brazilian music.

The piece we’re featuring today is a cheerful number filled with his love for his hometown.

Written for his daughter Nara, it affectionately celebrates the carefree charm and spirit of a girl from Bahia.

Blending Bahia-born samba rhythms with the disco sound of the era, its danceable groove will make both your heart and body want to move.

The track appears on the classic album Realce, released in August 1979.

Brimming with a festive vibe and a live-show staple, it’s perfect for lifting your spirits or accompanying a drive.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem