A Thoroughly Inadequate Guide to African Music For Beginners
Navigating African music as a newcomer...and why don't we use terms like "North American music?"
The immense thing that is "African music" can be daunting for newcomers...and oldcomers too. Africa is not a country, as a recent book notes, and it's true. It is, of course, a continent made up of 54 countries, each with its own music. Which leads one to wonder of the usefulness of a term like "African music" and why we don't use terms like "North American music" or "music of Antarctica."
I promised this would be inadequate and I won't let you down. My barely adequate suggestions when getting started with African music are to dig around, looking for people who have done a better job of summarizing this topic than I have. Try a trusted source like Afropop Worldwide, who have been holding forth since the dawn of recorded history.
Go to YouTube and type "music" and a country name and see what comes up. Dig around Bandcamp, where many African music artists and labels have established a presence. That'll keep you going for at least a few years.
I could go on but I fear this guide might cross over into "adequate" territory. But I must remind you that this very site offers African music recommendations several times a week.
Here are some now. I picked the following because they're arguably "accessible" in a way a newcomer might find palatable:
From the dimunutive musician who's a big presence in Botswanan music.
A favorite from one of the grand old men of Zimbabwean music.
Once purveyors of Botswana's traditional music, Matsieng takes a more modern approach here.
An unplugged version of an old Juluka (their group) song by Sipho Mchunu and the late Johnny Clegg, of South Africa.
Silliness and great music from the "fake old man musical comedians" of Botswana.