Algeria’s music connects centuries-old Andalusian and North African traditions with the internationally influential sound of raï.
Algerian music is virtually synonymous with raï among foreigners; the musical genre has achieved great popularity in France, Spain and other parts of Europe. For several centuries, Algerian music was dominated by styles inherited from Al-Andalus, eventually forming a unique North African twist on these poetic forms. Algerian music came to include suites called nuubaat (singular nuuba). Lately derivatives include rabaaband hawzii.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia’s “Music of Algeria” article.
Khaled, one of raï’s most widely known voices, shows how the Algerian genre blends local roots with contemporary pop production and global appeal.
YouTube user AlgerianSong has a channel with several examples of more modern Algerian music.