swap_horiz Thomas Mapfumo - Corruption Alternatives

1

Fela Kuti - Zombie

Fela Kuti’s “Zombie” is a landmark 1977 world music album originating from Nigeria. The record powerfully criticizes cor...

Political 1970S Funk Afrobeat

9.4 Excellent

2

Paul Simon - Graceland

Paul Simon’s Graceland (1986) is a landmark pop album featuring collaborations with South African musicians. The recordi...

South Africa Pop 1980S Fusion

9.4 Excellent

3

Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour

Astor Piazzolla’s *Tango: Zero Hour* (1986) represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of tango. This album showcases...

Tango 1980S Argentina Nuevo Tango

9.4 Excellent

4

The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash

The Pogues’ Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985) represents a significant moment in world-music. This UK-based band blended ele...

UK Folk Rock Ireland 1980S

9.3 Excellent

5

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - En Concert à Paris

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s *En Concert à Paris* is a live recording from 1980 featuring the legendary Pakistani qawwali sin...

1980S Devotional Pakistan Sufi

9.3 Excellent

6

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Shahen-Shah

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s *Shahen-Shah* is a seminal world-music album showcasing the renowned Pakistani qawwali vocalist'...

1980S Devotional Pakistan Sufi

9.2 Excellent

7

Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit

Fela Kuti’s “Expensive Shit” (1975) is a landmark Afrobeat album reflecting Nigeria's political and social realities. Re...

Political 1970S Funk Afrobeat

9.2 Excellent

8

Chico Buarque - Construção

Chico Buarque’s *Construção* (1971) is a landmark Brazilian album blending sophisticated Música Popular Brasileira with...

Political 1970S Brazil Mpb

9.2 Excellent

9

Peter Gabriel - Passion

Peter Gabriel’s Passion, released in 1989, is a world-music album commissioned for the film *The Last Temptation of Chri...

Film Score Percussion 1980S Middle East

9.2 Excellent

10

David Byrne & Brian Eno - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts

David Byrne & Brian Eno’s *My Life in the Bush of Ghosts* (1980) is a groundbreaking album blending experimental pop wit...

Experimental 1980S West African World Fusion

9.1 Excellent

11

Orchestra Baobab - Pirates Choice

Orchestra Baobab’s *Pirates Choice* is a significant world music album from 1982. The Senegalese ensemble creates a vibr...

Dance 1980S Senegal West African

9.0 Excellent

12

Fela Kuti - Beasts of No Nation

Fela Kuti’s *Beasts of No Nation* (1989) is a powerful Afrobeat record examining systemic corruption and injustice. The...

Political 1980S Protest Afrobeat

9.0 Excellent

13

Enya - Watermark

Enya’s Watermark represents a significant moment in world music. Released in 1988, this album established Enya's signatu...

Ambient Ireland 1980S New Age

9.0 Excellent

14

Salif Keita - Soro

Salif Keita’s *Soro* (1987) presents a significant fusion of Malian musical traditions and contemporary sounds. The albu...

Pop 1980S Mali West African

8.9 Great

15

Toumani Diabaté - Kaira

Toumani Diabaté’s *Kaira* showcases the exceptional skill of this Malian kora player. Recorded in the 1980s, the album p...

1980S Acoustic Mali Mande

8.9 Great

16

Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Shaka Zulu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s “Shaka Zulu” is a celebrated collection of isicathamiya music from South Africa. The album, pr...

South Africa Zulu 1980S Choral

8.8 Great

17

King Sunny Ade - Juju Music

King Sunny Ade’s music is a cornerstone of Nigerian juju, a vibrant style blending Yoruba rhythms and guitar virtuosity....

Guitar 1980S Nigeria Juju

8.8 Great

18

Oumou Sangaré - Moussolou

Oumou Sangaré’s *Moussolou* is a seminal world music album from 1989. The record showcases the distinctive Wassoulou sty...

Female Vocal 1980S Mali West African

8.8 Great

19

Fela Kuti - Lady

Fela Kuti’s *Lady* (1972) is a landmark Afrobeat album from Nigeria. It presents a powerful critique of societal constra...

Political 1970S Feminist Afrobeat

8.8 Great

20

Stella Chiweshe - Ambuya?

Ambuya? is an album by Zimbabwean musician Stella Chiweshe, originally released in 1987. Chiweshe is recognized as one o...

Traditional 1980S Zimbabwe Shona

7.9 Good