SoundsField recordingsFrequenciesDecibelsInstrumentsGlossaryToolsLearn
  1. Home
  2. Music genres
  3. Islamic music: Origins, Sound & Key Artists
Music genre

Islamic music

Islamic music is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of religious music. Explore its 10 subgenres, key artists and related styles.

About Islamic music

Islamic music is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of religious music.

Well-known performers associated with it include Siti Nurhaliza.

Islamic music has given rise to 10 subgenres on this site, such as Nasheed, Hamd, Noha and Sufi music.

From Wikipedia

Islamic music collectively refers to the musical traditions among various Muslim populations throughout history. It implies both religious music, as performed in public or private devotional services, and generally secular music associated with any culture historically dominated or heavily influenced by Islam, including those of West Asia and North Africa, parts of the Horn of Africa and West Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Balkans. The pre-existing indigenous musical styles (Arabic, Iranian, Roman/Byzantine, Indian, etc.) of regions where the spread of Islam took place contributed greatly to the development of Islamic music as an art of fusion. The word for "music" in Arabic (موسيقى mūsīqā) is defined more narrowly than it is in English and other languages, and "its concept" was at least originally "reserved for secular art music; separate names and concepts belonged to folk songs and to religious chants".

Genre family tree

Parent genres (↑) and subgenres (↓) of Islamic music.

Key artists

  • Siti Nurhaliza

Related genres

Frequently asked questions

What is Islamic music?

Islamic music is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of religious music.

Who are famous Islamic music artists?

Siti Nurhaliza.

Sources & credits