Samba-joia

Samba-joia (lit. 'samba-jewel'; also sambão-joia or simply sambão) is an old pejorative term coined by Brazilian music critics to designate a more romantic type of samba born in the 1970s.

This is a format with a simpler rhythmic structure that dilutes the percussion, the main attribute of traditional samba. Described as an old-fashioned brega by critics, it was nevertheless a great commercial success for romantic artists such as Agepê, Benito di Paula, Gilson de Souza, Luiz Américo and Luiz Ayrão.