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Music of Angola

Congolese rumba and soukous, Bikutsi and Makossa from Cameroon, Aka and Baka polyphonic singing, likembe thumb pianos.

Sung and searched in Portuguese. The YouTube button above can run your search in that language.

Roots and traditions

Folk music

Semba is the predecessor to a variety of music styles originating in Africa. Three of the most famous of these are samba, kizomba, and kuduro. Semba is popular in Angola today as it was long before that country's independence from the Portuguese colonial system on November 11, 1975. Various new Semba artists emerge each year in Angola, as they render homage to the veteran semba masters, many of whom are still performing. Barceló de Carvalho, the Angolan singer popularly known as Bonga, is arguably the most successful Angolan artist to popularize semba music internationally; it is generally being categorized as World music.

Popular music

Angola's popular music has had little international success. In the 1800s Angolan musicians in the cities experimented with popular styles worldwide, including waltzes and ballads. With the first half of the twentieth century came big bands, who sang in both Portuguese and Kimbundu Liceu Vieira Dias is considered to be the man who revolutionised Angolan music. Along with his group, Ngola Ritmos, introduced European instruments like the guitar and piano, brought to Angola by the Portuguese, to traditional Angolan rhythms based on percussion and other instruments. The first group to become known outside of Angola was Duo Ouro Negro, created in 1956. After a successful sting in Portugal, the duo toured Switzerland, France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Spain. The group that is known as the main pioneer of Angolan music is Ngola Ritmos. Teta Lando, Carlos Lamartine, Waldemar Bastos and Sam Mangwana are a few artists that are considered to be dome of the be popular Angolan artists. Groups like Os Kiezos, Negoleiros do Ritmo, Jovens do Prenda, Ngoma Jazz, Africa Show, Aguias Reais...

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What Angola is listening to in 2026

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Live radio

Radio from Angola

Music only, no news or talk. Stations that play the local tradition come first, then the most listened. They play in the corner of the page.

Station directory by Radio Browser Streams come from each station's own server.