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Music of Kurdistan

Dengbêj epic singers holding the northern repertoire in unaccompanied voice, lawik and heyranok laments, Sorani beyt narratives, hore and siyachamane in the east, the sacred tembûr of the Yarsan, daf-driven Qadiri zikr in Sanandaj, and zurna-and-dahol govend at every wedding.

A cultural region, not a state or a border. The outline is an approximation of where Kurdish is spoken and sung, across Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria.

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Sung and searched in Kurmanji Kurdish, Sorani Kurdish. The YouTube button above can run your search in that language.

From Wikipedia

Kurdish music refers to music performed in the Kurdish languages and Zaza-Gorani languages. The earliest study of Kurdish music was initiated by the renowned Armenian priest and composer Komitas in 1903, when he published his work "Chansons kurdes transcrites par le pere Komitas" which consisted of twelve Kurdish melodies which he had collected. Karapetê Xaço, another Armenian, also preserved many traditional Kurdish melodies throughout the 20th century by recording and performing them. In 1909, Scholar Isya Joseph published the work "Yezidi works" in which he documented the musical practice of the Yazidis including the role of the musician-like qewal figures and the instruments used by the minority.

Kurdish music on Wikipedia Text under CC BY-SA 4.0

Playing now

What Kurdistan is listening to in 2026

This year's hits on YouTube 12 radio stations

Countries it crosses 4

Turkey Iraq Iran Syria

Articles

No articles for Kurdistan yet. Save a Markdown file to content/articles/ with culture: kurdistan in its front matter.

Live radio

Radio from Kurdistan

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.