Was just wondering
 

How many of you hear world music? Are you familiar with albums and musicians outside your country? Does anyone here know for example the Balkan Beat Box?

No idea who Balkan Beat Box is but I'm in love with Ayouduo and Soinam Wangmo.

I kind of hate the term "world music" but I do listen to a decent amount of music that would fit into the category you're talking about, including Balkan Beat Box.

I listen to it a fairly regularly. Mostly African fusion and Cuban mix.

Have discovered a few mainstream African artists like Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté too.

I used to listen to a lot of Japanese music. Most of it sucked but you could find some pretty interesting sounding music. Gothic Rock bands come to mind. A lot of it had musicians who wore transgender costumes could pull it off since Japanese men had femanine features. A lot of them just wore Transylvania comical costumes though.

Like Janszoon said, I'm not really a fan of the term "world" music either. Ever since I started using internet forums, I started to realize- oh yeah, there are people who live in other countries whose "rest of the world" includes Canada. I'm a big fan of music that was made in other countries, but I'm not very knowledgeable about it. A fact which I hope will change in the near future (I should probably join the FAIR club.)

Right now I'm into Incan music. To me, a North American, it sounds so exotic and mesmerizing, especially with all the woodwinds that I'm not really accustomed to. Faeroese traditional music is also fascinating to me, because it tends to be very dark and 'atmospheric' like the landscape and wet, dreary weather they experience there.

Some friends of mine are really into Japanese culture- their rock, pop, and traditional music included. For me, it's hit or miss, but Japan definitely makes some quality music.

I am a World Music listener. Afterall, my name comes from two great world artists (FRANCO and PEPE KALLE).

I also dig some great Cuban music and other latin music.

So you got me. Franco and Pepe Kalle are great genius.

I have to agree with Janszoon and Geekoid. World music is way too vast concept, especially when you're living in a small country like me and basically 90 % of music I listen to is "world music". Anyway, I dunno Balkan Beat Box (except now that I did little googleing... or is it "googling"? hmmm..."googlettaa" in Finnish...right, on with the show...though one thing: I'm very disappointed that Balkan Beat Box is not from Balkan) but I do listen to music that's "non-western music" which in this case I think is closest to "world music". Long and pointless enough reply? Good!

haha. mervi, you don't give yourself enough credit! How could a reply be pointless if you so appropriately bring up the concept of "Non-Western" music? That's the idea I was trying to call to mind, but it wouldn't come to me. I was going to say that Asian and African music is often hard for me to get into because it's so different, but that sounded wrong, and maybe even a little ignorant/ offensive.

I like some Cuban Rumba Music. They are so beautiful.

Here a few I have found out