Ruth Padel

Libya is a North African country with a predominantly Arabic-speaking population and a rich musical heritage influenced by Arab-Andalusian traditions, Ottoman rule, and local Bedouin and Amazigh cultures. Various kinds of Arab music are popular, including Andalusi music (locally known as Malouf), Chaabi, and Arab classical music. ^{[citation needed]}

During the Ottoman period, Turkish musical influences were incorporated into Libyan music, though the Andalusian foundation remained important. Libyan folk music also reflects regional diversity, with Bedouin and Amazigh musical traditions especially present in Cyrenaica and the southern Fezzan region.

Two of the most famous musicians of Libya are Ahmed Fakroun and Mohamed Hassan.

Among Libyan Arabs, instruments include the zokra (a bagpipe), flute (made of bamboo), tambourine, oud (a fretless lute) and darbuka, a goblet drum held sideways and played with the fingers. Intricate clapping is also common in Libyan folk music.

Traveling Bedouin poet-singers have spread many popular songs across Libya. Among their styles is huda, the camel driver's song, the rhythm of which is said to mimic the feet of a walking camel.

During the 2011 revolution, the Amazigh singer Dania Ben Sassi went viral with her songs praising the sacrifices of the Libyan people, sung in Tamazight. ^[1]

Malouf, one of Libya’s most notable musical forms, traces its origins to Andalusian music brought to North Africa following the expulsion of the Moors from Spain in the 15th century. Libyan Malouf is related to similar styles found in Tunisia, Algeria (Gharnati), and Morocco (Ala), but it has its own distinctive repertoire and performance style. Traditional instruments like the oud and bendir are central to this music.

Libyan Chaabi is a popular genre of folk music that resonates deeply with urban and rural communities across the country. Rooted in traditional North African musical styles, Chaabi in Libya combines lively rhythms, poetic lyrics, and call-and-response vocal patterns that encourage audience participation. The genre often features a mix of percussion instruments such as the darbuka and bendir, alongside stringed instruments like the oud, qanun, and violin, as well as the Libyan bagpipe known as the zokra.

The lyrics typically explore themes of daily life, love, social issues, and cultural pride, making it both a form of entertainment and a vehicle for storytelling and social commentary. Unlike more classical genres such as Malouf, Chaabi is generally more accessible and dance-oriented, frequently performed at weddings, festivals, and communal gatherings.

The Tuareg in southern Libya have their own distinctive folk music. In their culture, women are usually the musicians. They play the anzad, a one-stringed violin with a unique sound, and use different types of drums to create rhythm. Their music often accompanies social gatherings, storytelling, and important ceremonies, making it an important part of Tuareg life and culture.

Contemporary Libyan music has experienced a dynamic evolution, led by a new generation of artists who fuse traditional sounds with modern global genres such as trap, hip-hop, and electronic music. By integrating these styles with local Libyan elements, they create energetic tracks that resonate both at parties and across digital platforms.

Reggae music, though originally from Jamaica, gained unexpected popularity in Libya beginning in the 1970s. During this period of political tension and shifting cultural awareness, Libyan musicians began fusing reggae’s characteristic offbeat rhythms with traditional Libyan instruments and Arabic musical scales, resulting in a distinct local variation of the genre. The themes of resistance, unity, and freedom commonly found in reggae resonated strongly with Libyan youth, particularly during the Gaddafi era, when music became an outlet for subtle dissent and political expression. ^[2]

Ibrahim Hesnawi, often referred to as the "Father of Libyan Reggae," ^[3] is one of the genre’s most prominent figures. Other notable contributors include Ahmed Ben Ali, Najib Alhoush, Tarek Al-Najeh, Jamal Abd Al-Qadder, Alneeda Group, The White Birds Band, and Shahd. Even after the country’s political transformations, Libyan reggae continues to serve as a powerful form of artistic and social expression. International labels such as Habibi Funk have recently helped bring wider attention to this uniquely Libyan musical form.

Libya’s funk scene, which emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, was heavily influenced by global musical trends of the era, particularly Western pop, disco, and synth-funk. Among its most prominent figures is Ahmed Fakroun, whose music blends Arabic melodies and Maghrebi rhythms with European electronic and funk styles. His albums, including Mots d’Amour and Awedny, gained international recognition, and he is widely regarded as one of Libya’s most influential contemporary musicians.

Another significant contributor to Libya’s modern music landscape is Hamid Al Shaeri, widely recognized for his influential role in Arabic pop music and as a pioneer of the Al-Jeel (جيل) genre. Emerging in the 1980s as a youth-oriented form of Arabic pop, Al-Jeel incorporated Western synth-pop, disco, and soft rock influences. Al Shaeri’s work is characterized by electronic synthesizers, funk-inspired rhythms, and melodic Arabic vocals. Originally from Benghazi, Libya, he relocated to Cairo and became a central figure in the Arabic pop scene, shaping the sound of Arabic popular music through the 1980s and 1990s.

Cheb Arab is a Libyan singer who was active in Egypt during the 1990s. Known for his contributions to Arabic pop and electronic music, Cheb Arab blended contemporary sounds with regional influences and gained recognition within the Egyptian music industry.

Other artists, such as Najib Alhoush and The White Birds Band, also explored funk and soul styles, often incorporating reggae elements.

After the 2011 revolution, Libyan rap and hip-hop saw a noticeable rise in prominence, emerging as a powerful medium for youth expression and political commentary. Often produced in informal or underground settings due to limited infrastructure and censorship, the genre gave voice to a generation shaped by conflict, displacement, and rapid social change. Artists such as GAB, Ibn Thabit, along with others based in exile or within diaspora communities, have addressed themes like injustice, marginalization, identity, and resistance. Lyrics are typically performed in Darja (Libyan Arabic dialect), marked by a raw, unfiltered tone and direct political messaging. Hip-hop in Libya remains one of the most vital contemporary art forms for articulating dissent and navigating the complexities of post-revolutionary life. ^[4]

In recent years, Libyan music has witnessed a growing trend of remixing and electronic reinterpretation of traditional songs. DJs and producers have been incorporating classic folk melodies, traditional tunes, and regional rhythms into modern electronic genres by layering them with synths, house, techno, and trap beats. These remixes often sample traditional instruments such as the oud and percussion patterns, blending them with contemporary production techniques to create dance-oriented tracks that retain a distinctively Libyan character.

This fusion has helped bridge generational gaps by making traditional music accessible to younger audiences and has gained traction both within Libya and among the Libyan diaspora through social media and streaming platforms.

• (in French) Audio clips: Traditional music of Libya. Musée d'ethnographie de Genève. Accessed November 25, 2010.
• Libyan music organization sound samples available for download.