Festival-era MPB
Since 1965 · 44 artistsThe generation of Elis, Chico, Edu Lobo and Milton, forged at the Record and Globo festivals under the dictatorship.
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MPB
MPB
Since 1965Where TV festivals, Rio and São PauloSubgenres 7Artists 80
'Música Popular Brasileira' is the name the country gave, from the 1960s TV festivals on, to the sophisticated songwriting of Chico Buarque, Elis Regina, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento and Djavan. It is not a rhythm: it is a song tradition that absorbs samba, bossa, baião, rock and jazz.
If you like…
If you like singer-songwriters, sophisticated folk, or Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon, MPB is the Brazilian equivalent.
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Subgenres
Tropicália
Since 1967 · 6 artistsCaetano, Gil, Gal, Tom Zé and Os Mutantes mixed electric guitars, bossa and avant-garde; it lasted two years and changed everything.
Clube da Esquina
Since 1972 · 9 artistsMilton Nascimento, Lô Borges, Beto Guedes and Toninho Horta: Minas harmony, Beatles and jazz.
Pessoal do Ceará
Since 1972 · 3 artistsBelchior, Fagner and Ednardo brought the urban Northeast into 1970s song.
New MPB
Since 1990 · 44 artistsFrom Marisa Monte and Lenine to Tim Bernardes, Liniker and Marina Sena: 21st-century Brazilian song.
Vanguarda Paulista
Since 1979 · 4 artistsItamar Assumpção, Arrigo Barnabé, Grupo Rumo and Premeditando o Breque at the Lira Paulistana theatre: experimental, independent song.
Armorial music
Since 1970 · 2 artistsNortheastern-rooted concert music conceived by Ariano Suassuna: Quinteto Armorial and Antonio Nóbrega.
Essential albums 72
- 1965
Dois na Bossa
Live album by the duo of O Fino da Bossa; a huge seller.
- 1965
Elis
First major album by the singer who defined festival-era MPB.
- 1965
Show Opinião
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1966
Chico Buarque de Hollanda
Debut, with "A Banda" and "Olê, Olá".
- 1968
Caetano Veloso
Tropicalist solo debut, with "Alegria, Alegria" and "Tropicália".
- 1968
Gilberto Gil
Gil with Os Mutantes and Rogério Duprat, with "Domingo no Parque".
- 1968
Tropicália ou Panis et Circencis
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1969
Gal Costa
Tropicalist solo debut, with "Baby" and "Divino, Maravilhoso".
- 1970
Roberto Carlos
The album of "Jesus Cristo" and "Ana".
- 1971
Construção
Lyrics of near-mathematical precision about life under the dictatorship.
- 1971
Fa-Tal: Gal a Todo Vapor
A live album that became a counterculture symbol.
- 1971
Roberto Carlos
The album of "Detalhes" and "Como Dois e Dois".
- 1972
Elis
With Elis's first recording of "Águas de Março".
- 1972
Expresso 2222
The return from exile, with "Back in Bahia" and "Oriente".
- 1973
Araçá Azul
Caetano's most experimental album.
- 1973
Milagre dos Peixes
An album almost without lyrics, because of censorship.
- 1973
Pérola Negra
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1973
Índia
Gal at her peak, with a cover censored at the time.
- 1974
Cantar
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1975
Gil & Jorge: Ogum, Xangô
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1975
Minas
Milton and Som Imaginário, with "Fé Cega, Faca Amolada".
- 1975
Qualquer Coisa / Jóia
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1975
Refazenda
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1975
Revolver
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1975
Água do Céu – Pássaro
Ney's solo debut after Secos & Molhados.
- 1976
Alucinação
The album of "Como Nossos Pais" and "Apenas um Rapaz Latino-Americano".
- 1976
Doces Bárbaros
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1976
Estudando o Samba
An experimental dismantling of samba, rediscovered abroad in the 1990s.
- 1976
Falso Brilhante
From the show of the same name, with "Como Nossos Pais".
- 1976
Guilherme Arantes
Debut, with "Meu Mundo e Nada Mais".
- 1976
Meus Caros Amigos
With "O Que Será" and "Meu Caro Amigo".
- 1977
Refavela
Gil returns from Nigeria and joins afrobeat, ijexá and reggae to samba.
- 1978
Chico Buarque
With "Cálice" and "Apesar de Você", cleared by the censors.
- 1978
Clube da Esquina 2
The Minas collective's second meeting, with guests such as Chico Buarque and Elis.
- 1978
Zé Ramalho
Debut, with "Avôhai" and "Chão de Giz".
- 1978
Álibi
The first album by a Brazilian woman singer to pass a million copies.
- 1979
Angela Ro Ro
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1979
Cinema Transcendental
With "Lua de São Jorge" and "Oração ao Tempo".
- 1979
Essa Mulher
The album of "O Bêbado e a Equilibrista".
- 1979
Realce
Pop and disco in Gil's own way.
- 1980
Alumbramento
With "Meu Bem Querer".
- 1980
Beleléu, Leléu, Eu
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1980
Clara Crocodilo
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1981
Fantasia
With "Festa do Interior", one of Gal's biggest hits.
- 1982
Luz
Recorded in Los Angeles, with Stevie Wonder on harmonica on "Samurai".
- 1989
MM
Live debut, with "Bem Que Se Quis".
- 1991
Mais
Produced by Arto Lindsay; the new MPB of the 1990s starts here.
- 1994
Verde, Anil, Amarelo, Cor-de-Rosa e Carvão
Samba, pop and song in one of Marisa's best-selling albums.
- 1997
Livro
Winner of the Grammy for World Music.
- 1997
Por Onde Andará Stephen Fry?
Debut, with "Salão de Beleza".
- 1999
Ana Carolina
Debut, with "Garganta".
- 1999
Djavan ao Vivo
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 1999
Na Pressão
Percussive guitar and urban lyrics from the Northeast.
- 2000
Memórias, Crônicas e Declarações de Amor
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 2002
Tribalistas
Marisa Monte, Arnaldo Antunes and Carlinhos Brown; a hit without concerts.
- 2003
Maria Rita
Debut, with "A Festa"; a big seller.
- 2004
Essa Boneca Tem Manual
With "Ai, Ai, Ai".
- 2005
Ana & Jorge
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 2009
Maria Gadú
Debut, with "Shimbalaiê".
- 2011
O Que Você Quer Saber de Verdade
With "Ainda Bem".
- 2012
Tudo Tanto
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 2013
Condição Humana
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 2015
A Mulher do Fim do Mundo
Elza reinvented with São Paulo's avant-garde; a Latin Grammy winner.
- 2016
Anavitória
Debut, with "Trevo (Tu)".
- 2017
Letrux em Noite de Climão
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 2017
Recomeçar
Solo debut by O Terno's voice.
- 2018
Casas
Folk and MPB with rap and samples.
- 2018
Taurina
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 2019
Little Electric Chicken Heart
Psychedelic pop and MPB.
- 2021
De Primeira
Pop, funk and MPB from Minas that went viral with "Por Supuesto".
- 2022
Sim Sim Sim
Tropicália revisited by Rio's new generation; a Latin Grammy winner.
- 2023
Vício Inerente
Second album, after "De Primeira".
Artists
MPBS
Elis Regina
The "Pimentinha": MPB's greatest interpreter; "Arrastão", "Águas de Março", "Como Nossos Pais".
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Gilberto Gil
Tropicalist and former Minister of Culture: "Aquele Abraço", "Andar com Fé", "Palco".
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Chico Buarque
Songwriter and novelist; "A Banda", "Construção", "Apesar de Você" dodged the censors.
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Caetano Veloso
Tropicália's leader and one of Latin America's most influential artists: "Alegria, Alegria", "Sozinho".
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Gal Costa
Tropicália's voice: "Baby", "Divino, Maravilhoso", "Chuva de Prata".
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Maria Bethânia
Dramatic interpreter and Caetano's sister: "Carcará", "Explode Coração".
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Milton Nascimento
"Bituca": "Travessia", "Maria, Maria", "Canção da América"; admired by Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock.
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Ney Matogrosso
From Secos & Molhados to the most theatrical solo career in Brazilian music.
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Djavan
Sophisticated harmony and swing: "Flor de Lis", "Oceano", "Sina".
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Marisa Monte
The great MPB voice of the 1990s–2000s; Tribalistas; "Ainda Bem", "Amor I Love You".
▶ listenMPBA
Edu Lobo
Festival-era composer: "Arrastão", "Upa Neguinho", "Ponteio".
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Tom Zé
The experimental tropicalist rediscovered by David Byrne in the 1990s.
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Ivan Lins
A composer recorded by Quincy Jones and Ella Fitzgerald: "Madalena", "Começar de Novo".
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Belchior
"Como Nossos Pais", "Apenas um Rapaz Latino-Americano"; vanished from public life in the 2000s.
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Beto Guedes
"Amor de Índio", "Sol de Primavera", "O Sal da Terra".
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Fagner
"Canteiros", "Borbulhas de Amor".
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Alceu Valença
Frevo, maracatu and rock: "Anunciação", "Tropicana", "La Belle de Jour".
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Clube da Esquina
The Minas movement joining rock, bossa, jazz and folklore; the 1972 album is the landmark.
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João Bosco
With Aldir Blanc: "O Bêbado e a Equilibrista", "Kid Cavaquinho".
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Lô Borges
"O Trem Azul", "Paisagem da Janela", "Um Girassol da Cor do Seu Cabelo".
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Gonzaguinha
Luiz Gonzaga's son: "O Que É, O Que É?", "Explode Coração".
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Moraes Moreira
From Novos Baianos to the trio elétrico, where he was the first to sing; "Pombo Correio".
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Guilherme Arantes
"Meu Mundo e Nada Mais", "Planeta Água" and "Amanhã".
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Zé Ramalho
"Chão de Giz", "Admirável Gado Novo", "Frevo Mulher".
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