Samba de roda
Since 1860 · 2 artistsThe samba of Bahia's Recôncavo, with handclaps, plate-and-knife and viola machete; the root of Rio samba. Dona Edith do Prato, Mariene de Castro.
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SMB
Samba
Since 1860Where Rio de JaneiroSubgenres 13Artists 109
Heir to the samba de roda of Bahia's Recôncavo, carried into the homes of Rio's 'Bahian aunts' in the early 20th century, samba is the rhythm the world associates with Brazil. 'Pelo Telefone' (1917) is the first registered samba; from there came the samba schools, samba-canção, partido-alto and, in the 1980s, pagode.
If you like…
If you like communal music, percussion and lyrics that tell everyday stories, start with Cartola, Paulinho da Viola and Zeca Pagodinho.
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- 1976As Rosas Não FalamCartola
- 1970Foi um Rio que Passou em Minha VidaPaulinho da Viola
- 1939Aquarela do BrasilAry Barroso
- 1964Trem das OnzeAdoniran Barbosa
- 1963Mas Que NadaJorge Ben Jor
- 2002Deixa a Vida Me LevarZeca Pagodinho
- 1978Vou FestejarBeth Carvalho
- 1976Canto das Três RaçasClara Nunes
- 1991Cheia de ManiasRaça Negra
- 2009Tá Vendo Aquela LuaExaltasamba
Subgenres
UNESCO intangible heritage · 2005
Roots samba
Since 1917 · 41 artistsThe samba of the hills and the schools: Cartola, Nelson Cavaquinho, Paulinho da Viola.
Samba-canção
Since 1930 · 22 artistsSlow, romantic samba of the radio era, from Noel Rosa and Ary Barroso to Dolores Duran.
Samba de breque
Since 1935 · 2 artistsSamba with stops ('breques') where the singer speaks a comic tale; Moreira da Silva is the master, Germano Mathias the heir.
Samba-exaltação
Since 1939 · 2 artistsGrand orchestral samba that praises the country; 'Aquarela do Brasil' (Ary Barroso, 1939) is the landmark.
Samba-enredo
Since 1930 · 2 artistsThe samba that tells each school's parade theme at Rio carnival.
Partido-alto
Since 1920 · 8 artistsImprovised circle samba, with a collective chorus and verses made up on the spot.
Samba-jazz
Since 1958 · 8 artists1960s instrumental trios (Tamba Trio, Zimbo Trio, Edison Machado) mixing samba and bebop.
Sambalanço
Since 1958 · 4 artistsThe danceable nightclub samba of the 1960s, between samba and jazz: Orlandivo, Ed Lincoln, Miltinho, Wilson Simonal.
Samba de gafieira
Since 1940 · 2 artistsThe instrumental samba of the dance halls, with horns: Severino Araújo and the Orquestra Tabajara, Paulo Moura.
Samba-rock
Since 1963 · 4 artistsThe swing of Jorge Ben Jor and São Paulo's black dance halls; it has its own ballroom dance.
Pagode
Since 1980 · 23 artistsBorn at Cacique de Ramos with Fundo de Quintal: banjo, tantã and hand repique.
Romantic pagode
Since 1990 · 21 artistsThe São Paulo strand of the 1990s (Raça Negra, Só Pra Contrariar, Exaltasamba), today led by Thiaguinho and Ferrugem.
Essential albums 27
- 1950
Noel Rosa e Aracy de Almeida
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1954
Canções Praieiras
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1956
Conceição
The album of Cauby's biggest hit.
- 1959
Caymmi e Seu Violão
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1969
Martinho da Vila
Debut, with "Casa de Bamba" and "O Pequeno Burguês".
- 1970
Foi um Rio que Passou em Minha Vida
The album of the song-tribute to Portela.
- 1970
Força Bruta
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1972
A Dança da Solidão
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1973
Nelson Cavaquinho
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1973
Nervos de Aço
One of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums (Rolling Stone Brasil, 2007).
- 1974
A Tábua de Esmeralda
Samba-rock, guitar and alchemy; Jorge Ben's most celebrated record.
- 1974
Cartola
The Mangueira master's recording debut, on the Marcus Pereira label.
- 1975
A Voz do Samba
Debut, with "Não Deixe o Samba Morrer".
- 1975
Claridade
With "O Mar Serenou"; a big seller.
- 1976
Canto das Três Raças
The title track about the roots of the Brazilian people.
- 1976
Cartola
Second album, with "O Mundo É um Moinho" and "As Rosas Não Falam".
- 1976
África Brasil
Samba-funk with "Taj Mahal" and "Ponta de Lança Africano".
- 1978
De Pé no Chão
Introduced Cacique de Ramos pagode, with "Vou Festejar".
- 1980
Samba É no Fundo de Quintal
Debut of the group that created the language of pagode.
- 1984
Mistura Brasileira
With "Deixa Eu Te Amar"; it passed a million copies.
- 1986
Zeca Pagodinho
Solo debut, which established Zeca as the voice of pagode.
- 1997
Só Pra Contrariar
One of the best-selling records in the country's history, with "Que Se Chama Amor".
- 2002
Deixa a Vida Me Levar
The title track became the national team's anthem in the 2002 World Cup win.
- 2003
Acústico MTV
Pagode classics in acoustic versions; a huge seller.
- 2007
Samba Meu
Album of the year at the Prêmio Multishow.
- 2020
Numanice
The funk star turns to romantic pagode.
- 2023
Xande Canta Caetano
Caetano Veloso's songs in samba.
Artists
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Francisco Alves
The "King of Voice", the greatest singer of the radio era; first to record "Aquarela do Brasil" (1939).
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Carmen Miranda
The "Brazilian Bombshell" took samba and marchinhas to Hollywood in the 1940s.
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Cartola
Mangueira founder and author of "As Rosas Não Falam" and "O Mundo É um Moinho"; he recorded his first album at 65.
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Noel Rosa
The "Poet of Vila Isabel": Rio chronicles in sambas such as "Com que Roupa?" and "Feitio de Oração".
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Orlando Silva
The "Singer of the Crowds": "Carinhoso" (1937) and "Lábios Que Beijei".
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Dorival Caymmi
Singer of the sea and of Bahia: "O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?", "Marina", "Saudade da Bahia".
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Elza Soares
From 1960s syncopated samba to the reinvention of "A Mulher do Fim do Mundo" (2015); named singer of the millennium by the BBC in 1999.
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Jorge Ben Jor
Created samba-rock with a unique guitar and swing: "Mas Que Nada", "País Tropical", "Taj Mahal".
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Paulinho da Viola
Portela's elegance in "Foi um Rio que Passou em Minha Vida" and "Coração Leviano".
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Beth Carvalho
The "godmother of samba" revealed Cacique de Ramos pagode and Zeca Pagodinho: "Vou Festejar".
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Clara Nunes
The first Brazilian woman singer to sell over 100,000 copies: "Canto das Três Raças", "Conto de Areia".
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Martinho da Vila
Vila Isabel; "Canta Canta, Minha Gente", "Disritmia", "Mulheres".
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Fundo de Quintal
Born at Cacique de Ramos, it created the language of pagode with banjo, tantã and hand repique.
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Zeca Pagodinho
Brazil's most popular sambista: "Deixa a Vida Me Levar", "Verdade", "Vai Vadiar".
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Grupo Menos é Mais
A Brasília group that took the samba circle to the top of streaming in the 2020s.
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Donga
Registered "Pelo Telefone" (1917), regarded as the first recorded samba.
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Ary Barroso
"Aquarela do Brasil" (1939), the exaltation samba that became the country's sonic postcard.
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Sílvio Caldas
"Chão de Estrelas" (1937) and a long radio-era career.
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Dalva de Oliveira
From Trio de Ouro to the "Queen of Voice": "Tudo Acabado", "Errei, Sim".
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Nelson Cavaquinho
Sambas of rare melancholy and beauty: "A Flor e o Espinho", "Juízo Final".
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Adoniran Barbosa
São Paulo samba with an Italian accent: "Trem das Onze", "Saudosa Maloca".
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Nelson Gonçalves
"A Volta do Boêmio" (1956); one of the country's biggest record sellers.
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Demônios da Garoa
The interpreters of Adoniran Barbosa: "Trem das Onze", "Saudosa Maloca".
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Elizeth Cardoso
"The Divine"; "Canção do Amor Demais" (1958) is an early bossa nova landmark.
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