Explore the World’s Folk Music

We often talk about combating elitism and Western-centric standards in music education. The website Folk Cloud has created an interactive folk music map that does exactly that, sharing local music traditions from regions across the world. Anyone can submit to the site, which welcomes music by anyone—from “old farmers” to “dedicated musicians”—in any corner of the world. Though “folk music” can be defined in different ways, Folk Cloud is clear about their requirements, saying that they are “not looking for folk-pop, folk-jazz or folk-rock” but rather “pure folk and classical traditional of each region.” Explore their site to learn about the submission process, discover new music, and better understand different regions’ musical heritages.