Here is a brief education in Middle Eastern music listening. If you want to become more familiar with Arabic music and don’t know where to begin, I have 50 suggestions for you.

This is just a mere, humble list, and really does not do justice to the rich musical traditions of each area I mention, but it is a strong start.

I made three categories: Arabic, Turkish, Persian. The list could be copious in all three categories, but I hope this serves as a nice introduction, and gives you a little head start. I have provided all the names of the main composer or singer the song is associated with so you can dig deeper and find more songs by the same artist. Links to the song in youtube, or iTunes is provided as well.

dog-listeningIt took me a long time to compile this list. I provided the most well-known artists and their most well-known songs for you to peruse. It was important that these artists were old as well as contemporary, classic and modern. I am sure that I have missed some, and could have done much more justice to Turkish and Persian music, but I chose more songs that I felt were relevant to Oud playing.

I hope you will use this list as a resource to find more music to listen to and hope it will help you develop your ear for Middle Eastern music. Voila!

50 Middle Eastern Songs You Have to Hear!

Arabic:

Sama’i Bayati Ibrahim al Ayran

Zeina – Mohammad Abdel Wahab

Kadelan Qaduka al Mayaz- Iraqi traditional

Lailet Hob – Oum Kulthum

Ba’eed Annak – Oum Kulthum

Enta Omree – Oum Kulthum

Yamin Yra3eny Nabila – Mohammad Abdo

Sidi mansour/baba bahri – Traditional

Ghaloo Taraa – Abadi Al Johar

Flying Bird – Munir bashir

Shallalat – Jameel Bashir

Caprice – Jameel Bashir

Andalus – Jameel Bashir

Olive Harvest- Simon Shaheen

Blue Flame – Simon Shaheen

Longa Farafaza – Riad As-Sumbaty

Ya Masr Hanet We Banet – Mustafa Said

Helween Men Yomna – Sayed Mekawi

Nora Ya Nora – Farid Al Atrash

Ana Wenta Wel Hob – Farid Al Atrash

Rakhse al Jamal – Farid Al Atrash

Biktub Ismak – Fairuz

Barda – Fairuz

Ommi – Marcel Khalife

Lamma Bada Yatathanna – Traditional

Sama’i Nahawand – Jihad Ali Racy

Tahmilah Suznak

Souleimane – Said Chraibi

Sama’i Awjara Ghouzoud – Said Chraibi

Wihyaat ‘Inayya – Sabah Fakhri

‘Al Rosana – Sabah Fakhri

If you enjoy Arabic music, I highly recommend you join my FREE email course, Arabic Music 101. In the course, you’ll get access to over 40 pieces of essential Arabic music and explanation, which will help you get connected to the music and culture!

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Click here to sign up for the free course!

Turkish:

Suzinak Sirto – Goksel Baktagir

Bosphorus Scenes Under the Moonlight (Sama’i Nahawand) – Cinucen Tanrikorur

Siroon Aghcheek – Udi Hrant Kenkulian

Deep Emotion (Hislenis) – Yurdal Tokcan

Gurcu Kizi – Yurdal Tokcan

Dunyada Tukenmez Murat Var Imis – Erdal Erzincan

Sama’i Rast – Tatyos Effendi

Sama’i Kurd – Tatyos Effendi

Sama’i Suznak – Tatyos Effendi

Longa Kijaz Kar Kurd – Spookh Effendi

Persian:

Morghe Sahar – Traditional

Bot-e Chin – Mohammad Reza Shajarian

Bidad – Parviz Meshkatian

Riders in the Field of Hope (Neynava Album) – Hossein Alizadeh

Chaharmezrab (Shurangiz Album) – Hossein Alizadeh

Tasnif Yad Baad – Shajarian/Meshkatian

Other:

Stankina Osogovka – Ross Daly

I Remember – Hamza Al Din

Desse Barama – Hamza Al Din

Have I missed anything? What’s your favorite song? Please share in the comments below!

We are in the research stage of developing better Oud learning material and some of these songs might be included in the material. Sign up below to get updates, and feel free to tell us what you want to learn about Middle Eastern music.

Photo credit: Beverly & Pack

15 Thoughts to “The Best 50 Middle Eastern Songs You Have to Hear!”

  1. Megan McIntosh

    Hey guys Ive only checked out the first song but I think it’s brilliant to have youtube videos with the sheet music posted in the video!!!! I can follow along with the music and that helps me learn it so much better! I dunno if it was your idea or if you just happened to find this video but I think it’s a great for becoming familiar with middle eastern songs!

    1. Navid

      Thanks for your comment. No I am not responsible for creating the video with the sheet music, but it sure is a cool resource. I’m glad you enjoyed this post.

  2. Sepideh

    This is one of the best Iranian songs :

    1. Navid

      Thank you for sharing this. This is a very important Persian song, I totally forgot about it…

    2. NiMade Olga

      Oh that’s Bahar Dilneshin! One of the most beautiful Persian songs in my opinion. Owesome music and lyrics as well

  3. Fantastic website, Navid! How about adding a raqs sharqi section to your 50 essential songs…Azizza, Alf Leyla Wa Leyla, Tamrihenna…these, among others, I would consider essential. Would love to hear your thoughts on this…Raq on!

    1. Navid

      Hi Jennifer,
      I will definitely add those. Thanks for the suggestions! Awesome tunes!

    1. NiMade Olga

      It’s so beautiful! Thank you!

  4. NiMade Olga

    Hi all!

    Thank you Navid for such a beautiful collection of music!

    If to talk about my favourite songs from Arabic there are a lot. But I’d love to share those which are my most favourite:
    1. An Iraqi song Fog Al-nakhl فوق النخل
    http://youtu.be/vGB-Vj3oi78

    2. Iba’atly jawab ابعتلي جواب
    http://youtu.be/8fHHSUz7fM8

    3. Asmar ya asmarani. This is an old song but I like it with voice of Wael Jassar
    http://youtu.be/MxuLIpvynSI

    Then, I’d like to mention Northern African type of music. I love their strong bit and warm sound of oud which makes me feel the spirit of the desert. In songs which I am sharing here most of oud solo is played on guitar but you still can see their traditional tunes:
    1. The Idan Rachel project Vieux Farka Toure
    http://youtu.be/dSIAs_kmfCo

    2. Tinariwen. You can pick any of their songs and will not make a mistake – these guys are just awesome and when I listen to their songs I just can feel sitting near the fire in the middle of desert sands…
    http://youtu.be/VoPPMktXCEI

    Turkish:
    Here I want to share only one song. Güldur Gül. Beautiful and delicate.
    http://youtu.be/2flqFxo0y5Q

    1. Navid

      Fantastic, thank you for sharing your music taste with everybody!

      1. Abd aleem

        I want songs like
        Clotaire k- lubnan
        Clotaire k- beyroute

  5. albert

    hello. thank you for your good website. can you help me to find sheet musics of munir bashir? such as “peace and love” that played by omar bashir.
    tnx

  6. Jeroen

    Thanks for the good work!
    Some of my favourites:

    Anouar Brahem – Badhra
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RjIyoyko7g

    Marcel Khalife – Komy Tla3y Al bal – ( مارسيل خليفة قومي طلعي عالبال)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68BjwANDFdM

    Nagat El Saghira – Ana Baashaq El Bahr

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