Early Asian music was commonly used as live entertainment in all sorts of situations, from courts to theaters. It has evolved a lot over the years, always with new and interesting instruments to compliment the music.

Some signature instruments of asian music include the formidable Taiko drums, Dizi and Sheng woodwind instruments, the Diyingehu and Gaohu string instruments, and the Haegum – the famous Korean fiddle. Over the years, these and many other instruments have created the ever-changing Asian music used for religious and entertainment purposes. Many of the songs, including the instrumentation and lyrics, are meant to tell epic stories or tales of love. Vietnamese music in particular has many theatrical tones.

Modern Asian music has many negative stereotypes surrounding it. What first comes to mind is probably “disposable pop”, meaning generic artists, boy bands, or girl bands that follow a formulaic approach to making music, treating it more like a commercial industry and less like an art or passion. However, there have been some extremely influential and creative Asian bands in the last decades. Crazy Japanese noise-rockers Boredoms have caused copycats all over the world. The Yellow Magic Orchestra redefined electronic music. Even the ultra-cutesy girl bands like Morning Musume have created new genres of happy “idol” pop.

Asian music has a rich and deep history, with more of a background than most other regions. Whether you are sitting down to listen to composers like Tan Dun or Jiang Li, or if you’re listening to the latest electro-pop straight from Japan, you’re sure to find an interesting experience that will please your musical taste. Asia has always been on the cutting edge of music and new genres, and it appears that it will continue to do so in the future. So look up a few Asian bands or composers in whatever genre you prefer, and familiarize yourself with some alternative choices.