Traditional Music Streams Surge 400% as Young Listeners Rediscover Heritage Sounds

Traditional music is having an unexpected global moment. Streaming platforms report that plays of folk and heritage genres — from Korean gugak and Irish sean-nós to Malian griot traditions and Andean huayno — have surged by 400% over the past two years. The boom is driven largely by Gen Z listeners who are discovering traditional sounds through viral collaborations between heritage musicians and contemporary pop and electronic artists.

"Young people aren't abandoning modern music; they're expanding their palate," said ethnomusicologist Dr. Tomoko Murata of Kyoto University. A TikTok duet pairing a 78-year-old Korean gayageum player with a Berlin-based techno producer has been viewed 300 million times. Spotify has launched a dedicated Traditional Sounds hub featuring curated playlists and artist stories from 90 countries.

“Streaming platforms report that plays of folk and heritage genres — from Korean gugak and Irish sean-nós to Malian griot traditions and Andean huayno — have surged by 400% over the past two years.”