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{{More citations needed|date=July 2018}}
{{Music of Greece}}
The '''music of Greece''' is as diverse and celebrated as its [[History of Greece|history]]. Greek music separates into two parts: [[Greek folk music|Greek traditional music]] and [[Byzantine music]]. These compositions have existed for millennia: they originated in the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine period]] and [[ancient Greek music|Greek antiquity]]; there is a continuous development which appears in the language, the rhythm, the structure and the melody.{{sfn|Baud-Bovy|1966|pp=1–13}} Music is a significant aspect of [[Greek culture|Hellenic culture]], both within [[Greece]] and in the [[Greek diaspora|diaspora]].

==Greek musical history==
Greek musical history extends far back into [[ancient Greece]], since music was a major part of ancient [[Greek theater]]. Later influences from the [[Roman Empire]], Eastern Europe and the [[Byzantine Empire]] changed the form and style of Greek music. In the 19th century, [[opera]] composers, like [[Nikolaos Mantzaros]] (1795–1872), [[Spyridon Xyndas]] (1812–1896) and [[Spyridon Samaras]] (1861–1917) and symphonists, like Dimitris Lialios and [[Dionysius Rodotheatos|Dionysios Rodotheatos]] revitalized Greek [[art music]].

===Ancient Greece===
{{main|Music of ancient Greece}}
In [[ancient Greece]], men usually performed choruses for entertainment, celebration, and spiritual reasons. Instruments included the double-reed [[aulos]] and the plucked [[string instrument]] (like [[pandura]]), the [[kanonaki]], the [[lyre]], especially the special kind called a [[kithara]].

Music was an important part of education in ancient Greece, and boys were taught music starting at age six. Greek musical literacy created a flowering of development; Greek [[music theory]] included the Greek [[musical mode]]s, which eventually became the basis for Eastern and Western [[religious music]] and [[European classical music|classical music]].

===Roman era===
{{see also|Music of ancient Rome}}
Due to Rome's reverence for Greek culture, the Romans borrowed the Greek method{{sfn|Ulrich|Pisk|1963|p=25}} of 'enchiriadic notation' (marks which indicated the general shape of the tune but not the exact notes or rhythms) to record their music, if they used any notation at all.

===Byzantine era===
{{main|Byzantine music}}
The tradition of eastern liturgical chant, encompassing the [[Greek language|Greek]]-speaking world, developed in the [[Byzantine Empire]] from the establishment of its capital, [[Constantinople]], in 330 until [[fall of Constantinople|its fall]] in 1453. It is undeniably of composite origin, drawing on the artistic and technical productions of the classical Greek age, of [[History of religious Jewish music|Jewish religious music]], and inspired by the [[monophony|monophonic]] [[vocal music]] that evolved in the early (Greek) Christian cities of [[Alexandria]], [[Antioch]] and [[Ephesus]] (see also [[Church music#Early Christian music|Early Christian music]]). In his lexicographical discussion of instruments, the [[Persian people|Persian]] geographer [[Ibn Khordadbeh|Ibn Khurradadhbih]] (d. 911) cited the lūrā ([[Byzantine lyra|bowed lyra]]) as a typical instrument of the Byzantines along with the ''urghun'' ([[Organ (music)|organ]]), ''shilyani'' (probably a type of [[harp]] or [[lyre]]), and the ''salandj'' (probably a [[bagpipe]]).<ref name=Kartomi124>{{harvnb|Kartomi|1990|p=124}}</ref> Other instruments used in the folk Byzantine-era music, were [[kanonaki]], [[oud]], [[laouto]], [[santouri]] and other instruments that are still played in post-Byzantine regions today.

[[File:Vrakoforos Tabouras.jpg|thumb|160px|Greek playing [[tambouras]], 18th-century painting]]

===Ottoman era===
The [[Greeks]] were familiar, in this period that stretched from the 15th century to the time of [[Greek war of independence]], with the traditional [[Greek folk music]], elements of the [[Ottoman music]], such as with surviving [[Byzantine music]] and more specifically, hymns: [[Church music]].{{citation needed|date=October 2025}} These genres have certainly reached a high degree of evolution. They were forms of monophonic music that had many elements of ancient Greek origin, but also, they had nothing to do with Western polyphonic music.<ref>The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. 2007 - "Byzantine music"</ref>

{{anchor|amanedes}}
By the beginning of the 20th century, live music cafés were popular in cities such as [[Constantinople]] and [[Smyrna]], where small groups of musicians from Greece played. The bands were typically led by a female vocalist and included a [[violin]]. The [[improvisation|improvised]] songs typically exclaimed ''[[wikt:aman#Turkish|amán]] amán'', which led to the name ''amanédes'' ([[:wikt:αμανέδες|αμανέδες]] ''amanédes''; singular [[wikt:αμανές|αμανές]] ''amanés'') or ''café-aman'' ({{lang|el|καφέ-αμάν}}) – as opposed to the more Westernized ''[[café-chantant]]s'' (καφέ-σαντάν). Greek musicians of this period included [[Marika Papagika]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Steve Sullivan|title=Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QWBPAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA742|date=October 4, 2013|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-8296-6|page=742}}</ref> [[Rosa Eskenazi]] and [[Rita Abatzi]].<ref>[https://archive.today/20130129140228/http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/artist/content.artist/rita_abatzi World Music: Rita Abatzi], nationalgeographic.com; accessed 22 October 2017.</ref> This period also brought in the [[rebetiko]] movement, which had local Smyrniote, Ottoman and Byzantine influences.

===Folk music (dimotiká or demotic)===
{{anchor|demotic}}
{{main|Greek folk music}}
[[File:Skalkottas.png|thumb|120px|left|[[Nikos Skalkottas]] (1904–1949) drew his influences from both the classical repertoire and the Greek folk tradition.]]
[[File:Laghouto.jpg|thumb|160px|Different types of [[laouto]]]]

[[Greek folk music]] traditions are said to derive from the music played by ancient Greeks.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Greek Folk Music and Dance|url=https://socalfolkdance.org/articles/greek_folk_music_dance_karras.htm|access-date=2021-12-06|website=socalfolkdance.org}}</ref> There are said to be two musical movements in Greek folk music (παραδοσιακή μουσική): [[acritic songs]] and [[klephtic song]]s. Akritic music comes from the 9th century ''[[Akritoi|akrites]]'', or border guards of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. Following the end of the Byzantine period, klephtic music arose before the [[Greek Revolution]], developed among the ''[[Klephts|kleftes]]'', warriors who fought against the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Klephtic music is [[monophony|monophonic]] and uses no [[harmony|harmonic]] accompaniment.

''[[Dimotika tragoudia]]'' are only from the mainland and accompanied by [[clarinet]]s, [[tambourine]]s, [[laouto]], violins and [[Byzantine Lyra|lyras]], and include dance music like [[syrtó]], [[kalamatianó]], [[tsámiko]] and [[hasaposérviko]], as well as vocal music like [[kléftiko]]. The lyrics are based on dimotiki (folk) poetry (usually by an anonymous lyricist) and popular themes are love, marriage, humor, death, nature, water, sea, religious, about klephts, armatoloi, various war fighters or battles, etc. Some notable instrumentalists include clarinet virtuosos like Petroloukas Chalkias, Giorgos Gevgelis and Yiannis Vassilopoulos, as well as [[laouto]] and [[fiddle]] players like Nikos Saragoudas, Vasilis Kostas and Giorgos Koros.

Greek folk music is found all throughout Greece, [[Cyprus]], and several regions of [[Turkey]], as well as among communities in countries like the [[United States]], [[Canada]] and Australia. The island of [[Cyprus]] and several regions of [[Turkey]] are home to long-standing communities of [[ethnic Greeks|Greeks in Turkey]] with their own unique styles of music.

====Nisiótika====
{{main|Nisiotika}}
''[[Nisiotika]]'' is a general term denoting folk songs from the Greek islands, especially the [[Aegean Islands]]. Among the most popular types of them is ''Ikariótiko tragoúdi'', "song from Ikaria".

=====Ikariótikos=====
{{main|Ikariotikos}}
''[[Ikariotikos|Ikariótikos]]'' is a traditional type of dance, and also the name of its accompanying type of singing, originating in the Aegean island of [[Ikaria]]. At first, it was a very slow dance, but today Ikariotikos is a very quick dance. Some specialists say that the traditional Ikariotikos was slow and the quick "version" of it is in fact [[Ballos]]. Music and dancing are major forms of entertainment in Ikaria. Throughout the year, Ikarians host baptisms, weddings, parties and religious festivals where one can listen and dance to live traditional Ikarian Music.

=====Modern nisiótika=====
Singer [[Mariza Koch]] was largely responsible for the revival of interest in Nisiótika in the 1970s and 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/cu/hellenicstudies/seminar_papers/2007-2008/Holst-Electrifying%20the%20Nisiotika.pdf|title=Home - Program in Hellenic Studies|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> During the 1990s and 2000s, singers such as [[Yiannis Parios]] and [[Stella Konitopoulou]] helped this music gain occasional mainstream popularity.

====Cretan music====
{{main|Music of Crete}}
[[File:Cretan lyre.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Cretan lyra]]s]]

The [[Cretan lyra]] is the dominant folk instrument on the island; it is a three-stringed bowed instrument similar to the [[Byzantine Lyra]]. It is often accompanied by [[laouto]] (which is similar to both an [[oud]] and a [[lute]]), guitar, violin and (Cretan) mandolin. [[Nikos Xylouris]], [[Psarantonis]] (Antonis Xylouris), [[Thanassis Skordalos]], [[Kostas Moundakis]], [[Ross Daly]], [[Nikos Zoidakis]] and [[Vasilis Skoulas]] are among the most renowned players of the lýra. The [[violin]] is also used in Cretan music. The most renowned player of the violin is [[Antonis Martsakis]] who is also a dancer. [[Mandolin]] is also used in Cretan music. [[Loudovikos ton Anogeion]] (Λουδοβίκος των Ανωγείων) is a well-known mandolin player from [[Crete]]. The bass in that music is coming from the [[laouto]]. [[Giannis Haroulis]] and [[Michalis Tzouganakis]] are notable artists of the instrument.

=====Cretan music in media=====
The Cretan music theme "[[Zorba's Dance]]" by [[Mikis Theodorakis]] (incorporating elements from the [[hasapiko]] dance), which appears in the 1964 Hollywood movie ''[[Zorba the Greek]]'' remains the best-known Greek song abroad.

====Other folk traditions====
Other major regional musical traditions of Greece include:
*[[Music of the Heptanese]]
*[[Music of Epirus]]
*[[Music of Macedonia (Greece)|Music of Macedonia]]
*[[Music of Thrace]]

====Notable artists====
''Composers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Ross Daly]]
*[[Giorgos Konitopoulos]]
*[[:el:Δημήτρης Λάγιος|Dimitris Lagios]]
*[[Alkinoos Ioannidis]]
*[[Kostas Mountakis]]
*[[Psarantonis]]
*[[Dionysis Savvopoulos]]
{{colend}}
''Singers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Chronis Aidonidis]]
*[[Yiannis Parios]]
*[[Xanthippi Karathanasi]]
*[[Mariza Koch]]
*[[Domna Samiou]]
*[[Michalis Violaris]]
*[[Nikos Xylouris]]
{{colend}}

==Classical music==

===Ionian school===
{{see also|Ionian school (music)}}
[[File:Corfu Town Hall R01.jpg|thumb|240px|[[Nobile Teatro di San Giacomo di Corfù]], the first theatre and [[opera]] house of modern Greece and the place where the first Greek opera, [[Spyridon Xyndas]]' "The Parliamentary Candidate" based on an exclusively Greek [[libretto]] was performed.]]

It was through the [[Ionian islands]] (which were under Venetian rule and influence) that all the major developments of the Western European classical music were introduced to mainland Greeks. The region is notable for the birth of the first school of modern Greek classical music ([[Ionian school (music)|Heptanesian or Ionian school]]; [[Greek language|Greek]]: Επτανησιακή Σχολή), established in 1815. Prominent representatives of this genre include [[Nikolaos Mantzaros]], [[Spyridon Xyndas]], [[Spyridon Samaras]], [[Dionysius Rodotheatos]] and [[Pavlos Carrer]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Xepapadakou|first=Avra|date=2013|title=Pavlos Carrer [Paolo Karrer]|url=https://www.academia.edu/15628365/_Carrer_Carreris_Pavlos_Carrer_Paolo_Karrer_Paul_Grove_Music_Dictionary_ed._by_Deane_Root_New_York_Oxford_University_Press_2013|journal=Grove Music Dictionary|publisher=New York: Oxford University Press}}</ref>

The [[Byzantine music|Church music (Byzantine)]] of the islands is also different from the rest of Greece, with significant western and [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] influences on the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] rite.

===Greek national school===
[[Manolis Kalomiris]] (1883–1962) was the founder of the Greek national school of music. Born in [[Smyrna]], he attended school in [[Constantinople]] and studied piano and composition in [[Vienna]]. His work drew influences also from the [[Greek folk music]], poetry (he was an admirer of [[Kostis Palamas]]) and myth, aiming to combine the [[German Romanticism]] with Greek motives. In 1919, he founded the [[Hellenic Conservatory]] and in 1926 the [[National Conservatoire (Greece)|National Conservatoire]]. Representatives are also [[Nikos Skalkottas]], who drew his influences also from Greek folk tradition, [[Emilios Riadis]] and the conductor [[Dimitris Mitropoulos]].<ref>Ioannis Foulias, "The composer Dimitri Mitropoulos and his relation to the Greek National School of Music", Contribution to the Conference "The National Element in Music", Athens Concert Hall, 18–20 January 2013. Organization: Faculty of Music Studies of the University of Athens, Music Library of Greece "Lilian Voudouri".</ref>

==Popular music==

===Greek operetta and early popular songs===
[[File:Spyros Samaras.jpg|thumb|150px|left|[[Spyridon Samaras]] (1861–1917)]]
[[File:Sofia Vempo.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Sofia Vembo]]]]

The [[Heptanese]]an [[Greek folk music#Ionian Islands|kantádes]] (καντάδες '[[serenade]]s'; sing.: καντάδα) are based on the popular Italian music of the early 19th century and became the forerunners of the Greek modern song, influencing its development to a considerable degree. For the first part of the next century, several Greek composers continued to borrow elements from the Heptanesean style.

The most successful songs during the period 1870–1930 were the so-called Athenian serenades (Αθηναϊκές καντάδες), and the songs performed on stage (επιθεωρησιακά τραγούδια 'theatrical revue songs') in [[revues]], [[Musical theatre|musical comedies]], [[operettas]] and [[nocturnes]] that were dominating Athens' theatre scene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.music-art.gr/content/view/38/34/lang,el/|title=music-art - ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΜΟΥΣΙΚΗ|author=Administrator|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref><ref>[http://www.kathimerini.gr/4Dcgi/4dcgi/_w_articles_kathglobal_1_23/10/2005_1284693 "Κυρίαρχη αισθητική και μουσικό γούστο" - article on 'Kathimerini'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716023744/http://www.kathimerini.gr/4Dcgi/4dcgi/_w_articles_kathglobal_1_23/10/2005_1284693 |date=2011-07-16 }}</ref> Notable composers of [[operetta]]s or [[nocturne]]s were [[Spyridon Samaras]], [[Kostas Giannidis]], [[Spyridon Kaisaris]], [[Dionysios Lavrangas]], [[Nikos Hatziapostolou]], while [[Theophrastos Sakellaridis]]' ''The Godson'' remains probably the most popular operetta. Despite the fact that the Athenian songs were not autonomous artistic creations (in contrast with the serenades) and despite their original connection with mainly [[Drama (Art Form)|dramatic forms of Art]], they eventually became hits as independent songs. Notable actors of Greek operettas, who also made a series of melodies and songs popular at that time, include [[Orestis Makris]], [[Kalouta sisters]], [[Petros Epitropakis]], [[Vasilis Avlonitis]], [[Afroditi Laoutari]], [[Rena Vlahopoulou]], [[Eleni Papadaki]], [[Aris Maliagros]], [[Marika Nezer]], [[Marika Krevata]] and others. [[Italian opera]] also had a great influence on the musical aesthetics of the modern Greeks. Some popular operettas include:

{{Listen|filename=ΑΤΤΙΚ Μιλιάρης - Τα νιατα (1918).ogg|title=Ta Niata|description="Ta Niata (The Youth)", composed by Miliaris/[[Attik]], 1918}}
*''Kritikopoula'' ([[Spyridon Samaras]], 1916)
*''The Godson'' ([[Theophrastos Sakellaridis]], 1918)
*''I want to see the Pope'' ([[Theophrastos Sakellaridis]], 1920)
*''Oi Apachides ton Athinon'' ([[Nikos Hatziapostolou]], 1921)
*''Beba'' ([[Theophrastos Sakellaridis]], 1928)

After 1930, wavering among American and European musical influences as well as the Greek musical tradition, Greek composers begin to write music using the tunes of the [[Tango (dance)|tango]], [[samba]], [[waltz]], [[Swing music|swing]], [[bolero]], [[foxtrot]], some times combined with melodies in the style of [[Athenian]] serenades' repertory. [[Nikos Gounaris]] was probably the most renowned composer and singer of the time (often called "Mr. Greece"). [[Giorgos Mouzakis]] was a prominent virtuoso [[trumpet]]er (borrowed [[latin jazz]] elements), while [[Attik]] and [[Michalis Souyioul]] were also among the most successful and popular composers. Notable singers of this style include also [[Fotis Polymeris]], [[Sofia Vembo]] (a star of the era), [[Mary Lo]], [[Danai Stratigopoulou|Danaë Stratigopoulou]], [[Stella Greca]] and [[Tony Maroudas]].

====Notable artists====
''Composers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Attik]] (Kleon Triantafyllou)
*[[Kostas Giannidis]]
*[[Kostas Kapnisis]]
*[[Giorgos Mouzakis]]
*[[Theophrastos Sakellaridis]]
*[[Michalis Souyioul]] (Souyioultzoglou)
*[[Giorgos Giannakopoulos]] (lyricist)
*{{ill|Giorgos Oikonomidis|el|Γιώργος Οικονομίδης}} (lyricist)
*[[Alekos Sakellarios]] (lyricist)
*[[Mimis Traiforos]] (lyricist)
{{colend}}
''Singers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Ioannis Filandros]]/[[Spyros Koronis]] duo
*[[Nikos Gounaris]]
*[[Tony Maroudas]]
*[[Kakia Mendri]]
*[[Fotis Polymeris]]
*[[Luisa Poselli]]
*[[Danai Stratigopoulou|Danaë]]
*[[Sofia Vembo]]
{{colend}}

===Rebetiko===
{{main|Rebetiko}}
{{Listen|filename=1918SmyrnaMinore.ogg|title=Minore from Smyrna|description="Smyrna Minore", traditional, sung by [[Marika Papagika]], 1918}}
[[File:Semsis Eskenazi Tomboulis.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Smyrna-style rebetiko trio: [[Dimitrios Semsis]], [[Agapios Tomboulis]], [[Roza Eskenazi]] (Athens 1932)]]
''[[Rebetiko]]'' was initially associated with the lower and poor classes, but later reached greater general acceptance as the rough edges of its overt subcultural character were softened and polished. Rebetiko probably originated in the music of the larger Greek cities, most of them coastal, in today's Greece and [[Asia Minor]]. Emerged by the 1920s as the urban folk music of Greek society's outcasts (''[[Mangas|manges]]''). The earliest Greek [[rebetiko]] singers (refugees, drug-users, criminals, and itinerants) were scorned by mainstream society. They sang heartrending tales of drug abuse, prison, and violence, usually accompanied by the [[bouzouki]].

In 1923, after the [[population exchange between Greece and Turkey]], many [[ethnic Greeks]] from Asia Minor fled to Greece as a result of the [[Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922)|Greco-Turkish War]]. They settled in poor neighborhoods in [[Piraeus]], [[Thessaloniki]], and [[Athens]]. Many of these immigrants were highly educated, such as songwriter [[Vangelis Papazoglou]], and [[Panagiotis Toundas]], composer and leader of [[Odeon Records]]' Greek subsidiary, who are traditionally considered the founders of the [[Smyrna]] school of [[rebetiko]]. Another tradition from Smyrna that came along with the Greek refugees was the ''tekés'' (τεκές) 'opium den', or [[hashish]] dens. Groups of men would sit in a circle, smoke hashish from a [[hookah]], and improvise music of various kinds.

With the coming of the [[Ioannis Metaxas|Metaxas]] [[4th of August Regime|dictatorship]], [[rebetiko]] was suppressed due to the uncompromising lyrics. Hashish dens, [[baglamas]] and [[bouzouki]] were banned, or at least playing in the [[Arabian maqam|eastern-style manner]] and scales.

Some of the earliest legends of Greek music, such as the quartet of [[Anestis Delias]], [[Markos Vamvakaris]], [[Stratos Pagioumtzis]] and [[Yiorgos Batis]] came out of this music scene. Vamvakaris became perhaps the first renowned [[rebetiko]] musician after the beginning of his solo career. Other popular rebetiko songwriters and singers of this period (1940s) include: [[Dimitris Gogos]] (better known as Bayandéras), [[Stelios Perpiniadis]], [[Spyros Peristeris]], [[Giannis Papaioannou]], and Apostolos Hatzichristos.

The scene was soon popularized further by stars like [[Vassilis Tsitsanis]]. His song Συννεφιασμένη Κυριακή - ''Synnefiasméni Kyriakí'' became an anthem for the oppressed Greeks when it was composed in 1943 (during the [[Axis occupation of Greece during World War II]]), despite the fact that it was not recorded until 1948. He was followed by female singers like [[Marika Ninou]], [[Ioanna Georgakopoulou]], and [[Sotiria Bellou]]. In 1953, [[Manolis Chiotis]] added a fourth pair of strings to the [[bouzouki]], which allowed it to be played as a guitar and set the stage for the future '[[Instrument amplifier|electrification]]' of [[rebetiko]]. This final era of rebetiko (mid-1940s–1953) also featured the emergence of [[wikt:nightclub|nightclubs]] (κέντρα διασκεδάσεως) as a means of popularizing music. By the late 1950s, rebetiko had declined; it only survived in the form of ''archontorebetiko'' (αρχοντορεμπέτικο "posh rebetiko"), a refined style of rebetiko that was far more accepted by the upper class than the traditional form of the genre. The mainstream popularity of archontorebetiko paved the way for [[éntekhno]] and [[laïkó]]. In the 1960s, [[Manolis Chiotis]] popularized the eight-string bouzouki and set the stage for the future '[[Instrument amplifier|electrification]]' of [[rebetiko]].

[[Rebetiko]] in its original form was revived during the [[Greek military junta of 1967–1974|Junta of 1967–1974]], when the [[Regime of the Colonels]] banned it. After the end of the Junta, many revival groups (and solo artists) appeared. The most notable of them include [[Opisthodromiki Kompania]], [[Rembetiki Kompania]], [[Babis Tsertos]], [[Agathonas Iakovidis]] and others.

===Éntekhno===
{{main|Éntekhno}}
[[File:Mikis Theodorakis Fabrik 070004.jpg|thumb|160px|[[Mikis Theodorakis]]]]

Drawing on [[rebetiko]]'s internationalization by Tsitsanis and Chiotis, ''[[éntekhno]]'' (or ''éntechno'') arose in the late 1950s. Éntekhno (art song) is [[orchestral music]] with elements from Greek folk [[rhythm]] and [[melody]]; its lyrical themes are often based on the work of famous Greek poets. As opposed to other forms of Greek urban folk music, éntekhno concerts would often take place outside a hall or a nightclub in the [[Open air concert|open air]]. [[Mikis Theodorakis]] and [[Manos Hadjidakis]] were the most popular early composers of éntekhno [[song cycles]]. They were both educated in [[classical music]]; the lack of a wide public for this kind of music in Greece drove them to the invention of éntekhno, in which they transferred some values of Western art music,<ref>[http://nem2013.music.uoa.gr/NEMproc2013.pdf "When Progress Fails, Try Greekness: From Manolis Kalomiris to Manos Hadjidakis and Mikis Theodorakis"]: Paris Konstantinidis, ''When Progress Fails, Try Greekness: From Manolis Kalomiris to Manos Hadjidakis and Mikis Theodorakis'', in Nikos Maliaras (ed.), "The National Element in Music" (Conference proceedings, Athens, 18–20 January 2013), University of Athens, Athens 2014. pp. 314–320.</ref> such as ballad tunes.

Theodorakis was the first composer to use the bouzouki in this genre of music, trying to include this instrument in mainstream culture. Other significant Greek songwriters included [[Stavros Kouyioumtzis]], [[Manos Loïzos]], and [[Dimos Moutsis]]. Significant lyricists of this genre are [[Nikos Gatsos]], [[Manos Eleftheriou]] and poet [[Tasos Livaditis]]. By the 1960s, innovative albums helped éntekhno become close to mainstream, and also led to its appropriation by the [[film industry]] for use in soundtracks.

A specific form of éntekhno was the so-called "political song"; songs with a political message, of the Left, which arose during the [[Greek military junta|military junta]] and became very popular after its fall in the late '70s. [[Manos Loizos]], guitarist [[Panos Tzavellas]], [[Maria Dimitriadi]] and [[Maria Farantouri]] were some representatives. [[Thanos Mikroutsikos]] released an album featuring Greek partisan songs of the [[Greek resistance]], with his own orchestration. A form of éntekhno, which is even closer to Western classical music, was introduced during the late 1970s by Mikroutsikos. (See the section '[[#Other popular trends|Other popular trends]]' below for further information on [[Néo Kýma]] and contemporary éntekhno.)

Notable ''éntekhno'' works include:
*''Six folk paintings'' ([[Manos Hatzidakis]], 1951)
*''Epitaphios'' ([[Mikis Theodorakis]], 1960, poetry by [[Yiannis Ritsos]])
*''Epifania'' ([[Mikis Theodorakis]], 1962, poetry by [[Giorgos Seferis]])
*''[[The Dead Brother's Song|Dead brother's song]]'' ([[Mikis Theodorakis]], 1962)
*''Mikres Kyklades'' ([[Mikis Theodorakis]], 1963, poetry by [[Odysseas Elytis]])
*''To Axion Esti'' ([[Mikis Theodorakis]], 1964, poetry by [[Odysseas Elytis]])
*''[[Gioconda's Smile]]'' ([[Manos Hatzidakis]], 1965)
*''Romiossini'' ([[Mikis Theodorakis]], 1966, poetry by [[Yiannis Ritsos]])
*''Ballos'' ([[Dionysis Savvopoulos]], 1970)
*''O Megalos Erotikos'' ([[Manos Hatzidakis]], 1972)
*''Eighteen Short Songs of the Bitter Motherland'' ([[Mikis Theodorakis]], 1973, poetry by [[Yiannis Ritsos]])
*''Our Great Circus'' ([[Stavros Xarchakos]] for the theatrical play of [[Iakovos Kambanellis]], 1974)
*''Tetralogia'' ([[Dimos Moutsis]], 1975, poetry by [[Constantine P. Cavafy]], [[Kostas Karyotakis]], [[Yiannis Ritsos]] and [[Giorgos Seferis]])
*''Stavros tou Notou'' (Southern Cross) ([[Thanos Mikroutsikos]], 1979, poetry by [[Nikos Kavvadias]])

====Notable artists====
''Composers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Manos Hatzidakis]]
*[[Manos Loïzos]]
*[[Yannis Markopoulos]]
*[[Thanos Mikroutsikos]]
*[[Dimos Moutsis]]
*[[Mimis Plessas]]
*[[Mikis Theodorakis]]
*[[Stavros Xarchakos]]
*[[Argiris Kounadis]]
*[[Nikos Gatsos]] (lyricist)
*[[Manos Eleftheriou]] (lyricist)
{{colend}}
''Singers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Anna Vissi]]
*[[Haris Alexiou]]
*[[Grigoris Bithikotsis]]
*[[Giorgos Dalaras]]
*[[Maria Dimitriadi]]
*[[Maria Farantouri]]
*[[Antonis Kalogiannis]]
*[[Giannis Koutras]]
*[[Manolis Mitsias]]
*[[Vicky Moscholiou]]
*[[Nana Mouskouri]]
*[[Nena Venetsanou]]
*[[Dimitris Mitropanos]]
{{colend}}

===Laïkó===
{{main|Laïkó}}
[[File:Bouzouki 001.jpg|thumb|left|120px|A modern four-course bouzouki]]

''[[Laïkó]]'' (λαϊκό τραγούδι 'song of the people' / 'popular song' or αστική λαϊκή μουσική 'urban folk music'), is a [[Greece|Greek]] music genre that is composed in [[Greek language]] in accordance with the tradition of the [[Greeks|Greek]] people. Laïkó followed after the commercialization of rebetiko music. Until the 1930s the Greek [[discography]] was dominated by two musical [[genre]]s: the [[Greek folk music]] (''dimotiká'') and the ''elafró tragoudi'' (literally: "light song"). The latter was the Greek version of the international urban music of the era. ''Classic laïkó'' (κλασικό/παλιό λαϊκό) as it is known today, was the mainstream popular music of [[Greece]] during the 1960s and 1970s. It was dominated by singers such as [[Grigoris Bithikotsis]], [[Marinella]], [[Stelios Kazantzidis]], [[Panos Gavalas]] and others. Among the most significant songwriters and lyricists of this period are [[Giorgos Zampetas]], [[Manolis Hiotis]] and [[Vassilis Tsitsanis]]. The more cheerful version of laïkó, called ''elafró laïkó'' (ελαφρολαϊκό, ''elafrolaïkó'' 'light laïkó') and it was often used in musicals during the [[Cinema of Greece#The Golden Age|Golden Age of Greek cinema]]. Contemporary laïkó (σύγχρονο λαϊκό), also called ''modern laïkó,'' is currently Greece's mainstream music genre. Some of the strongest [[Greek dances]] and [[rhythm]]s of today's Greek music culture ''laïká'' are [[nisiotika]], [[syrtos]], [[Hasapiko|hasapika]], [[Kalamatianos|Kalamatiana]], [[zeibekiko]], [[syrtaki]] and [[Tsifteteli|Greek belly dance]] and most of them are set to music by the Greek instrumental [[bouzouki]]. Thus, on the one hand there is the homogenized [[Culture of Greece|Greek]] popular song, with all the idioms of traditional [[Greek folk music]], and on the other, the peculiar musical trends of the urban [[rebetiko]] (song of the cities) known also in Greece as ''αστικό''.<ref>[http://greekdance.dancenews.gr greekdance.dancenews.gr - "Ο όρος ''λαϊκοί χοροί'' "] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830184942/http://greekdance.dancenews.gr/ |date=2009-08-30 }}</ref>

Other significant songwriters and lyricists of this category are considered [[Akis Panou]], [[Apostolos Kaldaras]], [[Giorgos Mitsakis]], [[Stavros Kouyioumtzis]], [[Lefteris Papadopoulos]] and [[Eftychia Papagianopoulou]]. Many artists have combined the traditions of éntekhno and laïkó with considerable success, such as the composers [[Mimis Plessas]] and [[Stavros Xarchakos]].

During the same era, there was also another kind of soft music (ελαφρά μουσική, also called ελαφρό, ''elafró'' 'soft (song)', literally 'light') which became fashionable; it was represented by ensembles of singers/musicians such as the Katsamba Brothers duo, the [[Trio Kitara]], the [[Trio Belcanto]], the [[Trio Atene]] and others. The genre's sound was an imitation of the then-contemporary Cuban and Mexican folk music,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in2greece.com/english/music/music.htm|title=Music, Greece, Greek music and songs|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> but also had elements from the early Athenian popular songs.

====Notable artists====
''Composers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Manolis Chiotis]]
*[[Apostolos Kaldaras]]
*[[Stavros Kouyioumtzis]]
*[[Mimis Plessas]]
*[[Mikis Theodorakis]]
*[[Vassilis Tsitsanis]]
*[[Giorgos Zampetas]]
*[[Lefteris Papadopoulos]] (lyricist)
*[[Pythagoras Papastamatiou]] (lyricist)
*[[Eftychia Papagianopoulou]] (lyricist)
*[[Kostas Virvos]] (lyricist)
{{colend}}
''Singers:''
{{colbegin}}
*[[Pantelis Pantelidis]]
*[[Grigoris Bithikotsis]]
*[[Stratos Dionysiou]]
*[[Panos Gavalas]]
*[[Giannis Kalatzis]]
*[[Stelios Kazantzidis]]
*[[Mary Linda]]
*[[Marinella]]
*[[Vicky Moscholiou]]
*[[Tolis Voskopoulos]]
*[[Dimitris Mitropanos]]
{{colend}}

===Modern laïká===
{{main|Modern laïka}}
''[[Modern laïka]]'' (μοντέρνα λαϊκά)—also ''contemporary laïkó''/''laïká'' (σύγχρονο λαϊκό/σύγχρονα λαϊκά) or ''laïko-pop'' (λαϊκο-πόπ)—is currently Greece's mainstream music along with some pop recordings.

Modern laïká emerged as a style in the early 1980s. An indispensable part of the contemporary laïká culture is the písta (πίστα; pl.: πίστες) "dance floor/venue". Nightclubs at which the DJs play only contemporary laïká were colloquially known in the 1990s as ellinádika. Over the years until today, the aim of the Greek music scene is only one: ''quality.'' Virtuoso musicians and expressive singers take every season, with more professionalism and love for what they do to entertain the Greek audience, to lure and to make it dance with the songs and music that everyone loves. All this music effort takes place in [[Europe]] and internationally. Greek-American music includes [[rebetiko]] and [[Greek folk music]]. The Greek music culture exists as a serious aspect of [[Greek culture|Hellenic culture]], both within [[Greece]] and in the diaspora.

Renowned songwriters of modern laïká include [[Alekos Chrysovergis]], [[Nikos Karvelas]], [[Phoebus (songwriter)|Phoebus]], [[Nikos Terzis]] and [[Christos Dantis]]. Renowned lyricists include [[Giorgos Theofanous]], [[Evi Droutsa]] and [[Natalia Germanou]].

====2010s====
In the 2010s, several new artists emerged. Artists, such as [[Kostas Martakis]], [[Katerina Stikoudi]], [[Demy (singer)|Demy]] and ''[[The X Factor|X Factor]]'' contestants such as [[Konstantinos Argyros]], [[Eleftheria Eleftheriou]] and [[Ivi Adamou]]. Several artists sometimes incorporated [[dance-pop]] elements in their laïko-pop recordings.

====Terminology====
In effect, there is no single name for modern laïká in the [[Greek language]], but it is often formally referred to as σύγχρονο λαϊκό ({{IPA|el|ˈsiŋxrono laiˈko|lang}}), a term which is however also used for denoting newly composed songs in the tradition of "proper" laïkó; when ambiguity arises, σύγχρονο ('contemporary') λαϊκό or disparagingly λαϊκο-ποπ ('folk-pop', also in the sense of "westernized") is used for the former, while γνήσιο ('genuine') or even καθαρόαιμο ('pureblood') λαϊκό is used for the latter. The choice of contrasting the notions of "westernized" and "genuine" may often be based on [[Ideology#Political ideologies|ideological]] and [[Value judgment|aesthetic]] grounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.kathimerini.gr/4Dcgi/4Dcgi/_w_articles_civ_13_31/03/2002_20077|title=Οι εφτά ψυχές του λαϊκού τραγουδιού - ΑΡΧΕΙΟ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ - Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ|access-date=23 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101120459/http://news.kathimerini.gr/4Dcgi/4Dcgi/_w_articles_civ_13_31/03/2002_20077|archive-date=1 November 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

====Criticism====
Despite its popularity, the genre of modern laïká (especially laïko-pop) has come under scrutiny for "featuring musical clichés, average singing voices and slogan-like lyrics" and for "being a hybrid, neither laïkó, nor pop".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.e-orfeas.gr/singing/editorial/854-article854.html|title=Ποιο είναι το λαϊκό τραγούδι σήμερα; - e-orfeas.gr. Με άποψη στη μουσική και στο τραγούδι|author=Τάσος Π. Καραντής|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref>

===Skyládiko===
{{main|Skiladiko}}
''[[Skiladiko|Skyládiko]]'' ({{IPA|el|sciˈlaðiko}}; pl.: ''Skyládika''; {{langx|el|Σκυλάδικο}}, meaning "doghouse") is a derogatory term to describe some branches of laïkó music and some of the current nightclubs in Greece in which a form of popular Greek music is performed. It is performed with electric [[bouzouki]] and [[electric guitar|guitars]]. It is associated with mass entertainment of lower quality and, until the 1970s, was marginal, but gained popularity after the 1980s. Critics of this genre relate it to modern laïká, mentioning the low quality and the indispensable common part of the ''pista'' (πίστα, pl.: πίστες) "dance floor/venue".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kathimerini.gr/690204/opinion/epikairothta/arxeio-monimes-sthles/to-etymon-ths-le3ews-skyladiko|title=Το έτυμον της λέξεως "σκυλάδικο" - Απόψεις - Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref>

===Other popular trends===
[[File:Dionysis Savvopoulos 2008 Heraklion concert.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Dionysis Savvopoulos]]]]

====New Wave (Néo Kýma)====
Folk singer-songwriters (τραγουδοποιοί) first appeared in the 1960s after [[Dionysis Savvopoulos]]' 1966 breakthrough album ''Fortigó''. Many of these musicians started out playing ''[[Néo Kýma]]'', "New wave" (not to be confused with [[new wave music]], the British-born genre), a mixture of éntekhno and [[chanson]]s from [[France]]. Savvopoulos mixed American musicians like [[Bob Dylan]] and [[Frank Zappa]] with [[Music of Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonian folk music]] and [[Protest song|politically incisive]] lyrics. In his wake came more folk-influenced performers like [[Arleta (musician)|Arleta]], [[Mariza Koch]], [[Mihalis Violaris]], Kostas Hatzis and the composer [[Giannis Spanos]]. This music scene flourished in a specific type of ''[[wikt:boîte de nuit|boîte de nuit]]''.<ref>Takis Kalogeropoulos: "Neo Kyma" in ''Lexiko tis Ellinikis mousikis'', Athens 1998–99. {{ISBN|960-7555-39-2}} ([http://www.musipedia.gr/wiki/%CE%9D%CE%AD%CE%BF_%CE%9A%CF%8D%CE%BC%CE%B1 online version]).</ref>

====Political song====
A notable musical trend in the 1970s (during the [[Greek military junta of 1967–1974|Junta of 1967–1974]] and a few years after its end) was the rise in popularity of the [[topical song]]s (πολιτικό τραγούδι "political song"). Classic éntekhno composers associated with this movement include [[Mikis Theodorakis]], [[Thanos Mikroutsikos]], [[Giannis Markopoulos]], and [[Manos Loïzos]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicportal.gr/greek_political_song/?lang=el|title=Πολιτικό Τραγούδι - Ελληνική Μουσική Πύλη|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref>

====Other====
[[Nikos Xydakis (musician)|Nikos Xydakis]], one of Savvopoulos' pupils, was among the people who revolutionized laïkó by using orientalized instrumentation. His most successful album was 1987's ''Kondá sti Dóxa miá Stigmí'', recorded with [[Eleftheria Arvanitaki]].

[[Thanasis Polykandriotis]], laïkó composer and classically trained [[bouzouki]] player, became renowned for his mixture of rebetiko and orchestral music (as in his 1996 composition "Concert for Bouzouki and Orchestra No. 1").

A popular trend since the late 1980s has been the fusion of éntekhno (urban folk ballads with artistic lyrics) with pop / [[soft rock]] music (έντεχνο ποπ-ροκ).<ref>In contemporary use though, the terms έντεχνο ποπ, and έντεχνο ροκ may be ambiguously used to denote, respectively, Grecophone [[indie pop]] and alternative rock, not necessarily having the typical characteristics of éntekhno.</ref> Moreover, certain composers, such as [[Dimitris Papadimitriou]] have been inspired by elements of the classic éntekhno tradition and written song cycles for singers of contemporary éntekhno music, such as [[Fotini Darra]]. The most renowned contemporary éntekhno (σύγχρονο έντεχνο) lyricist is [[Lina Nikolakopoulou]].

[[File:VangelisElGrecopremiereDE2.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Vangelis|Vangelis Papathanassiou (Vangelis)]]]]

There are however other composers of [[instrumental]] and [[incidental music]] (including film scores and music for the stage), whose work cannot be easily classified, such as [[Stamatis Spanoudakis]], [[Giannis Spanos]], [[Giorgos Hatzinasios]], [[Giorgos Tsangaris]], [[Nikos Kypourgos]], [[Nikos Mamangakis]], [[Eleni Karaindrou]], and [[Evanthia Remboutsika]]. [[Vangelis]] and [[Yanni]] were also Greek instrumental composers who became internationally renowned.

Even though it has always had a considerable number of listeners supporting it throughout the history of the post-1960s Greek music, it is only very recently (late 2000s) that pop-oriented music has reached the popularity of laïkó/laïká, and there is a tendency among many urban folk artists to turn to more pop-oriented sounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tanea.gr/default.asp?pid=2&artid=4537621&ct=4|title=Εξορίζουν το λαϊκό για να μας κάνουν ποπ|author=Τα Νέα Οnline|date=23 September 2009|work=Τα Νέα Οnline|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref>

====Artists====
The following classification is conventional and categories may occasionally overlap with each other. Each artist is entried under the genre designation that the Greek musical press usually classifies him or her.

=====Laïkó and Skiladiko (1970s–2010s)=====
Songs from this period of Greek [[Laïkó]] were mainly influenced by the music [[Skiladiko]], including branch of laiko music and some of the current nightclubs in Greece in which this music is performed, the [[country music]] movement and [[style folk-pop]].
{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Chryspa]]
*[[Lefteris Pantazis]]
*[[Giorgos Mazonakis]]
*[[Giorgos Xanthiotis]]
*[[Katerina Stanisi]]
*[[Nancy Alexiadi]]
*[[Nikos Makropoulos]]
*[[Panagiotis Psaltis]]
*[[Eleana Papaioannou]]
*[[Sofia Petrou]]
*[[Nikos Vertis]]
*[[Haris Kostopoulos]]
*[[Peggy Zina]]
*[[Dionysis Makris]]
*[[Yannis Ploutarchos]]
*[[Kelly Kelekidou]]
*[[Maro Litra]]
*[[Lillian Madianou]]
*[[Sotis Volanis]]
*[[Nikos Kourkoulis]]
*[[Vasilis Karras]]
*[[Panos Kiamos]]
*[[Ioanna Koutalidou]]
*[[Konstantinos Thalassohoris]]
*[[Christina Koletsa]]
*[[Pericles Stergianoudes]]
*[[Artemis Alexandratou]]
*[[Loukas Alexandrou]]
*[[Paola Foka]]
*[[Antzy Samiou]]
* [[Anneta Marmarinou]]
* [[Antonis Kardamillis]]
* [[Zafeiris Melas]]
* [[Stamatis Gonidis]]
* [[Hristina Anagnostopoulou]]
* [[Christos Kyriazis]]
* [[Angela Dimitriou]]
* [[Antypas (singer)]]
* [[Themis Adamantidis]]
* [[Christos Menidiatis]]
* [[Roula Stavrou]]
{{colend}}

=====Pop and contemporary laïkó (1980–2010s)=====
{{colbegin}}
*[[Anna Vissi]] (Cypriot singer) (laïká, pop)
*[[Alexia Vassiliou|Alexia]] (Alexia Vassiliou) (Cypriot singer)
*[[Bessy Argyraki]] (pop ballads)
*[[Kostas Bigalis]] ([[Pop music|pop]], contemporary laïkó)
*[[Christos Dantis]] (pop, contemporary laïkó)
*[[Marianna Efstratiou]]
*[[Kostas Doxas]]
*[[Elpida (singer)|Elpida]]
*[[Evridiki]] (Cypriot singer) (pop, contemporary laïkó)
*[[Thanos Kalliris]] (occasionally pop, ballads, contemporary laïkó)
*[[Nikos Karvelas]] (contemporary laïkó and pop composer)
*[[Elli Kokkinou]] (laïkó and pop)
*[[Irini Merkouri]] (laïkó and pop)
*[[Stephanos Korkolis]] (pop, and laïkó composer (late 1980s–'10s); piano-oriented pop singer (early 1990s)
*[[Mando (singer)|Mando]] (pop ballads, laïká)
*[[Natalia (Greek singer)|Natalia]]
*[[Natasa Theodoridou]]
*[[Kostas Tournas]]
*[[Giorgos Lempesis]]
*[[Stelios Maximos]]
*[[Nino (Greek singer)]]
*[[Giannis Vardis]]
*[[Elena Paparizou]] (a.k.a. Helena Paparizou), winner of the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2005]] representing [[Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest|Greece]]
*[[Marianta Pieridi]] (Cypriot singer)
*[[Thanos Petrelis]]
*[[Polina Misailidou|Polina]] (disco, contemporary laïkó)
*[[Antonis Remos]] (laïkó, pop)
*[[Grigoris Petrakos]]
*[[Michalis Rakintzis]] (disco, power ballad)
*[[Sakis Rouvas]] (pop ballad, [[dance-pop]], [[Blue-eyed soul|soul]])
*[[Despina Vandi]] (laïká, pop)
*[[Sophia Vossou]] (pop ballad, contemporary laïkó)
{{colend}}

=====Europop (1990s–2010s)=====
{{colbegin}}
*[[Artemis Gounaki]] (record producer, musical arranger)
*[[Hi-5 (Greek band)|Hi-5]] ([[girl group]])
*[[Kalomira]]
*[[Sarbel]]
*[[Alcazar (group)]]
*[[Despina Olympiou]]
*[[Aspa Tsina]]
*[[Pandora (singer)]]
*[[Roxette]] (Swedish-Greek Pop band)
*[[A*Teens]] (Swedish-Greek Pop band)
*[[Antique (band)]]
*[[Velvet (singer)]]
*[[4 Play (Greek band)|4 Play]] (Greek Pop band)
*[[Cue (band)]]
*[[Da Buzz]] (Swedish-Greek Pop band)
*[[Bosson]] (Swedish-Greek Pop singer)
*[[Ace of Base]] (Swedish-Greek Pop band)
*[[Måns Zelmerlöw]]
*[[Mystique (Greek band)|Mystique]] (Greek Pop band)
*[[Friends (Swedish band)]]
*[[Haris Varthakouris]]
*[[Michalis Hatzigiannis]] (Cypriot-Greek singer)
*[[One (band)|One]] (Cypriot-Greek boy band)
*[[Thodoris Ferris]] (Greek singer)
*[[Fame (duo)]]
*[[Tamta]]
{{colend}}

=====Rock and soft rock=====
======1970s–1980s======
{{colbegin}}
*[[Poll (band)|Poll]]
*[[Nostradamos (band)|Nostradamos]]
*[[Socrates Drank the Conium]]
*[[Pavlos Sidiropoulos|Spyridoula]]
*[[Adiexodo]] (Greek Alternative/Punk band)
*[[Genia Tou Chaous]]
*[[Deus Ex Machina (punk band)|Deus ex Machina]]
*[[Panx Romana]] (Greek Rock band)
{{colend}}
======1990s–2010s======
{{colbegin}}
*[[Ble (band)|Ble]] (Greek Rock band)
*[[C:Real]] (Greek Pop Rock band)
*[[Trypes]]
*[[Xylina Spathia]]
*[[TNT (Norwegian band)]]
*[[Giorgos Dimitriadis]]
*[[The Hellacopters]] (Swedish-Greek Rock band)
*[[Kent (band)]]
*[[Backyard Babies]]
*[[Diafana Krina]]
*[[Mavri Magioneza]]
*[[Mora Sti Fotia|Morá Sti Fotiá]]
*[[Domenica (Greek band)|Domenica]]
*[[Kore. Ydro.]] ([[Indie rock]] band)
*[[Locomondo]] ([[reggae]] and [[ska]] band)
{{colend}}
======2000s–2010s======
{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Bitch Alert]] (Finnish-Greek Rock band)
*[[Crucifield Barbara]] (Finnish-Greek Rock band)
*[[Infidelity (band)|Infidelity]] ([[Indie rock]] band)
*[[Monika Christodoulou]]
*[[Emigre (music project)|Emigre]] (Greek Alternative band)
*[[The Hives]] (Swedish Rock band)
*[[HIM (Finnish Band)]]
*[[DumDum Boys]] (Norwegian-Greek Rock band)
*[[Kitrina Podilata]]
*[[Gymna Kalodia]] (Greek Rock band)
*[[Motivo 4]] (Greek Rock band)
*[[Endelekheia]] ([[Alternative Band]])
*[[Lambretta (band)]]
*[[Matisse]] ([[Glam rock|Post-Punk revival]], [[Indie rock]])
*[[Nikos Mihas]] ([[Pop punk]])
*[[ONAR]]
*[[Onirama]]
*[[Sahara Hotnights]] (Swedish-Greek Rock band)
*[[Stalingrad Cowgirls]] (Finnish-Greek Rock band)
*[[Joanna Drigo]]
*[[The Rasmus]] (Finnish-Greek Rock band)
*[[Raining Pleasure]] ([[English language|anglophone]] Indie rock band)
*[[Minor Project]]
*[[Rosebleed]] (Alternative band)
*[[Simon Bloom]]
*[[Sunrise Avenue]] (Finnish-Greek Rock band)
*[[The Skelters]] ([[English language|anglophone]] rock band)
*[[Theodosia Tsatsou]] ([[Alternative rock|Alternative]])
*[[Ypogeia Revmata]] (rock band)
{{colend}}

=====Indie and alternative=====
======1980s–1990s======
{{colbegin}}
*[[The Last Drive]]
*[[Popsicle (band)]]
*[[The Earthbound]]
*[[Broder Daniel]] (Swedish-Greek Alternative band)
*[[Poor Rich Ones]] (Norwegian-Greek Indie band)
*[[The Cardigans]] (Swedish-Greek Alternative band)
*[[Psyched Up Janis]] (Danish-Greek Indie band)
*[[Madrugada (band)]]
*[[Mew (band)]]
*[[Ephemera (band)]]
*[[Antonis Livieratos]]
*[[Speaker Bite Me]] (Greek Indie band)
*[[Stereo Nova]]
*[[Midnight Choir]] (Norwegian-Greek Alternative band)
{{colend}}
======2000s–2010s======
{{colbegin}}
*[[Kings of Convenience]] (Norwegian-Greek Indie band)
*[[Club 8]] (Swedish-Greek Indie band)
*[[The Sounds]] (Swedish-Greek Indie band)
*[[Menta (Greek band)|Menta]] (Greek Alternative band)
*[[Xaxakes]] (Greek Indie band)
*[[Monsieur Minimal]] (Greek Indie band)
*[[Giannis Aggelakas]]
*[[Closer (Greek band)|Closer]] (Greek Alternative band)
*[[Dadafon]] (Norwegian-Greek Indie band)
*[[Mando Diao]] (Swedish-Greek Indie band)
*[[Laleh (singer)]]
*[[Film]] (Greek Alternative band)
*[[The Raveonettes]] (Danish-Greek Indie band)
*[[The Fashion]] (Danish-Greek Alternative band)
*[[Röyksopp]] (Norwegian-Greek Indie band)
*[[Acid House Kings]] (Swedish-Greek Indie band)
*[[Figurines (band)]]
*[[Superfamily (band)]]
*[[Abbie Gale]] (Greek Indie band)
*[[The Ark (Swedish band)]]
*[[Konstantinos Vita]]
*[[Kemopetrol]] (Finnish-Greek Indie band)
*[[Michalis Delta]]
*[[Mikro (Greek band)|Mikro]]
{{colend}}

=====Mainstream hip hop and R&B (1990s–2010s)=====
{{colbegin}}
*[[Imiskoumbria|Imiskoúmbria]]
*[[Stereo Mike]] (solo artist)
*[[Zontanoi Nekroi|ZN]]
*[[Active Member]]
*[[Sadahzinia]]
*[[Stavento]]
*[[Timbuktu (musician)]]
*[[Midenistis]] (Greek Hip-Hop singer)
*[[Stixoima]]
*[[Madcon]] (Norwegian-Greek Hip-Hop band)
*[[Ominus (singer)|Ominus]] (Greek Hip-Hop singer)
*[[Goin' Through]] (Greek Hip-Hop band)
*[[Nevma]] (Greek Hip-Hop band)
*[[Lazee]] (Swedish-Greek Hip-Hop band)
*[[Looptroop Rockers]] (Swedish-Greek Hip-Hop band)
*[[Professional Sinnerz]] (Greek Hip-Hop band)
*[[Warlocks (band)]]
*[[Rodes]] (Greek Hip-Hop band)
*[[Feven]] (Swedish-Greek Hip-Hop singer)
*[[Sifu VERSUS]]
*[[Kafe Piperies]]
*[[Taki Tsan]]
*[[Terror X Crew]]
*[[Tus (rapper)|TUS]] (Greek Hip-Hop singer)
*[[FF.C]]
{{colend}}

===Independent music scenes===
[[File:Rotting ChristRockwave2015.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Rotting Christ]] on stage]]

Since the late 1970s, various independent scenes of "marginal" musical genres have appeared in Greece (mainly in [[Athens]], [[Piraeus]], and [[Thessaloniki]]). Most of them were short-lived and never gained mainstream popularity but the most prominent artists/bands of these scenes are critically acclaimed today and are considered among the pioneers of independent Greek music (each one in their own genre).

====Genres====
*[[Greek jazz]] ('70s: Sphinx (band), Sakis Papadimitriou, Floros Floridis, Manolis Mikelis)
*[[Greek blues]] ('80s–'10s): Blues Wire
*[[Blues-rock]] / [[prog rock]] / [[art rock]] ('70s–'80s: [[Socrates Drank the Conium]], [[Aphrodite's Child]], [[Pavlos Sidiropoulos]], [[Pavlos Sidiropoulos|Spyridoula]] (band), [[Nikolas Asimos]], [[Vasilis Papakonstantinou]], [[Dimitris Poulikakos]])
*[[New wave music|New wave]] / [[post-punk]] / [[synthpop]] / [[gothic rock]] ('80s bands: Metro Decay, Film Noir, Villa 21, Anti Troppau Council; 2000s: [[Marsheaux]])
*[[Greek punk]] ('80s–'10s bands: [[Adiexodo]], [[Genia Tou Chaous]], [[Deus Ex Machina (punk band)|Deus ex Machina]], [[Panx Romana]])
*[[Greek rock]] ('80s–'10s bands: [[Trypes]], [[Diafana Krina]], [[Endelekheia]], [[Xylina Spathia|Xýlina Spathiá]], [[Mora Sti Fotia|Morá Sti Fotiá]], Dytikes Synoikies)
*[[Indie rock]] (Anglophone 1990s and 2010s bands: [[The Last Drive]], [[The Earthbound]], I Knew Them, Film, Closer, Abbie Gale, [[Infidelity (band)|Infidelity]], [[Waterpipes (band)|Waterpipes]], Monika Christodoulou)
*[[Low bap]] ([[Active Member]], [[Sadahzinia]], [[Babylona]] - [[w:el:Βαβυλώνα|Βαβυλώνα]]) / [[Greek hip hop]] ([[FF.C]], Terror X Crew, DJ ALX, [[Sifu VERSUS]], Eisvoleas - Εισβολέας, [[Zontanoi Nekroi|ZN]] MCs - Ζήτα Νι MCs, Vita Peis - Βήτα Πεις, Razastarr, Voreia Asteria - Βόρεια Αστέρια, Alytoi Grifoi - Άλυτοι Γρίφοι, Rodes - [[w:el:Ρόδες (συγκρότημα)|Ρόδες]])
*[[Nitzhonot|Uplifting trance]] ('90s: Cyan, Cherouvim, Darma, Star Children)
*[[Acid house]] / [[Techno music|techno]] / [[electronica]] ('90s–'10s: [[Stereo Nova]], [[Mikro (Greek band)|Mikro]])
*[[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]] ([[Firewind]], [[Nightfall (band)|Nightfall]]) / [[death metal]] (Inactive Messiah, [[On Thorns I Lay]], Inveracity) / [[black metal]] (sometimes called Hellenic metal; [[Rotting Christ]], [[Septic Flesh]], Ravencult, [[Astarte (band)|Astarte]], Zemial, [[Naer Mataron]], Varathron, [[Necromantia]], Mortuus Caelum, [[Thou Art Lord]]) / [[Folk metal|folk black metal]] (Kawir, Fiendish Nymphe — [[side project|sister project]] of the renowned Ancient Greek music revival band [[Daemonia Nymphe]]) / [[Extreme metal]] ([[Dephosphorus]])
*[[Parody music]] / [[comedy rock]] ('80s–'10s: [[Tzimis Panousis]], [[Harry Klynn]])
*[[Neoclassical dark wave]] ('90s–'10s: [[Chaostar]])
*[[Art punk]] ('80s–'10s: Lost Bodies)

==See also==
*[[Music of Cyprus]]
*[[Music of Turkey#Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions|Anatolian Greek music]] (including Pontic Greek music)
*[[Greek music in Israel]]
*''[[Guardians of Hellenism]]''
*[[Ionian School (music)|Heptanese School]], the first major school (style) of Greek classical music
*[[List of Greek composers]]
*[[List of folk musicians#Greece|List of Greek folk musicians]]
*[[List of Greek musical artists]]
*[[Bouzouki#Notable bouzouki players|Notable bouzouki players]]
*[[:Category:Greek guitarists|List of Greek guitarists]]
*[[List of composers for the classical guitar (nationality)#Greece|List of Greek composers for the classical guitar]]
*[[Music of immigrant communities in the United States#Greece|Music of the Greek immigrant community in the United States]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|25em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book| first = Samuel | last = Baud-Bovy | title = Δοκίμιο για το Ελληνικό Δημοτικό Τραγούδι| edition = Third | publisher = Πελοποννησιακό Λαογραφικό Ίδρυμα | location = Ναύπλιο | year = 1966 | pages = 1–13 | quote = Υπάρχει μια συνεχής εξέλιξη από την αρχαία Ελληνική μουσική έως και το δημοτικό τραγούδι, η οποία μαρτυρείται, εκτός από τη γλώσσα, στο ρυθμό, τη δομή και τη μελωδία}}
* {{cite book|last=Kartomi |first=Margaret J. |title=On Concepts and Classifications of Musical Instruments |publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]] |year=1990 |isbn=0-226-42548-7}}.
* {{cite book | last1 = Ulrich | first1 = Homer | last2 = Pisk | first2 = Paul | year = 1963 | title = A History of Music and Musical Style| location = New York | publisher = Harcourt | lccn =  63013512}}
{{refend}}

==Additional reading== <!-- sources not used in the main text, if used then moved them to References subsection -->
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | editor-last1 = Broughton | editor-first1 = Simon | editor-last2 = Ellingham | editor-first2 = Mark |
editor-first3 = Richard | editor-last3 = Trillo | title = World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East | pages = 126–142 | publisher = Rough Guides | isbn = 1-85828-636-0 | ref = none }}
* {{cite book | last = Notaras | first = Giorgos | title = Το ελληνικό τραγούδι των τελευταίων 30 χρόνων |publisher = Libanis | language = el | year = 1991 | isbn = 960-236-148-4  | ref = none }}
* {{cite book | last = Kalogeropoulos | first = Takis | title = Λεξικό της Ελληνικής μουσικής | publisher = Γιαλλελή | language = el | year = 2001 | isbn = 960-7555-39-2 | ref = none }}
* {{cite journal | last = Ordoulidis | first = Nikos | year = 2011 | title = The Greek Popular Modes | journal = British Postgraduate Musicology | volume = 11 | url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120415140501/http://www.bpmonline.org.uk/bpm11/ordoulidis_the_greek_popular_modes.pdf | ref = none }}
* {{cite book | editor-first = Deane | editor-last = Root | last = Xepapadakou | first = Avra | year = 2013 | location = New York | publisher = Oxford University Press | title = Grove Music Dictionary | chapter = Pavlos Carreris | url = https://www.academia.edu/15628365/_Carrer_Carreris_Pavlos_Carrer_Paolo_Karrer_Paul_Grove_Music_Dictionary_ed._by_Deane_Root_New_York_Oxford_University_Press_2013 | ref = none }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p005xk9d BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Epirus - Polyphony and Petroloukas Chalkias.] Accessed November 25, 2010.
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p005xk9t BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Southern Greece and Crete.] Accessed November 25, 2010.
* [http://www.musicportal.gr/greek_music?lang=en Greek Music Portal by IEMA] an introduction to Greek Music in English and Greek
* [http://www.helleniccomserve.com/musichistory.html Helleniccomserve]: A Brief History of Greek Music
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050418012141/http://www.athensnews.gr/athweb/nathens.prnt_article?e=C&f=&t=04&m=A13&aa=1 ANA.com]: The Music of Greece
* [http://www.kithara.to Kithara.to]: A collection of some 11,000 Greek songs, with lyrics and chords {{in lang|el}} (formerly kithara.vu)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090831101419/http://www.greekmusicdb.com/ Greek music database] {{in lang|el}}
* [http://www.greeksongs.gr/music.htm Old Greek songs database] {{in lang|el}}
* [http://www.musicheaven.gr/html/ Music Heaven: Greek music e-zine] {{in lang|el}}
* [http://www.greeksongs-greekmusic.com/ Greek Songs and Greek Music]: Articles about Greek Music and Greek songs with their story and lyrics translated to English
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080101101438/http://www.dunav.org.il/balkan_music_greek.html Traditional Greek folk music downloads]
* [http://www.umbc.edu/eol/3/magrini/tabachan.htm Tabachaniotika (Magrini)]
* [http://www.umbc.edu/eol/3/index.html Mediterranean musicians in America (Signell)]
* [http://www.nostos.com/dance/ Folk dances of the Greek regions]
* [http://www.kerylos.fr/index_en.php Ensemble Kérylos], a music group led by scholar [[Annie Bélis]] and dedicated to the recreation of ancient Greek and Roman music
* [https://www.carmelosiciliano.com/greek-music/ Greek Music – Resources on Folk and Rebetiko]

{{Music of Europe}}
{{Music of Southeastern Europe}}
{{Balkan music}}
{{Greek musical instruments}}
{{Greece topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Music Of Greece}}
[[Category:Music of Greece| ]]
[[Category:Music of Europe by country]]