page_title: Indigenous Australian music
section_title: Contemporary trends
hierarchical_section_title: Indigenous Australian music / Contemporary trends
caption_attribution_description: English: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu performing at St George's Church, Brighton, May 2009
context_page_description: Australian indigenous music includes the music of Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. They are all called Indigenous Australians. It includes a variety of distinctive traditional music styles practiced by Indigenous Australian people. It also has a range of contemporary musical styles of and fusion with European traditions. Music has formed an strong part of the social, cultural and ceremonial observances of these peoples. This is true both in the far past and the present day. There are performance and musical instrumentation which are unique to particular regions or Indigenous Australian groups. There are some musical traditions which are common through much of the Australian continent, and even beyond. The culture of the Torres Strait Islanders is part of New Guinea.
  In addition to these traditions, there has been an influence from the 18th century European colonisation. Likewise non-indigenous artists and performers have used and sampled indigenous Australian styles and instruments in their works. Contemporary musical styles such as rock and roll, country, rap and reggae have all featured a variety of notable Indigenous Australian performers.
context_section_description: A number of Indigenous Australians have had mainstream success, such as Jimmy Little, Yothu Yindi, Troy Cassar-Daley and NoKTuRNL. Indigenous music has also had broad exposure through the world music movement. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu had international success singing contemporary music in English and in the language of the Yolngu.
  Torres Strait Islander musicians include Christine Anu and Seaman Dan.
caption: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is a contemporary indigenous performer who sings in the Yolŋu Matha languages.
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