In Ghana, today there are four main types of heard music:
Contemporary music, Traditional music, Gospel music and Imported music.
- Contemporary music is comprised highlife and Hiplife. Highlife is a newer and wild. The first highlife music was recorded in 1930’s and reach its popular peak in the 50’s through 70’s. It takes a traditional percussive beat and fuses it with various European, American and Caribbean flavors. A.B. Crentsil, Nana Achempong, Rex Omar and Daddy Lumba are some of the well-known performers of highlife. Hiplife is a newer style of music that combines the Highlife beat with influences from American Hip-Hop and Rap. It is by far the most popular style of music among the younger people. Popular artists include Kwaw Kese, Ofori Amponsah, VIP, Sarkodie, Praye, Castro and the recognized father of Hiplife, Reggie Rockstone.
- Traditional music is different in north and south Ghana, traditional music comprising of singing, clapping, drumming and dance are ritualized events occurring at funerals, ceremonies, festivals, weddings and other public and private gatherings. Drums and gong-gong are more prevalent in the south, while string instruments and the calabash are more used in the north.
- Gospel music Ghana is a very religious country, and the music reflects this. You should feel welcome to visit any church service anywhere in the country. You would be warmly welcomed with the sound of Gospel music.
- Imported music American Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B, and surprisingly Country are some of the most encountered contemporary music imports heard in Ghana in the larger towns and cities. Some contemporary French music will be heard closer to the Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso borders.