Burkina Faso is home to some 60 different ethnic groups, each with their own variety of folk music. The country has produced very little popular music compared to its neighbors, which includes African musical giants like Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Burkinabé traditional music, however, has continued to thrive in spite of the influx of popular styles, and the country's cultural, and musical, output remains quite diverse.

The national anthem of Burkina Faso is "Une Seule Nuit", written by Thomas Sankara. It has been the official anthem of the country since 1984, when Upper Volta became known as Burkina Faso. It remains even after Sankara was murdered in a coup, the leader of which remains in power.

There is a National Museum of Music in Ouagadougou. Its collection is a few years old, beginning in 1998, but already has several hundred unique musical instruments.

[edit] Popular music

Unlike most African countries, Burkina Faso has not yet had a popular national style, and the most popular recordings are imported from Europe, the United States, [[Democratic Republic of the Congoto invest, large-scale concerts, advanced recording studios, electric instruments and amplification and widespread distribution are difficult.

The Semaine Nationale de la Culture, held every two years since 1983, is a music festival that has helped produce the country's few stars, including Jean-Claude Bamogo ([[recording career, and then later relocated to France with his family. Koudbi Koala's Saaba, who perform traditional Mossi music, come from the region around Ouagadougou, the nation's capital.

Adama strings, the Gambian griot Madi Woulendi increased that number to twenty-one. The music are available through Nonesuch Records: 1. Savannah Rhythms and

[edit] References

• Bensignor, François. "Hidden Treasure". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 437-439. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0