Gamelan music has been hugely influential since the remarkable ensembles were heard in Paris at the 1889 World Fair.

Musicians who sought inspiration in gamelan music include Debussy (Pagodes), Satie (Gnossienne) and Takemitsu (For Away).

Kishori Amonkar was one of the leading vocalists of Indian classical music in the 20th century.

Aside from being a renowned musician, Amonkar was a popular speaker and travelled throughout India giving lectures, most notably on the theory of rasa (feelings, emotions) in music.

Bhujhangy Group are the world's longest-running bhangra band.

Their early 1970 single Bhabiye Akh Larr Gayee was the first recording to combine traditional Asian sounds with modern western musical instruments and influences, a momentous step in the development of bhangra.

The steel band originated on the Caribbean island of Trinidad about 1940, an invention of poor people in Port of Spain who played music during Carnival to represent their neighbourhoods and to compete with rival bands.

With its primary-chord harmony, syncopated rhythmic lilt and the timbre of the steel pans, calypso bridges the popular/world music categorisation.

Babatunde Olatunji was a major figure in early recorded African drumming.

As well as introducing the sound of African drumming to many Americans, he directly influenced the musical landscape, as can be heard in tracks like Carlos Santana’s Jingo, a cover version of this track.