The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Popular Music Volume 10 is one of six volumes within the 'Genre' strand of the series. This volume discusses the genres of Africa and the Middle East in relation to their cultural, historical and geographic origins; technical musical characteristics; instrumentation and use of voice; lyrics and language; typical features of performance and presentation; historical development and paths and modes of dissemination; influence of technology, the music industry and political and economic circumstances; changing stylistic features; notable and influential performers; and relationships to other genres and sub-genres. This and all other volumes of the Encyclopedia are now available through an online version of the Encyclopedia: https://www.bloomsburypopularmusic.com/encyclopedia-work?docid=BPM_reference_EPMOW. A general search function for the whole Encyclopedia is also available on this site. A subscription is required to access individual entries. Please see: https://www.bloomsburypopularmusic.com/for-librarians. No mere reference volume, this is a fascinating and engagingly written introduction to the incredibly rich variety of musical genres of the Middle East and North Africa, from folkloric Bedouin songs to the seamen's anthems of Kuwait to the working class sha'bi of Egypt. Especially impressive is the inclusion of varieties of music from regions often ignored or forgotten, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the Arabian Gulf. Learned yet accessible, it is an invaluable resource, and a truly great read.