Best World Music of 2024-2025 Season: Glitterbeat Scores Double Win As TWMC Turns 10

The Transglobal World Music Chart, now in its tenth year, announced the Best Albums and Labels for the 2024–2025 season. Best Album went to Buzz’ Ayaz by Buzz’ Ayaz (Glitterbeat). The chart also named Glitterbeat Best Label.

TWMC is an independent, non-profit initiative created in partnership by the teams behind Mundofonías and World Music Central. It unites world music journalists, critics, writers, and DJs from every continent to publish monthly and annual rankings based on quality criteria.

Best Of North Africa & Middle East
Buzz’ Ayaz – Buzz’ Ayaz – Glitterbeat

Best Of Sub-Saharan Africa
Trio Da Kali – Bagola – One World

Best Of Asia (Central & East) & Pacific
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party – Chain of Light – Real World

Best Of Europe
Justin Adams & Mauro Durante – Sweet Release – Ponderosa Music

Best Transregional Album
Al Andaluz Project – The Songs of Iman Kandoussi: Traditional Arabic Andalusian – Galileo Music Communication

Best Of South America
Nidia Góngora – Pacífico Maravilla – Positivo

Best Compilation
V.A. – Super Disco Pirata: De Tepito para el Mundo 1965-1980 – Analog Africa

Best Of North & Central America & Caribbean
Jake Blount & Mali Obomsawin – Symbiont – Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Best 100 Albums

1. Buzz’ Ayaz – Buzz’ Ayaz – Glitterbeat
2. Trio Da Kali – Bagola – One World
3. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party – Chain of Light – Real World
4. Justin Adams & Mauro Durante – Sweet Release – Ponderosa Music
5. Mari Boine – Alva – By Norse Music
6. Samba Touré – Baarakelaw – Glitterbeat
7. Al Andaluz Project – The Songs of Iman Kandoussi: Traditional Arabic Andalusian – Galileo Music Communication
8. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 – Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head) – Record Kicks
9. Ruşan Filiztek – Exils: De la Mésopotamie à L’Andalousie – Accords Croisés
10. Aboubakar Traoré & Balima – Sababu – Zephyrus
11. Adrian Raso & Fanfare Ciocărlia – The Devil Rides Again – Asphalt Tango
12. Songhoy Blues – Héritage – Transgressive / Remote
13. Vigüela – We – Mapamundi Música
14. Värttinä – Kyly – Rockadillo
15. El Khat – Mute – Glitterbeat
16. Park Jiha – All Living Things – Tak:til / Glitterbeat
17. Kankou Kouyate – N’Darila – One World
18. Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa / Warsaw Village Band & Bassałyki – Sploty / Twines – Karrot Kommando
19. Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko – Djudjon, l’Oiseau de Garana – One World
20. Savina Yannatou, Primavera en Salonico and Lamia Bedioui – Watersong – ECM
21. Christine Zayed – Kama Kuntu – T-Rec
22. Afro Celt Sound System – Ova – Six Degrees
23. Rizwan Muazzam Qawwali – At the Feet of the Beloved – Real World
24. Ammar 808 – Club Tounsi – Glitterbeat
25. The Zawose Queens – Maisha – Real World
26. Jyotsna Srikanth – Carnatic Nomad – Naxos World
27. Aïta Mon Amour – Abda – Shouka
28. Ayom – Sa.Li.Va – Ayom / Believe
29. Driss El Maloumi Trio & Watar Quintet – Details – Contre Jour / Zig Zag World
30. Nidia Góngora – Pacífico Maravilla – Positivo
31. BaBa ZuLa – İstanbul Sokakları – Glitterbeat
32. Ensemble Chakâm – Les Vents Brûlants / The Blazing Winds – Ensemble Chakâm
33. Jupiter & Okwess – Ekoya – Airfono
34. L’Alba – Grilli – Buda Musique
35. Lucibela – Moda Antiga – Lusafrica
36. Lo’Jo – Feuilles Fauves – Yotanka / Integral
37. Meridian Brothers – Mi Latinoamérica Sufre – Bongo Joe
38. Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto – Djiyo – Ma Case Prod
39. Madalitso Band – Ma Gitala – Bongo Joe
40. Arat Kilo – Danama – Accords Croisés
41. Mara Aranda – Sefarad en el Corazón de Bulgaria – Mara Aranda
42. Seckou Keita – Homeland (Chapter 1) – Hudson Records
43. Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra – Tension – Batov
44. Anouar Brahem – After the Last Sky – ECM
45. África Negra – Antologia Vol. 2 – Bongo Joe
46. Hawa & Kassé Mady Diabaté – Toumaro – One World
47. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign – Verve
48. Bab L’ Bluz – Swaken – Real World
49. Frigg – Dreamscapes – Bafe’s Factory
50. Moana & The Tribe – Ono – Black Pearl
51. Matthieu Saglio & Camille Saglio – Al Alba – ACT Music
52. Sauljaljui – Vaivaik – Wind Music
53. The Bongo Hop – La Pata Coja – Underdog Records
54. V.A. – Super Disco Pirata: De Tepito para el Mundo 1965-1980 – Analog Africa
55. Flook – Sanju – Flatfish
56. Alune Wade – New African Orleans – Enja / Yellowbird
57. Mehmet Polat Quartet – Roots in Motion – AudioMaze
58. Mustafa Said & Asil Ensemble – Maqam Pilgrims – Mapamundi Música
59. Santrofi – Making Moves – Outhere
60. Jake Blount & Mali Obomsawin – Symbiont – Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
61. Nesrine – Kan Ya Makan – ACT Music
62. Manu Chao – Viva Tú – Because Music
63. Constantinople, Kiya Tabassian, Benedicte Maurseth, Patrick Graham – Nordic Lights in Persian Sky – Glossa
64. Varijashree Venugopal – Vari – GroundUP Music
65. Los Cumbia Stars – La Cumbia Une a Latinoamérica – Discos Fuentes
66. Ahmed Moneka – Kanzafula: Afro-Iraqi Sufi Soul – LulaWorld
67. Bhutan Balladeers – Your Face Is Like the Moon, Your Eyes Are Stars – Glitterbeat
68. Dal:um – Coexistence – tak:til / Glitterbeat
69. Novalima – La Danza (Deluxe Version) – Six Degrees
70. Piers Faccini & Ballaké Sissoko – Our Calling – Nø Førmat!
71. Lemon Bucket Orkestra – Cuckoo – Lemon Bucket Orkestra
72. Carla Pires – VaiVem – Ocarina Music
73. Kaabi Kouyaté – Tribute to Kandia – Buda Musique
74. Votia – Vié Kaz – Ajabu!
75. Boubacar Traoré & Vincent Boucher & Jeremie Diarra – Live! – Boubacar Traoré
76. Kin’Gongolo Kiniata – Kiniata – Hélico
77. Ali Doğan Gönültaş – Keyeyî – Mapamundi Música
78. Carmen Souza – Port’Inglês – Galileo Music Communication
79. Dobet Gnahoré – Zouzou – Cumbancha
80. Sinimuso – Nouskaa Sisaret – Sinimuso
81. K.O.G – Don’t Take My Soul – Heavenly Sweetness
82. Alsarah & The Nubatones – Seasons of the Road – Alsarah & The Nubatones
83. Elana Sasson – In Between – PKMusik
84. Francis Bebey – Trésor Magnétique – Africa Seven
85. Famo Mountain – For Those Left Behind – Glitterbeat
86. Peni Candra Rini – Wani – New Amsterdam
87. Stefano Saletti – Mediterranima – Materiali Sonori
88. Sami Galbi – Ylh Bye Bye – Bongo Joe
89. Charles Maimarosia – Hote’ Hote’ – Wantok Musik
90. Mostar Sevdah Reunion – Bosa Mara – Snail
91. The Baltic Sisters – Värav / Vārti / Vartai – CPL-Music / CPL-Musicgroup
92. Thanos Stavridis & Drom – Fygame – Thanos Stavridis & Drom
93. Majid Bekkas, Nguyên Lê, Hamid Drake – Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic XVII: Gnawa World Blues – ACT Music
94. Los Pirañas – Una Oportunidad Más de Triunfar en la Vida – Glitterbeat
95. Mari Kalkun – Stoonia Lood Live / Stories of Stonia Live – Real World
96. Nfaly Diakité – Hunter Folk Vol 1: Tribute to Toumani Koné – Mieruba
97. Damily & Toliara Tsapiky Band – Fihisa – Damily
98. Kanazoe, Clotilde Rullaud, Abdoulaye Traore, Boubacar Djiga, Achille Nacoulma – Kananayé – Tzig’Art
99. Mario Lucio – Independance – Maremusica
100. Zar Electrik – Koyo – Jarring Effects / Lamastrock

Best 20 Labels

1. Glitterbeat Records
2. One World Records
3. Real World Records
4. Bongo Joe
5. Galileo Music Communication
6. CPL-Musicgroup
7. Buda Musique
8. Mapamundi Música
9. ACT Music
10. Accords Croisés
11. Rockadillo Records
12. Zephyrus Records
13. ECM Records
14. Six Degrees Records
15. Ponderosa Music
16. By Norse Music
17. Remote Records
18. Asphalt Tango
19. Believe
20. Record Kicks

For more about the chart, visit: www.transglobalwmc.com

Meet the members of the panel: www.transglobalwmc.com/members