New Zealand has a proud musical tradition dating back to the nation’s earliest settlement by the Maori people. Since British colonisation, the major musical influences have been European and American.

In more recent times, as New Zealand has become more confident about its South Pacific identity, local artists have increasingly mixed popular international styles with Maori and the Pacific Island influences, creating a musical blend that is uniquely New Zealand in style.

Each city has its own unique brand of New Zealand music (the ‘Dunedin Sound’ for example), and catching a live band or picking up a few CDs is a great way to sample a bit of local culture.