If you were wondering what Croatian music is like, then you are in luck! This thread showcases various genres and groups prominent in the Croatian music scene! You will find a bunch of music examples under the spoiler tabs. Note: I tried to choose music videos that showed off Croatian scenery or traditional clothing whenever possible, so that you could get a better idea of what the country looks like. Without further ado, let's learn! :Đ

Classical, Instrumental Rock
2CELLOS
Source: 2cellosfanclub
Some of you may be familiar with this Croatian cello duo, as they have been featured on several TV shows in the US including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Glee, and The Bachelor, and have gone on a world tour with Elton John in Europe, America, and Asia. They mostly play instrumental arrangements of well-known rock and pop songs, such as “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay, “We Found Love” by Rihanna, and “They Don't Care About Us” by Michael Jackson.

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Tamburica Music

Generally thought by scholars to be a descendant of the Ancient Greek pandoura, the tamburica or “little tamboura” is Croatia's national folk instrument. It comes in many different shapes, sizes, and styles, but the most iconic tamburica is the little prim(image), which has one double string (note E) and three single strings (notes B, F#, C#). The prim is the smallest type of tamburica and is typically the lead or harmonizing instrument whenever it is present in a musical arrangement. Here are a few examples of tamburica songs from the group Slavonski Bend (Slavonian Band).

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Klapa Music
Source: Wikipedia
Klapa, meaning “group of friends,” is a form of traditional a cappella singing from the Dalmatian coast. This genre of music relies on the melody and harmony of its singers over rhythm and instrumentation. If an instrument happens to be present in a klapa arrangment, it is typically a softer-sounding guitar or a mandolin. Traditionally, a klapa is strictly composed of male singers, but more recently there have also been groups of female vocalists joining together to sing in the klapa style. Klapa music became a part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

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Choir

Zvijezdice
The Zvjezdice or “Little Stars” is a girls' choir group, founded in 1985. All of the girls in the choir are outstanding students who attend either primary or secondary school in Zagreb. They have traveled all around the world performing in front of many audiences, including but not limited to Norway, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Russia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, America, Malaysia, Canada, and Australia.

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Electronic Music
NipplePeople
Source: ockabrasevic
NipplePeople is an interesting and artistic Electropop group that I thought was worth sharing because they literally put their music before themselves. The group was founded in 2008 by a man and a woman, both of whom have yet to reveal their identities to their fans. In fact, they are always seen wearing masks whenever they perform or make a public appearance. In one interview they were asked why they always hide behind masks whenever they interact with their fans. They explained to the interviewer that they wanted people to enjoy the music simply for the music, without the distraction of their names or appearances. They also stated that their masks were meant to symbolize how every person carries his or her own set of masks to cope with the various scenarios that may crop up a lifetime.

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Colonia
Source: coloniafanclub
Colonia is arguably the most popular dance group in Croatia with a total of 12 albums, 35 singles, and well over 100 songs. It was founded in 1996 in the Slavonian town Vinkovci by Boris Đurđević and Tomislav Jelić who later hired Indira Levak (singer). The group gets its name from Colonia Aurelia Cibalae, the Latin name for Vincovci, and is known for winning the first ever Eurodance competition in 2001. Colonia songs are usually upbeat, positive, and empowering like most other music falling under the general Eurodance category. The songs that do not fall directly under the Eurodance category usually have more traditional elements and melodies typical of Slavonian culture, such as the tamburica. A good example of this is their song “Gukni Golube,” which I have included in the spoiler tag below. The music video also has very good examples of traditional Slavonian clothing and scenery.

Although the group's style has changed a lot over the past 10 years to keep up with the current trends in Eurodance, Colonia still remains one of the most internationally successful Croatian groups. They have performed in various locations across the globe, including my home state Michigan, and have released their albums internationally in countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. There are also several instances of groups outside of Croatia performing cover versions of Colonia songs in their native languages. For example, in 2001 the Japanese group KinKi Kids sang Jōnetsu “情熱,” a cover song of Colonia's "Deja Vu," which quickly reached the top charts in Asia.

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Rock
Teška Industrija
Source: Teška Industrija Official
Teška Industrija (Translation: Heavy Industry) is actually a Bosnian rock band that was founded in Sarajevo in 1974, but their current lead singer is Lea Mijatović from Split, Croatia. In the past few years, they have produced a lot of cover versions of old Ex-Yugoslav rock songs as well as updated a few of their own hits. But more recently, namely after Croatia entered the European Union in 2013, Teška Industrija has been trying to reach out to a more international audience. Not long after recording the song “EUdala se lijepa naša” to commemorate the country's entry into the European Union, Teška Industrija came out with their first ever song in English called “Be the Change,” which was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's quote: "Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Apparently the song debuted on three radio stations in the USA and one in Austria. Fun fact: EUdala se lijepa naša is a pretty cute play on words. The verb udati se means “to marry” (woman) and EU stands for European Union of course, giving us the following translation: Our beautiful [country] has married. XD

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Silente
Source: dulist hr
Silente is a Pop-rock band that unfortunately disbanded a few months ago.

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Pop Music
Croatian Pop cannot be described collectively, as it comes in a motley of styles. Some artists incorporate elements more typical of the global pop scene, while others get their inspiration from the more regional/traditional styles and beats characteristic to the Adriatic coastline and Eastern Europe. Accordions, trumpets, clarinets, violins, tamburice, and mandolins are examples of instruments that may accompany a pop singer when the goal of the arrangement is to give the song a more traditional feeling.

Franka Batelić
Source: Večernji list
Franka Batelić, age 24 from Rijeka, became a very popular pop singer after winning the first season of a singing competition known as Showtime. She sings in both English and Croatian. Boris Đurđević from Colonia works with her on songs.

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Luka Nižetić
Source: Cromoda
Luka Nižetić is a pop singer from the coastal city Split. He first got into music when he learned how to play the piano as a child. At age 17 he composed his first song.

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Giuliano
Source: Šibenski Portal
I wanted to include Giuliano because he typically sings slower love songs.

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Severina
Source: Severina Official
As much as I wanted to, I couldn't leave the notorious pop-folk singer and actress Severina out of this because she is still considered a national icon despite all of the drama and scandals she has been involved in throughout the years. XD The Croatian News Magazine Nacional apparently even listed her among the 100 most influential Croats.

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Pop Punk
Ignor
Source: Ignor Official
This is for all of you who enjoy boy punk bands. Ignor is a pretty fun group from Zagreb. They sing lot of silly and oftentimes sarcastic XD songs about the daily life of a young adult. They even have a nostalgia song about Super Mario, which they sing to the main tune of the game.

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Metal
Stribog
Source: Perun hr
Here is some Croatian folk metal just in case anybody was curious.

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Other
Elemental
Source: Klix ba
Elemental is a group that incorporates elements from various genres into their music, such as rap, rock, jazz, and electronica.

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Examples of Croatian Radio Stations:
Antena Zagreb (Live Radio Stream)
This is considered the more hip radio station among students. It plays way more international music than Croatian music, including lots of popular hits from the US. Note: At the top of the web application, it lets you pick which channel you are listening to. For example, you could listen to the live radio (Uživo) or music from the 90s (90e).

Narodni Radio (Live Radio Stream)
Narodni Radio is the nation's main radio station. It only plays Croatian and Ex-Yugoslav music and is a really good way to get an idea of what Croatian music is like. It usually plays all of the newer songs during the morning and early afternoon, and the older, slower ones at night. XD Note: At the bottom of the web application, it lets you pick which channel you are listening to. For example, you could listen to the live radio (Uživo) or music from the coastline (More).

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Discussion:
1. What is your favorite style of music from your country?
2. After listening to a few of the showcased Croatian songs, was there anything in particular that stood out to you?
3. How is Croatian music similar (or different) to the music in your area?

I had no idea 2Cellos came from Croatia. I used to listen to their stuff a lot while I was studying for my master's degree. (:

And, omg, that choir is outstanding.