Hawaii

Slack-key guitar, or kī hōʻalu, is a fingerpicked Hawaiian guitar style played in loosened, open tunings that give it a warm, rolling sound. Long passed down privately within families, it was brought to wider audiences by masters like Gabby Pahinui during the Hawaiian Renaissance. It is one of Hawaii's most distinctive contributions to world music and has won multiple Grammy awards.

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, known as Bruddah Iz, is the most beloved Hawaiian musician of the modern era. His 1993 medley of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' and 'What a Wonderful World' became a global phenomenon and has been streamed billions of times. Don Ho and slack-key pioneer Gabby Pahinui are also central figures in Hawaiian music history.

The Hawaiian Renaissance was a cultural revival that began in the 1970s, reclaiming the Hawaiian language, hula, and traditional music after decades of suppression. Artists like the Brothers Cazimero, the Makaha Sons, and Kealiʻi Reichel led a resurgence of pride in Hawaiian identity through song. The movement reshaped modern Hawaiian music and continues to influence artists today.

Jawaiian is Hawaii's homegrown style of reggae, blending Jamaican rhythms with island melodies and local pidgin lyrics. It emerged in the 1980s and became the dominant sound on island radio and among Hawaiian youth. Bands like the Kaʻau Crater Boys and The Green carried the sound to national and international audiences.

Bruno Mars, one of the best-selling pop artists of his generation, was born and raised in Honolulu and got his start performing in family shows in Waikiki. Jack Johnson, the acoustic singer-songwriter, grew up surfing on the North Shore of Oʻahu. Both carried an island sensibility into global stardom.

Last reviewed: 2026-07