MPB

MPB, short for Musica Popular Brasileira, refers to a Brazilian music genre and cultural movement that emerged in the late 1960s. It developed from samba and bossa nova, incorporating folk influences and elements of jazz and rock to produce song-centered, lyrically ambitious works. MPB arose partly as a reaction to more commercial pop and as a space for artistic experimentation during Brazil’s military dictatorship, often addressing social and political themes through sophisticated melodies and arrangements.

Key figures associated with MPB include Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia, and Milton Nascimento, among others. The tropicalismo movement, a formative strand within MPB, blended Brazilian folklore with avant-garde and Caribbean influences, helping redefine Brazilian popular music. Regional scenes, such as the Clube da Esquina collective in Minas Gerais, also contributed important melodic and harmonic approaches that shaped the MPB sound.

Musically, MPB is diverse but typically emphasizes refined lyrics, melodic nuance, and inventive harmonic progressions. Instrumentation ranges from acoustic guitar and piano to lush string arrangements, woodwinds, and percussion, often combining traditional Brazilian rhythms with contemporary pop, folk, or jazz textures.

Beyond its 1960s origins, MPB remains a broad umbrella for contemporary Brazilian pop with strong artistic or literary ambitions. It has influenced generations of artists and continues to be used to describe music that prioritizes lyricism, craftsmanship, and a distinctly Brazilian sensibility within popular music.