Russia is a large and extremely
culturally diverse country, with dozens of
ethnic groups, each with their own forms of
folk music. During the period of
Soviet domination, music was highly scrutinized and kept within certain boundaries of content and innovation. After the fall of the USSR, western-style
rock and
pop music became the most popular musical forms in Russia. Some native artists broke through, especially
Tatu.
During the 1960s, a group of musicians called bards arose. Generally ignored by the state, bards like Vladimir Vysotsky[?] helped lead a popular return to traditional music.
United States country music has long had a devoted following in Russia.
Tuvan
throat singing, or
xoomii, is famous world-wide, primarily for its novelty. The style is highly unusual and foreign to most listeners, who typically find it inaccessible and amelodic.