cabaret
what it is
Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue — a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables (often dining or drinking) watching the performance being introduced by a master of ceremonies, or MC. Cabaret also refers to a Mediterranean-style brothel — a bar with tables and women who mingle with and entertain the clientele. Traditionally these establishments can also feature some form of stage entertainment: often singers & dancers.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make cabaret a playlist
turn these 29 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is cabaret?
Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue — a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables (often dining or drinking) watching the performance being introduced by a master of ceremonies, or MC. Cabaret also refers to a Mediterranean-style brothel — a bar with tables and women who mingle with and entertain the clientele. Traditionally these establishments can also feature some form of stage entertainment: often singers & dancers.
What are good cabaret albums to start with?
Try Le Pop by Katzenjammer, Mirror Mirror by The Irrepressibles, A Is for Accident by The Dresden Dolls, and The 2¢ Show by Steam Powered Giraffe.
Who are some women making cabaret?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/cabaret/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making cabaret, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20