oud
what it is
The oud (Arabic: عود ʿūd, plural: أعواد, a‘wād; Somali: kaban; Persian: بربط barbat; Turkish: ud or ut; Greek: ούτι; Armenian: ուդ, Azeri: ud; Hebrew: עוד ud) is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument, which is often seen as the predecessor of the western lute, distinguished primarily by being without frets, commonly used in Middle Eastern music.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make oud a playlist
turn these 17 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is oud?
The oud (Arabic: عود ʿūd, plural: أعواد, a‘wād; Somali: kaban; Persian: بربط barbat; Turkish: ud or ut; Greek: ούτι; Armenian: ուդ, Azeri: ud; Hebrew: עוד ud) is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument, which is often seen as the predecessor of the western lute, distinguished primarily by being without frets, commonly used in Middle Eastern music.
What are good oud albums to start with?
Try The Astounding Eyes Of Rita by Anouar Brahem, Majâz by Le Trio Joubran, Seven Seas by Avishai Cohen, and Ancient Sounds by Rahim AlHaj.
Who are some women making oud?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/oud/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making oud, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20