“Raï is an Algerian musical genre, born at the beginning of the 20th century,” Algerian raï musician Bilal Sghir tells Apple Music. “Raï is in its essence a means of conveying social reality without taboos or censorship. It addresses themes such as love, freedom, despair and societal pressure. The lyrics are typically aimed at young people and deal with heartache, nostalgia and intricacies of social life.” Distinguished for its bold lyrics and subject matter, raï has deep roots both on the continent and across the North African diaspora. “Raï has become an international sensation mainly thanks to Algerian immigrants in Europe,” Sghir explains. “Raï has settled in European districts with predominantly North African minorities where the artists exhibited themselves in local cabarets. Gradually, Raï has grown to be more and more present in radio and television as well as discotheques; over time, most famous raï singers started resembling international pop stars. Inevitably, this has played a role in the success of African music outside the continent since it was originally coming from an African country.” Taking a deep dive into the roots of the genre, here, Sghir creates a timeline of essential tracks from Cheb Mami Khaled, Heb Hasni, Cheb Bilal Moufouk, Cheba Zahouania and more artists whose legacy continues to inspire artists today. “This is the Raï that we knew and still love to this day,” says Sghir. “Other artists on the list have all marked my musical career in their own peculiar ways; with their music and the lyrics they composed.” As Sghir continues, “Raï has been profoundly transformed in recent years by its encounter with new urban and multicultural realities. Thanks to the confrontation with other musical genres, raï has been gradually turning towards world music, appearing as a cultural form opening itself to wide possibilities at a fast pace.”