The New Zealand recording industry began to develop from 1940 onwards. James (1949-1991) spent many years overseas in show bands, beginning in the Maori Volcanics. Some Māori show-bands would begin their performances in traditional Māori costume before changing into suits and sequinned gowns. The groups performed in a wide variety of musical genres, dance styles, and with cabaret skills, infusing their acts with comedy drawn straight from Māori culture. Māori show-bands formed in New Zealand and Australia from the 1950s. Some artists have released Māori-language songs, and the Māori traditional art of kapa haka (song and dance) has had a resurgence. In the mid- to late-20th century, Māori singers and songwriters like Howard Morrison (1935-2009), Prince Tui Teka (1937-1985), Dalvanius Prime (1948-2002), Moana Maniapoto (1961- ) and Hinewehi Mohi (1964- ) developed a distinctive Māori-influenced style. The action song ( waiata-ā-ringa) largely developed in the early 20th century. See also: Māori music § Contemporary Māori musicĮuropean settlers brought new harmonies and instruments, which Māori composers gradually adopted. The best-known include Douglas Lilburn, John Psathas, Jack Body, Gillian Whitehead, Jenny McLeod, Gareth Farr, and Ross Harris.

A number of New Zealand composers have developed international reputations. New Zealand has a national orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and many regional orchestras. In recent decades, a number of popular artists have gone on to achieve international success including Lorde, Split Enz, Crowded House, OMC, Bic Runga, Benee, Kimbra, Ladyhawke, The Naked and Famous, Fat Freddy's Drop, Savage, Gin Wigmore, Keith Urban, Flight of the Conchords, and Brooke Fraser. Pipe bands became widespread during the early 20th century. In the nineteenth century, European settlers - the vast majority of whom were from Britain and Ireland - brought musical forms to New Zealand including brass bands and choral music, and musicians began touring New Zealand in the 1860s. Pre-colonial Māori music consisted mainly of a form of microtonal chanting and performances on instruments called taonga pūoro: a variety of blown, struck and twirled instruments made out of hollowed-out wood, stone, whale ivory, albatross bone, and human bone.

The music of New Zealand has been influenced by a number of traditions, including Māori music, the music introduced by European settlers during the nineteenth century, and a variety of styles imported during the twentieth century, including blues, jazz, country, rock and roll, reggae, and hip hop, with many of these genres given a unique New Zealand interpretation.

Beautiful akon reggae