Libya is a North African country. Arabs are the most populous ethnic group and various kinds of Arab music are popular, including masoud and Arab classical music. The Tuareg live in the southern, Saharan part of the country, and have their own distinctive folk music. There is little or no pop music industry.

Among the Tuareg, women are the musicians. They play a one-stringed violin called an anzad, as well as a variety of drums.

Among Libyan Arabs, instruments include the zokra (like a bagpipe), flute (made of bamboo), tambourine, oud (like a lute) and darbuka, a kind of drum. Complication clapping is also common in folk music.

Travelling Bedouin poet-singers have spread many popular songs across Libya. Among their styles is huda, the camel driver's song, the rhythm of which is said to mimic the feet of a walking camel.

Libyan musicians include Ashraf Mahfoudh.