The Rough Guide to Highlife

Highlife is Ghana's urban, good-time music and it has enjoyed enormous influence throughout West Africa where highlife bands have formed in Nigeria and beyond. In the early years of Ghana's independence in the late 1950s, highlife effectively became the national music, and in the 50 years since it has proved one of the most popular, enduring and adaptable African styles. This "Rough Guide" gathers together the seminal tracks from the classic highlife bands of both Ghana and Nigeria as well as more recent developments in the style.
 
Highlife is Ghana's urban, good-time music and it has enjoyed enormous influence throughout West Africa where highlife bands have formed in Nigeria and beyond. In the early years of Ghana's independence in the late 1950s, highlife effectively became the national music, and in the 50 years since it has proved one of the most popular, enduring and adaptable African styles. This "Rough Guide" gathers together the seminal tracks from the classic highlife bands of both Ghana and Nigeria as well as more recent developments in the style.