There are so many reasons why we love to travel; meeting interesting new people, tasting exotic food and immersing ourselves in different cultures and traditions being just the core few.

But wherever you go in the world you’ll find one big influence uniting societies – a genuine love of music. Whether you’re sitting around a camp fire deep in the hills of Chiang Mai listening to a farmer play a home made guitar, waving your hands in the air like you just don’t care at a festival in Serbia or dancing the samba in a backstreet club in Rio, you’ll see that music is enjoyed by everyone from all over.

We’ve dug out our favourite clips of some pretty random but utterly entertaining popular music from around the world – each one ‘special’ in its own way. Enjoy.

What music from the list below most makes you want to dance?

Our Favourite Random Music

Iceland

Thorunn Antonia – Too Late

Let us introduce you to Thorunn Antonia, the best thing to happen to skin tight leotards since Madonna hooked herself up with that purple one in her Hung Up video. Her rhythm may be questionable but the song itself is pretty catchy.

Courtesy of Thorunnmusic

Japan

AKB48 – Baby, Baby, Baby

With 64 members AKB48 currently hold the Guinness World Record for ‘the world’s largest pop group’ and are huge in Japan. If skittles, kittens and candy floss could be moulded into a modern day pop phenomenon the outcome would most definitely be these cute little ladies.

Courtesy of natsamikikawaii

Russia

Leningrad Mamba – Huyamba

Russian Ska isn’t really a genre we’re familiar with (is anyone?) but we know what we like and this brilliant. We’re not sure what the video’s all about but it looks cool in an amateur South Park kind of way.

Courtesy of shnur0k

India

Mika Singh and Wajid – Chinta Ta Ta Chita Chita

We love Bollywood. The colours, the dancing, the theatrics you can’t help but smile from start to finish. Songs from popular Bollywood films can be heard absolutely everywhere in India and below is particular highlight from current hit Rowdy Rathore – we dare you to try not to smile…

 Courtesy of sonymusicindiaSME

Mongolia

Ogino featuring Onon – Don’t Urge On You (?!)

Regarded the best pop song in Mongolia in 2011, the song and video tell the age old story of boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl meets different boy, boy runs out of toilet paper. You’ve got to feel for him there.

Courtesy of WorldMongolMusic