Casual and seductive on the surface, ingenious and multilayered within — that’s the music of Brazil, which is about to get a new burst of global exposure as the Olympics begin in Rio de Janeiro. It’s a great moment to discover how much wider and deeper Brazilian music goes, beyond the stereotypes of gaudy carnival parades and suave bossa novas by the beach.

Brazilian music taps into national and regional traditions maintained over generations, with an ever-evolving mix of indigenous, European and African elements. At the same time, some Brazilians proudly describe their culture as anthropophagic or, more bluntly, cannibalistic: ready to swallow and digest whatever arrives. Even as they prize their roots, Brazilian musicians have assimilated jazz, rock, reggae, metal, hip-hop, electronic music and more; they also pack pop lyrics with complexly allusive poetry. Visitors to Rio — physically or virtually — can savor one of the world’s most creative and diverse musical cultures. Here, music critics of The New York Times offer a starter kit of 30 key Brazilian songs, historic and recent. (Listen to this playlist on Spotify.)

Pixinguinha

‘CARINHOSO’ (1928)