while the the genre remains very diverse, the most famous northeastern sub-genre is forró, a type of music frequently played at a number of venues and events across rio, often along with other types of tunes.

like other brazilian musical landmarks, with the most iconic being samba, this rhythm has its roots in the mix between african and european heritages, clearly evident in rio de janeiro's overall culture.

it was only in the 20th century that a conscious effort was made in giving to each musical tradition from the northeast its own identity.   

importantly, it was at this time that several known musicians started to explore the genre in more diverse ways with the help of the blooming phonographic industry, thus bringing it into the mainstream media.