"民間音樂"，1852年（安德魯·漢密爾頓，《丹麥羣島十六個月》），源自 folk 的"民間"意義（另見 folklore）+ music。以德國 Volksmusik 爲模板。指的是一種現代流行音樂的分支，模仿起源於普通民衆中的簡單和樸素風格的音樂（最初與紐約市的格林威治村有關），起源於1958年。
Of airs properly national, it should be remembered, the composers are not known. They are found existing among the people, who are ignorant of their origin. They are, to borrow a German phrase, folk-music. [Richard Grant White, "National Hymns," New York, 1861]
應該記住，真正的民族音樂的作曲家是不爲人所知的。它們存在於民間，民衆對它們的起源一無所知。用德語的說法，它們是民間音樂。[理查德·格蘭特·懷特，《國歌》，紐約，1861]
The term National Music implies that music, which, appertaining to a nation or tribe, whose individual emotions and passions it expresses, exhibits certain peculiarities more or less characteristic, which distinguish it from the music of any other nation or tribe.*
* The Germans call it Volksmusik, a designation which is very appropriate, and which I should have rendered folk-music, had this word been admissible. [Carl Engel, "An Introduction to the Study of National Music," London, 1866]
國家音樂這個術語意味着屬於一個民族或部落的音樂，它表達了個體的情感和激情，展示了某種或多或少具有特色的特點，使其與其他任何民族或部落的音樂有所區別。*
* 德國人稱之爲 Volksmusik，這個稱號非常貼切，如果這個詞是可接受的，我本應該翻譯成民間音樂。[卡爾·恩格爾，《國家音樂研究導論》，倫敦，1866]
