* Rada
* Raga rock - Swiss soul, rock and Indian music fusion
* Ragas
* Raggamuffin (Ragga)
* Ragga-chutney
* Ragga Jungle
* Ragga-soca
* Ragga-zouk - a fusion of reggae, dub music and zouk
* Ragtime
* Rainbow Rave
* Rai - Algerian folk music now developed into a popular style
* Rake-and-scrape - Bahamanian instrumental music
* Ramkbach
* Ramvong
* Ranchera - pop mariachi from 1950s film soundtracks
* Random dance
* Rap
* Rap opera
* Rap rock

* Rapcore
* Rapso
* Rara
* Rare groove
* Rasiya
* Rateliai
* Rave
* Rebetiko
* Rebita
* reel
* Reggae
* Reggae dancehall (see Dancehall)
* Reggae fusion
* Reggae highlife
* Reggaeton
* Reinlender
* Rekilaulu - Finnish rhyming sleigh songs
* Religious
* Rembetiko
* Renaissance music
* Requiem
* Retro Acoustic Steel Guitar

* Rhapsody
* Rhyming spiritual - Bahamanian hymns
* Rhythm and blues (R&B)
* Rhythmic noise (or power noise)
* Ricercar
* Rímur - Icelandic heroic epic songs
* Ring Bang - the Barbadian sound of soca
* Riot grrrl
* Rock
* Rock opera
* Rock and roll
* Rock en español
* Rock sureño - 70's Rock from Andalusia with Flamenco influences
* Rockabilly
* Rocknoir
* Rocksteady
* Rococo
* Rodeo music
* Rokon fada
* Romantic period in music
* Romeras
* Rondeaux
* Ronggeng - a folk music from Malacca, Malaysia
* Roots reggae
* Roots rock
* Roots rock reggae
* Ruem trosh - Cambodian traditional music
* Rumba
o African Rumba
o Cuban Rumba (yambu, columbia, and guaguanco)`
o Flamenco Rumba also known as Gypsy rumba
* Rumba gitana - French Gypsy music
* Runddan
* Runolaulu - Finnish folk songs
* Runo-song - Estonian folk music