The first-ever Songlines hit the shelves in early 1999. Its genesis stemmed from a complaint about what constitutes 'world music', a conundrum we've spent 25 years unravelling.

The article focuses on the origins and development of *Songlines*, a magazine dedicated to world music. It began after Simon Broughton criticized Gramophone magazine's 1996 world music supplement for its narrow and outdated coverage, leading to his involvement in creating a more inclusive publication. Launched in 1999, *Songlines* aimed to represent diverse traditional and contemporary global music, emphasizing cultural, political, and social contexts. Despite challenges such as post-9/11 uncertainties, the magazine became independent and has sustained interest for over 25 years by exploring music as a lens on global culture and identity.