Picture this: You walk into a dimly-lit tiki bar. The decor is lush and immersive. The cocktails are on-point. Everything is perfect except... they're blasting dance mix over the speakers. Or boy bands. Or 80s hair metal. Nothing ruins an escapist vibe faster than poorly-considered, inappropriate music for a themed space. In this episode of A Moment of Tiki, I climb up on a big ol' soapbox to explain why the selection of appropriate music for a tiki bar demands careful attention and offer some musical history and suggestions for the beginner to start building a diverse and respectable tiki playlist.

The list below is a sampling of artists mentioned in this episode. It is meant to be a starting point and is by no means comprehensive. This list contains some affiliate links. If you purchase any of the great music linked to below, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. If I've left off any artists you think are essential for a proper tiki playlist, let me know in the comments below!

Les Baxter's - Ritual of the Savage: https://tinyurl.com/44kf5awc
Les Baxter's - Tamboo! https://tinyurl.com/383nb4ra
Les Baxter's - African Jazz/Jungle Jazz https://tinyurl.com/mvbxv37c
Les Baxter's - Sacred Idol https://tinyurl.com/e3u9hj3h

Martin Denny's - Exotica https://tinyurl.com/3r97tdma
Martin Denny's - Primativa/Forbidden Island https://tinyurl.com/2vmxcu9v
Martin Denny's - Quiet Village/The Enchanted Sea https://tinyurl.com/ynt9a95u

Arthur Lyman's - Hawaiian Sunset https://tinyurl.com/bdfazzkf
Arthur Lyman's - Latitude 20/Aphrodesia https://tinyurl.com/y5m2zjrf
Arthur Lyman's - Bwana'a/Bahia https://tinyurl.com/36v5k8n3
Arthur Lyman's - Leis of Jazz https://tinyurl.com/2p8p29h5

Don Tiki's - The Fobidden Sounds of Don Tiki https://dontiki.bandcamp.com/album/th...
Don Tiki's - South of the Boudoir https://dontiki.bandcamp.com/album/so...
Don Tiki's - Skinny Dip with Don Tiki https://dontiki.bandcamp.com/album/sk...

Waitiki 7 - Adventures in Paradise https://waitiki.bandcamp.com/album/ad...
Waitiki 7 - New Sounds of Exotica https://waitiki.bandcamp.com/album/ne...
Waitiki 7 - Rendezvous in Okonkuluku https://waitiki.bandcamp.com/album/re...
Waitiki 7 - Waitiki in Hi-Fi https://waitiki.bandcamp.com/album/wa...

Kava Kon - Virgin Lava https://kavakon.bandcamp.com/album/vi...
Kava Kon - Departure Exotica https://kavakon.bandcamp.com/album/de...
Kava Kon - Maritime Mysteries https://kavakon.bandcamp.com/album/ma...
Kava Kon - Tiki for the Atomic Age https://kavakon.bandcamp.com/album/ti...

Alfred Apaka - The Best of Alfred Apaka https://tinyurl.com/4zpxstbc
Alfred Apaka - Broadway Wears a Lei https://tinyurl.com/3u7z2ssv
Alfred Apaka - Hawaiian Paradise https://tinyurl.com/yck3m7hc

Hilo Hattie - At the Tapa Room https://tinyurl.com/sez6v5vs
Hilo Hattie - Hilo Hattie https://tinyurl.com/mwkrkk6d

Jerry Bird - Master of the Steel Guitar https://tinyurl.com/5n6n99th
Jerry Byrd - Byrd of Paradise https://tinyurl.com/2byh9vfy

Sol Hoopi'i - King of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar https://tinyurl.com/msyemd3y
Sol Hoopi'i - Master of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar https://tinyurl.com/2tmhv4y8
Betty Boop's Bamboo Isle (note: animated brownface is a major plot element) -    • Betty Boop: "Bamboo Isle" (1932)  

Mountain Apple Company - https://www.mountainapplecompany.com/

Brothers Cazimero - 20 Years of Hoku Award Winning Songs https://tinyurl.com/5bftv4w4
Brothers Cazimero - Best Of https://tinyurl.com/4cfy68p7

Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau - Pauna Hou Me Ke Aloha https://tinyurl.com/2fahtuxf
Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau - Ho'oluana https://tinyurl.com/24ybpkut

Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over the Rainbow https://tinyurl.com/bdj67mrh
Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole - Facing Future https://tinyurl.com/2p8zvm3m

Kuana Torres Kahele - Music for the Hawaiian Islands 2: Kahelelani https://tinyurl.com/5b5kadeh
Kuana Torres Kahele - Music for the Hawaiian Islands Volume 4 Manookalai https://tinyurl.com/2p8cfhp7
Kuana Torres Kahele - Music Hawaiian Islands Vol. 6 Aina Momona Molokai https://tinyurl.com/yxm2xrbu

Dancing Cat Records- https://www.dancingcat.com/

Moses Kahumoku - Ho' okupu "The Gift" https://tinyurl.com/bddaxtp9

Cindy Coombs - Slack Key Lady https://tinyurl.com/msw69p8s

Ozzie Kotani - Kani Ki Ho'alu https://tinyurl.com/k2bd4637
Ozzie Kotani - To Honor a Queen: the Music of Lili'uokalani https://tinyurl.com/mudacfjk

Don't forget to subscribe! Never miss an episode!

FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM:   / lagoonofmystery  

Join the A Moment of Tiki group on Facebook:   / amomentoftiki  

Please visit our friends at SECRETS BY MISS LISA: https://www.secretsbymisslisa.com/
  / secretsbymisslisa  

THE TIKI FORUM: https://tikiforum.com/