The music of the State of Israel incorporates a variety of musical traditions. Since the First Aliyah of Jewish settlers to Palestine in the 1880s, Israeli musicians have developed distinct local styles alongside the adoption of various international genres, including classical, jazz, pop, and rock. Since the 1960s, Israeli music has become increasingly diverse, with artists in rock, folk, and jazz becoming more prominent. A number of prominent classical musicians are Israeli or of Israeli origin, and compositions by Israeli classical composers have been performed by orchestras worldwide.

Music has played a central role in the cultural life of Israel. Hebrew songs and public singalongs (shira b'tzibur) were promoted through institutional support According to Nathan Shahar, public singalongs were a common social activity and contributed to the formation of Israeli identity. The use of music as a means of fostering Israeli nationalism and culture has continued throughout the state's history. Jewish immigrants from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and other regions brought diverse musical traditions, which blended over time with the local music of Palestine, influencing the evolution of a distinct Israeli musical style.

The development of a body of music associated with the Zionist settlers in Palestine began during the First Aliyah, the initial significant wave of Jewish immigration to the region in the 1880s. Zionist youth movements in Germany and other European countries compiled some of the earliest songbooks for the Zionist movement, combining newly written Hebrew lyrics with existing melodies from traditional European folk songs. An example of this practice is the song Hatikvah, which later became the national anthem of Israel.

In 1895, Jewish settlers established the first Jewish orchestra in Palestine. The orchestra was a wind band based in Rishon LeZion, and its repertoire included light classical pieces and marches.

Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, a trained cantor from Russia and a musicologist, settled in Jerusalem in 1906 with the aim of studying and documenting the musical traditions of the various Jewish communities living there. At the time, Jerusalem was home to several distinct Jewish enclaves, including Yemenite, Hasidic, and Syrian. Idelsohn systematically recorded and analyzed the songs and musical styles of these communities. He also undertook the first efforts to introduce these songs to the broader Jewish settler population, with the goal of developing a new, unified Zionist musical genre.

Idelsohn was later joined in Palestine by other classically trained musicians and ethnomusicologists, including Gershon Ephros in 1909 and Joel Engel in 1924. Like Idelsohn, Engel focused on collecting and promoting traditional ethnic melodies and musical styles, aiming to make them accessible to the broader Jewish population in Palestine.

The Second Aliyah, which took place from 1904 to 1914, was accompanied by an increase in the composition of original songs by Jewish settlers. Among the earliest composers of Jewish folk songs in Palestine were Hanina Karchevsky, known for BeShadmot Beit Lehem, and David Ma'aravi, known for Shirat Hanoar.

Beginning in the 1920s, café and cabaret music gained popularity in Palestine. Prior to the establishment of the State of Israel, three prominent cabarets operated in Palestine: HaKumkum (The Kettle), HaMetate (The Broom), and Li-La-Lo. These venues presented variety shows that integrated political satire, theatrical performances, and music.