Fado is a music genre that originated in Lisbon, Portugal in the 1820s, although its origins are difficult to trace. Fado is characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sentiment of resignation, fate, and melancholy. It is commonly regarded as simply a form of song which can be about anything, but must follow a certain traditional structure. Fado typically employs the Dorian mode or Ionian mode (natural major), sometimes switching between the two during a melody or verse change. A particular stylistic trait of fado is the use of rubato, where the music pauses at the end of a phrase and the singer holds the note for dramatic effect. The music uses double time rhythm and triple time (waltz style) .

Famous singers of fado include Alfredo Marceneiro, Amália Rodrigues, Carlos do Carmo, Mariza, António Zambujo, and Camané. On 27 November 2011, fado was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. It is one of two Portuguese music traditions part of the lists, the other being Cante Alentejano.

Fado is considered a music of the world that is Portuguese, and is recognised as a symbol of Portugal. It is said to come from within the Portuguese soul and is characterised by a lot of feeling. Fado houses were concentrated in Lisbons historic quarters, mainly in Bairro Alto, from the 1930s onwards. From then on, the reputation of this very Portuguese musical genre escalated and it was in the 1950s that the prestige of Amália Rodrigues, the standard figure of Fado, crystallised.