Music holds a very special position in Italy. Since the beginning, Italians have treated music as an integral part of their self and have associated Italian music with their national identity. In the late 16th century Italian innovation in notation , harmony theatre and musical scales led to the creation of opera.
It also gave birth to a lot of modern classical European music. Examples of such modern classical European music are the concerto and the symphony.
Vocal classical and Instrumental music is an integral constituent of the identity of the Italians. Italian music spans from international fusions and experimental art music to opera and symphonic music.
As far as Italian music is concerned Opera is very integral to it. Not just that it has also become a very major chunk of the popular music of Italy. Canzone Napoletana, cantautori, and Neapolitan song, and singer-songwriter traditions are domestic styles which are quite popular and they constitute a vital part of the industry of Italian music.