Whenever you hear the balalaika, you can tell that it's probably Russian traditional music. However, Russian music is not limited to the balalaika. There are numerous other traditional Russian musical instruments, such as the domra, accordion, gusli, buben, and treshchotka. In the past, Russian composers like Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Prokofiev wrote beautiful classical music that remains popular among classical music lovers. They also composed numerous operas and ballets. While modern Russian music may not be as exceptional as its past, there are still some tracks that are quite modern and enjoyable to listen to. For instance, "King and the Jester" is a very popular rock band in Russia, and nearly everyone knows their name. Sometimes their music may sound aggressive, but if you listen to the lyrics, you will find that each of their songs tells a whole story about a fantasy character.

It's impossible to describe Russian music from a subjective perspective, so the best way to find out what it's like is to try listening to it.