Buddha Bar compilation albums

The Buddha Bar compilation albums are a series of compilation albums issued by the French Buddha Bar establishment created by restaurateur Raymond Visan and DJ and interior designer Claude Challe.^[1] The albums, which have been published since 1999, consist of songs by international artists in such genres as lounge, chill-out, and world music.^[2]

In 2001, a Billboard magazine critic placed the compilation in his "top ten" musical events of the year, stating of proprietor Claude Challe that "[t]he legendary master of pop and dance music in France has aroused the attention of the global chill-out community with this series of mixed compilations", and concluding that "Buddha Bar is not only a good restaurant in France but also one of the best music experiments to come out of France in the past few years".^[3] On a more critical note, the Oxford Handbook of Music Revival describes the music of the Buddha Bar collection as "close to muzak-like mixtures with neither recognizable original components nor clearly identifiable new structures".^[4]

Challe compiled and produced the first two Buddha Bar albums. The series thereafter continued with different DJs, including DJ Ravin, Sam Popat, and David Visan (son of Buddha Bar founder Raymond Visan).^[5] The compilations have also included a few original compositions, credited to Buddha Bar.