Music and sound are important elements in the rituals of various religions throughout the world. This volume examines contemporary musical and sonic phenomena in Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and animist contexts. The focus is on cultural practices in which sound is given specific meanings, performs a variety of functions and has to meet different institutional requirements. Global processes and the resulting developments and reactions are also of great relevance. Thanks to the diversity of the contributions in terms of content and methodology, the publication offers a multifaceted insight into this thematic field, which is so crucial for the global significance of religions.