Arab Music is also divided into its own genres -
One of them is Tarab which includes tablas, dancing, fast-paced keyboards, flutes etc. This is what most of the Arab commercial music fits into.
I think the other is called Zajal/Mouwel which is more poetic and classical. Although this term is a bit Levantine specific (or just Lebanon-Syria for that matter), but I think there's another broader term that defines classical Arab music i.e. that of Umm Kulthum, Abdel Haleem etc.
The shocking thing for me, is switching to a
Turkish music channel: The same EXACT background melodies heard in Lebanese artists' songs are played by these Turkish artists as well it's too funny! I always wondered who's ripping off whom?!
