Bosnia and Herzegovina is a former province of Yugoslavia. The city of Sarajevo was, prior to the war, a center for Yugoslav rock music. Bands from this period included Bijelo Dugme , Indexi and Plavi Orkestar. Goran Bregovic of Bijelo Dugme was a renowned songwriter and brought the band to mainstream acclaim across Central Europe. Bregovic's work helped inspire the turbulent turbofolk scene in Serbia and Montenegro.

Punk rock entered Bosnia from Slovenia, and it set roots in Sarajevo, Tuzla and Zenica.