Artists featured throughout the years include Shemekia Copeland, Omar Sosa, Taraf de Haïdouks, Black Uhuru feat.

Sly & Robbie, Hedningarna, Cui Jian, Céu, Tinariwen, Sa Dingding, Kronos Quartet, The Skatalites, Gaiteiros de Lisboa, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Tom Zé, Femi Kuti, Hermeto Pascoal, Marc Ribot, KTU, Master Musicians of Jajouka, Konono Nº1, Staff Benda Bilili, Señor Coconut, Trilok Gurtu, Toumani Diabaté, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Mahmoud Ahmed, Salif Keita, Gogol Bordello, Seun Kuti, Nortec Collective and Alamaailman Vasarat.

In 2000, Jacques Dénis, from French daily liberation wrote: "In Sines, it's mainly world music in the move".

In 2001, L’Humanité's Patrick Koan said: "An impeccable programme for the quality of its concerts and its balance", In 2005, FMM was considered "one of the best festivals in Europe" on Finnish accordion player Kimmo Pohjonen's website.

In 2007, Malian singer Oumou Sangaré called it "the festival of joy".