Because the Yi people have many branches and are widely distributed, there are rich types of folk songs and there is no unified classification standard. If the language used in the lyrics is used as the standard, Yi folk songs in various places can be divided into two categories: those sung in Yi language and those sung in Chinese. Yi folk songs generally have five syllables per line. Chinese folk songs are mostly composed of seven characters and four sentences. Yi folk songs cover a wide range of life situations. If divided by content, Yi folk songs include narrative songs, labor songs, ritual songs, love songs, bitter love songs and children's songs. Each branch of the Yi ethnic group has unique styles of singing and dancing, such as playing songs, dancing strings, three-step strings, etc. The music is very rich.

Narrative songs are sung on festivals, weddings, banquets, funerals and other occasions. The contents include narrative epics, heroic stories, romantic love, customs and habits, etc. Famous works include "Ashima" by the Sani people, "Meige" by the Li people, "Xianji" by the Axi people, etc. The lyrics of ballads vary in length, ranging from hundreds to more than a thousand lines, but the tunes often have only one phrase, with a chanting quality and a regular and stable rhythm.

Labor songs include Niu Shan Song, Xiazhong Song, Turmoil Song, etc. Niu Shan Song is a song sung by farmers when plowing the fields. It has a strong improvisational nature and a distinctive sense of rhythm. Ritual songs can be divided into wedding songs, funeral songs, holiday ritual songs, religious ritual songs, etc.

Bitter love songs are songs about the complaints of slaves, orphans, women, bachelors and other groups. Due to the uneven social development of the Yi people, barbaric and cruel slavery still existed in some areas until the mid-1950s. This type of song is deeply emotional, sad in tone, and can make people cry.

Love songs are the most abundant among Yi folk songs, including short songs and long songs. Short songs are composed of upper and lower sentences, with soft and lyrical tunes, mostly in the form of duet or solo singing. Long songs usually have a longer length and even constitute a large vocal suite. For example, the "Four Major Tune" of the Nisu people of the Yi ethnic group in Shiping, Tonghai, Jianshui and other places in Yunnan consists of "Four Tune", "Wushan Tune", "Shanyou Tune" and "Haicai Tune". There are several parts in each cavity, with a complete layout and clear layers. Integrating solo singing, duet singing and leading the crowd together, sometimes it is affectionate and euphemistic, sometimes it is passionate and unrestrained. Each tune is relatively independent in body and continuous in emotional content. The long song "Four Major Tune" is a precious musical cultural heritage of the Yi people.

Singing and dancing ditties are the most cheerful and lively type of Yi folk songs. Because they are often group dances, accompanied by song, music and dance, singing and dancing ditties generally have regular rhythms, distinct strengths and weaknesses, and a strong sense of rhythm. The miscellaneous string tunes in the Yi people's "Tiao Xian" in Shiping and Jianshui areas mostly use 68 beats. The music style is cheerful and enthusiastic, the dance is light and lively, and it is rich in characteristics and full of charm.