The electronic structure and the anisotropy of the AlN and chemical bonding of wurtzite AlN has been investigated by bulk-sensitive total fluorescence yield absorption and soft x-ray emission spectroscopies. The measured N K, Al L 1 , and Al L 2,3 x-ray emission and N 1s x-ray absorption spectra are compared with calculated spectra using first-principles density-functional theory including dipole transition matrix elements. The main N 2p-Al 3p-Al 3d and N 2p-Al 3s hyridization regions are identified at −1.0 to −1.8 eV and −5.0 to −5.5 eV below the top of the valence band, respectively. In addition, N 2s-Al 3p and N 2s-Al 3s hybridization regions are found at the bottom of the valence band around −13.5 and −15 eV, respectively. A strongly modified spectral shape of Al 3s states in the Al L 2,3 emission from AlN in comparison to Al metal is found, which is also reflected in the N 2p-Al 3p hybridization observed in the Al L 1 emission. The differences between the electronic structure and chemical bonding of AlN and Al metal are discussed in relation to the position of the hybridization regions and the valence-band edge influencing the magnitude of the large band gap.