Music of Latin America

Collective term for the dances, rhythms and styles of music from Latin America
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Music of Latin America
Stylistic origins
Cultural origins16th century, Latin America
Subgenres
Fusion genres
Regional scenes

The music of Latin America refers to music originating from Latin America, namely the Romance-speaking regions of the Americas south of the United States.[1] Latin American music also incorporate the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.[2] Due to its highly syncretic nature, Latin American music encompasses a wide variety of styles, including influential genres such as cumbia, bachata, bossa nova, merengue, rumba, salsa, samba, son, and tango. During the 20th century, many styles were influenced by the music of the United States giving rise to genres such as Latin pop, rock, jazz, hip hop, and reggaeton.

Geographically, it usually refers to the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions of Latin America,[3] but sometimes includes Francophone countries and territories of the Caribbean and South America as well. It also encompasses Latin American styles that have originated in the United States such as, salsa, New Mexico music, Tejano, various forms of country-Western, as well as Chicano rock, Nuyorican rap, and Chicano rap.[1] The origins of Latin American music can be traced back to the Spanish and Portuguese conquest of the Americas in the 16th century, when the European settlers brought their music from overseas.[4] Latin American music is performed in Spanish, Portuguese, and to a lesser extent, French.[5]

Popular music styles by country and territory

Argentina

Soledad Pastorutti in the White Room of the Pink House.

It is unclear on the birthplace of tango, though musicologists collectively agree that it most likely originated in Germany in 1860 as a form of religious music in organless churches.[6] Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges believes the genre to have originated in brothels in the country, though editors of World Music: The Rough Guide (2000), called Borges' statement "a little presumptive". They pinpoint the early developments of tango to the porteño people in Buenos Aires, most likely at bars. Tango became an urban music scene, which was a result of a melting pot of European immigrants, criollos, blacks, and native populations. Tango is influenced by Andalusian flamenco, Spanish contradanse, southern Italian melodies, Cuban habanera, African candombe and percussion. German polkas, Polish mazurkas, and Argentine Guanchos milonga. In its early history, tango music was associated with brawls at brothels and knife-wielding womanizing men.[6] By 1914, men outnumbered women in Argentina by 100,000, leading to an increased rate of prostitution and the brothel lifestyle that came with it. Men would often dance at cafes and bars and try to outdo one another with improvised dance steps in an attempt to attract a woman.

Their dances were characterized by "showy yet threatening, predatory quality, often revolving around a possessive relationship between two men and one woman". In its original form, tango music included the violin, guitar, and flute. By the end of the 19th century, the bandoneon was introduced. One of the instrument's early pioneers, Eduardo Arolas, was called the "Tiger of the Bandoneon". Arolas believed the instrument was made to play in tango. Vicente Greco is credited with standardizing tango with his group, Orquesta Tipica Criolla, by using two violins and two bandoneons. The instrumentation of tango remained largely unchanged until the 1940s. Tango music began playing in populated areas such as fairgrounds and streets in Buenos Aires. It contained lyrics that were "sometimes obscene and deeply fatalistic". Similar to families in the United States during the rise of rock and roll, families in the area tried to shield their children from tango.[6] Upper-classmen began taking an interest in tango, writer Ricardo Guiraldes performed tango during a tour of Europe in 1910 and has been credited with introducing tango in Europe. Guiraldes' introduction made tango the first Latin dance to gain popularity in Europe. Actor Rudolph Valentino performed the tango in his film The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse (1926), with Hollywood taking advantage of "[Valentino's] charisma, the magnetism of tango, and the attraction they both had on a huge public".[6]

Other styles of music in Argentina include the Chacarera, Milonga, Zamba and Chamamé. Modern rhythms include Cuarteto (music from the Cordoba Province) and Electrotango. Argentine rock (known locally as rock nacional) was most popular during the 1980s, and remains Argentina's most popular music. Rock en español was first popular in Argentina, then swept through other Hispanic American countries and Spain. The movement was known as the "Argentine Wave".

Belize

The music to which Belizeans listen largely reflects the traditions of their ethnic group, though recorded music from the Caribbean and the United States is widely enjoyed by young people. One hybrid musical form, “punta rock,” blends Caribbean soca, calypso, and reggae styles with merengue, salsa, and hip-hop. One of the country’s best-known and most honoured musicians, Andy Viven Palacio (1960–2008), blended traditional Garifuna music with punta rock to stimulate interest in the Garifuna culture and language. The traditional sounds of brukdown—the tapping of assorted bottles, tables, cans, or other objects—an energetic percussion that originated in the logging camps, are heard less often now than in the past. The Belize National Dance Company (1990) performs throughout the country and internationally.

Belize’s best-known contemporary author is Zee Edgell. Her most widely read novel, Beka Lamb (1982), describes the emerging sense of nationalism in the 1950s in Belize City through the eyes of a young Kriol girl. Another of Edgell’s novels, Time and the River (2007), looks at the slave society of Belize in the early 19th century.

Bolivia

Claudia Arce

Bolivian music is perhaps the most strongly linked to its native population among the national styles of South America. After the nationalistic period of the 1950s Aymara and Quechuan culture became more widely accepted, and their folk music evolved into a more pop-like sound. Los Kjarkas played a pivotal role in this fusion. Other forms of native music (such as huayños and caporales) are also widely played. Cumbia is another popular genre. There are also lesser-known regional forms, such as the music from Santa Cruz and Tarija (where styles such as Cueca and Chacarera are popular).

Brazil

Daniela Mercury in 2010.
Atraente
Choro "Atraente", composed by Chiquinha Gonzaga, recorded by Pixinguinha (saxophone) and Benedito Lacerda (flute). Choro is a genre of Brazilian instrumental music

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