Latin American music is synonymous of richness. From Argentina to Mexico, the rhythms and melodies varied due to the fusion of many cultures including Amerindian, African and European. Latin American music shows passion, sentiments, history and nostalgia in a way that only music can portray.
Let’s take a look at the major genres and styles of Latin music.
- Puerto Rican traditional music rhythms are La plena and La bomba. La plena, blends elements from African, Amerindian and European rhythms, and La bomba was brought from West Africa.
- Reggaeton has its origins in Panama. It blends Jamaican and Latin American music with hip hop and rap. It is very popular among young audiences.
- One Latin rhythm that in my opinion is the easiest to dance is merengue. It was born in the Dominican Republic and it’s one of the most popular rhythms that is play in any good “Parranda” (party). Another popular Dominican genre is bachata which has become very popular in the last few years.
- Cuba has been called “the jewel in the crown of Latin music”. This island has created genres such as son, cha-cha, mambo, bolero, rumba, danzon and the well known Salsa, one of the most popular types of Latin American music and my personal favorite.
- Ranchera is a traditional Mexican music genre performed by mariachi groups. Traditional rancheras are about love and patriotism and have influenced other Latin American musical genres such as Bolero and Latin Pop.
- Argentina is the home of the tango, the music of European immigrants who brought the bandoneón from Germany. Tango is based on a very nostalgic melody, and in my opinion is one of the most beautiful and complex dances.
- Colombia gave birth to the popular cumbia and the romantic vallenato. Cumbia is a combination of European, African and Amerindian melodies and it has become very popular in Central America, especially in Mexico. Vallenato was created as a form of communication between towns by singing their messages to each other.
We want to know your favorite artists or musicians. Follow us on Twitter to hear more about Latin music, and tell us more about your favorite Latin artists below in the comment section.
Thanks for visiting the Bright House Networks Blog. We welcome you to participate in the conversation on House2House. Please note, any service-related concerns will not be resolved on the Blog. They will be addressed by our dedicated Customer Care team (select from above Online Care options). Also, to find out if a product or service is available in your area,