CBS’s Latin Division and the Explosion of Latin Music in the US
CBS’s Latin Division has been at the forefront of the explosion of Latin music in the US. From signing some of the biggest names in the genre to producing groundbreaking shows and events, CBS has been a major player in bringing Latin music to the American mainstream.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest moments in CBS’s Latin music history, and how the division has helped to shape the sound of Latin music in the US.
History of Latin Music in the US
Latin music in the US has been on the rise in recent years. This is largely due to the efforts of CBS’s Latin division, which has been working to promote Latin music in the US. Latin music has a long history in the US, dating back to the early days of the country.
Pre-1940s: Cuban and Puerto Rican music in the US
Latin music in the United States has its roots in the music of Cuba and Puerto Rico. In the 19th century, Cuban musicians living in the United States brought their music with them and performed in various nightclubs and theaters. Puerto Rican musicians also migrated to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and played a significant role in the development of Latin music in the United States.
In the 1920s, Cuban music began to gain popularity in the United States. The most popular Cuban musicians of this era were Antonio Machado and Ernesto Lecuona. By the 1930s, Cuban music was widely known and appreciated in the United States. AmericanListening to Latin music became fashionable amongst mainstream Americans.
In the 1940s, a new style of Cuban music called mambo became popular. The most famous mambo musician was Perez Prado. Mambo quickly spread from Cuba to Puerto Rico and then to New York City. In New York City, mambo found a home in the city’s nightclubs and dance halls.
The 1950s were an important decade for Latin music in the United States. In 1950, Tito Puente released his first album, titled “El Rey de los Timbales” (The King of Timbales). This album established Puente as one of the leading Latin musicians in the United States. Other important Latin musicians of this era include Machito, Ray Barretto, and Johnny Pacheco.
1940s-1960s: The rise of Mexican-American music
In the 1940s, Latin music in the US began to take on a new form as Mexican-American artists started to gain prominence. This new style was a fusion of traditional Mexican music with American jazz and pop, and it quickly became popular with Latino and non-Latino audiences alike. Artists like Gloria Romero, Tito Puente, and Ritchie Valens helped to lead the way, and by the 1960s, Latin music was becoming more mainstream than ever before.
The 1950s and 1960s also saw the rise of Cuban-American music, as Cuban exile communities began to form in major US cities like Miami and New York City. Cuban musicians like Celia Cruz and Tito Puente brought their own unique sound to the Latin music scene, and helped to create a truly diverse and vibrant musical landscape.
1970s-1980s: The explosion of disco and salsa
In the 1970s and 1980s, Latin music in the US underwent a tremendous transformation. Disco music, which had originated in African American and Latino communities in the early 1970s, became extremely popular with a wider American audience. At the same time, salsa, a genre that blended Cuban rhythms with elements of jazz and other styles, also became extremely popular.
In 1978, CBS’s Latin Division was created in order to capitalize on the growing popularity of Latin music. The label released many hugely successful albums by artists such as Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, and Pablo Cruise. The explosion of Latin music in the US during this period was due in part to the increasing number of Latino immigrants who were moving to the country.
By the early 1990s, however, disco and salsa were both in decline in popularity. In response, Latin music in the US began to move in new directions, incorporating more mainstream pop and rock influences.
1990s-present: The rise of reggaeton and Latin pop
In the 1990s, a new wave of Latin music began to take over the American charts, led by artists from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. This new style, known as reggaeton, blended hip-hop and reggae with traditional Latin styles like merengue and salsa. Artists like Daddy Yankee, Wisin & Yandel, and Reykon helped to make reggaeton one of the most popular genres in Latin America and the United States.
In the 2000s, Latin pop music also began to gain traction in the US. Artists like Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Enrique Iglesias mixed pop music with Latin styles to create a sound that was both catchy and accessible to a wide audience. These artists found massive success in the US market, selling millions of records and winning numerous awards.
Today, Latin music is more popular than ever in the United States. Thanks to the success of artists like Romeo Santos, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and Cardi B., Latin music is now regularly topping the Billboard charts and breaking records. It is clear thatLatin music is here to stay!
CBS’s Latin Division
CBS’s Latin Division was established in 1979, and since then, it has been a driving force in the explosion of Latin music in the United States. The Latin Division has helped to launch the careers of some of the biggest stars in Latin music, including Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, and Shakira. It has also been instrumental in bringing Latin music to a wider audience by producing award-winning albums and documentaries, and by promoting Latin music through its radio and television programs.
The origins of CBS’s Latin Division
CBS’s Latin Division was created in the early 1960s in response to the explosion of Latin music in the United States. The division was responsible for signing and promoting Latin artists, as well as overseeing the production of their albums. CBS’s Latin Division was incredibly successful, and helped to launch the careers of some of the biggest Latin stars of all time, including Celia Cruz and Gloria Estefan.
The early years of CBS’s Latin Division
Founded in the early 1950s, CBS’s Latin Division was responsible for the release of many successfulLatin music albums in the United States. The division’s roster included some of the biggest names in Latin music, such as Tito Puente, Frankie Laine, and Carmen Miranda. CBS’s Latin Division was extremely successful in the 1950s and 1960s, releasing several gold and platinum-selling albums. However, the division was dissolved in the early 1970s amid a general decline in interest in Latin music in the United States.
The golden years of CBS’s Latin Division
From the 1950s to the early 1970s, CBS’s Latin Division was the preeminent record label for Latin music in the United States. The label was home to some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, and Poncho Sanchez. During this time, CBS’s Latin Division helped to popularize Latin music in the US and make it more mainstream.
The golden years of CBS’s Latin Division came to an end in the early 1970s, when the company was sold to Warner Bros. However, the legacy of CBS’s Latin Division lives on in the many great artists and recordings that it helped to create.
The present day of CBS’s Latin Division
It is safe to say that the Latin music explosion in the United States would not have been possible without CBS’s Latin Division. In the early days of the division, CBS took a chance on unknown artists like Gloria Estefan and Ricky Martin, who went on to become global superstars. Today, the Latin Division is home to some of the biggest names in Latin music, including J Balvin, Ozuna, and Bad Bunny.
The Latin Division has also been a pioneer in marketing Latin music to mainstream audiences. In recent years, CBS has produced successful crossover campaigns for artists like Shakira and Mana. As a result of these efforts, Latin music is now more popular than ever before in the United States.
The Impact of CBS’s Latin Division
In 1962, CBS created a Latin Division in an attempt to capitalize on the growing popularity of Latin music in the United States. The Latin Division was responsible for signing and promoting Latin artists, as well as producing and distributing Latin music recordings. The impact of CBS’s Latin Division was far-reaching and had a significant impact on the explosion of Latin music in the United States.
The impact of CBS’s Latin Division on the US music industry
In the 1960s, CBS’s Latin Division was responsible for signing and promoting a number of Latin American musical artists who went on to find tremendous success in the United States. These artists included Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, and Selena Quintanilla. The success of these artists helped to launch aLatin music boom in the United States, which continues to this day. The Latin music industry is now worth billions of dollars annually, and it all started with CBS’s Latin Division.
The impact of CBS’s Latin Division on Latin music in the US
In the late 1960s, CBS established a Latin Division to promote and produce music by Latin American artists in the United States. This move had a profound impact on the growth and popularity of Latin music in the US, helping to launch the careers of many famous Latin musicians.
The Latin Division was headed by Cuban-born producer and executive Jose Quiles, who was passionate about promoting Latin music and culture. Under Quiles’s leadership, the Latin Division released groundbreaking albums by artists such as Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Willie Colon. These albums helped to introduce US audiences to the vibrant sounds of Afro-Cuban music, salsa, and other genres of Latin music.
The success of the Latin Division’s releases spurred CBS to sign more Latin artists and produce more albums in a variety of genres. AsLatin music became more popular in the US, CBS’s investment in the genre paid off handsomely. By the early 1980s, Latin music was one of the fastest-growing genres in the country, thanks in large part to CBS’s commitment to promoting it.
The legacy of CBS’s Latin Division
The Latin music explosion in the United States can be traced back to CBS’s Latin Division, which was created in 1962. The division was responsible for signing and promoting some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Gloria Estefan.
The Latin Division helped to introduce Latin music to a mainstream American audience and played a pivotal role in making it one of the most popular genres in the country. Thanks to the work of CBS’s Latin Division, Latin music is now an integral part of the American musical landscape.
