Latin American Music Styles: A Comprehensive List
A list of popular Latin American music styles including Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, and Reggaeton.
Introduction
Latin American music is as varied as the countries that make up the region. From the traditional mariachi music of Mexico to the cutting-edge electronic music of Brazil, there is a seemingly endless array of sounds and styles to explore.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular and influential Latin American music styles, from well-known genres like samba and tango to lesser-known styles like vallenato and cumbia. We’ll also learn about the history and origins of each style, and listen to some of the most iconic songs in each genre. So whether you’re a fan of Latin American music or just curious to learn more, read on for a crash course in Latin American music history and culture!
Salsa
Salsa is a popular type of Latin American music that is enjoyed by people all over the world. It originated in Cuba and is now popular in many other countries, including the United States, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, and Mexico. Salsa music is often lively and upbeat, and it can be danced to by people of all ages. The lyrics of salsa songs often deal with themes of love, loss, and heartbreak.
Samba
Samba is a lively, rhythmical dance of Brazilian origin in 2/4 time danced to samba music. It is characterized by its fast tempo, syncopated rhythms and distinctive bounce. Samba is danced in a group and often includes both partners dancing side-by-side as well as individually and in counterclockwise circles. Thebasic samba step is a quick side-to-side movement of the feet, followed by a heel-toe touch.
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a music style that originated in Puerto Rico in the late 1990s. It is a mix of reggae, hip hop and Latin American music, with lyrics in Spanish. Reggaeton is very popular in Latin American countries, as well as in the United States and other parts of the world. Some of the most popular reggaeton artists include Daddy Yankee, J Balvin and Bad Bunny.
Bachata
Bachata is a genre of Latin American music that originated in the Dominican Republic in the early 1960s. It is typically played on acoustic guitar and features a distinctive rhythm that is heavily syncopated. Bachata has grown in popularity throughout the world and is now one of the most popular genres of Latin music.
The original style of bachata was influenced by Cuban bolero, Dominican merengue, and Mexican ranchera. The most distinguishing feature of bachata is its use of strict 4/4 time, which sets it apart from other Latin American music styles such as salsa and mambo. Bachata also typically features a lot of guitar strumming, which gives it a distinctive sound.
Bachata became popular in the early 1990s with the release of Luis Miguel’s album “Romance,” which featured several Bachata-style songs. Since then, many other artists have recorded Bachata albums, and the genre has become enormously popular throughout Latin America, North America, and Europe.
Merengue
Merengue is a genre of music and dance originating in the Dominican Republic, which has become one of the most popular forms of Latin dance. The style is typified by a fast-paced,2 4-beat rhythm, and features horn-heavy instrumentation.3
The name “merengue” was first used in the early 19th century.4 5 It is derived from the French word meringue,6 which in turn comes from the Portuguese word for egg white (merengo or meringo), cognate with Spanish merengada and Catalan meringada.7 8 Merengue may have evolved from African traditional music brought to Hispaniola by enslaved Africans,9 or it may be a creolized form of French contredanse music played on traditional Afro-Caribbean instruments such as güiros, tamboritas and maracas.10
The earliest mention of the word “merengue” was in 1823, in a poem by Haitian poet Thomas Vincenty Riggio.11 The first known recording of merengue was made in 1912 by Manuel Ortiz on the Victor Talking Machine Company (now RCA Victor), which released it under the title “Lindy Hop Mambo.”12
In the 1930s and 1940s, big bands such as those led by Rafael de Paz and Xavier Cugat popularized merengue internationally with songs such as “Coco Loco” and “Ríe y Llora.”13 In 1979, Johnny Ventura’s song “El Niagara en Bicicleta” helped bring merengue back to its folk roots,14 while singer Toño Rosario’s 1980 hit single “El Muñeco de Trapo” helped to give merengue a more modern sound.15
Since then, merengue has been embraced by all sectors of society in the Dominican Republic and has become that country’s most popular musical style,16 as well as one of the most popular genres of Latin music worldwide.
Cumbia
Cumbia is a folkloric genre and danced throughout Mexico and Central and South America. Cumbia began as a courtship dance between the lower classes in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Costa Rica. The traditional instruments of cumbia music include drums (the tambora and the bomba), bass (the güira or maracas), a guiro, and brass instruments. Cumbia is often played at family gatherings, festivals, and other special occasions.
Veracruzano is a variation of cumbia that originated in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The music is characterized by its use of jarocho instruments, such as the jarana jarocha (a small guitar) and the requinto (a small guitar with four strings). Veracruzano cumbia is often played at fiestas and other celebrations.
Mexican cumbia became popular in the 1940s with groups like Los Apson and Los Teen Tops. In the 1950s, Mexican singer Lucha Villa popularized cumbia with her hit song “La Cucaracha”. In recent years, Mexican band Porter has fused cumbia with rock to create a unique sound.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our comprehensive list of Latin American music styles! As you can see, there is a huge range of genres and subgenres to explore, from the well-known (like salsa and merengue) to the lesser-known (like cumbia villera and champeta).
So get out there and start listening! And if you want to learn more about Latin American music, check out our Latin American Music History course.
