The expression “Latin music” has been gaining more prominence on the world scene, especially due to the fact that artists who sing in Spanish increasingly appear in more events and places where previously only English was heard. With a greater or lesser presence of traditional rhythms from different parts of Latin America, the latest generations have been conquering the commercial and popular space with increasing force.
Latin emigration and songs
As is known, the slave system led many Africans to populate the American continent and, in the United States, years later, this led to the emergence of black music in commercial music in the country and also in the rest of the world. In the same way, the constant emigration from Spanish-speaking America has caused, a few generations later, the appearance and acceptance of South American rhythms, more or less transfigured, in the mass media and in its international influence. What for generations was a neighborhood music in many American cities that emigrants had brought with them on their journey, was little by little gaining ground in the so-called mainstream, or main current and center of the music industry.
What do we understand, then, by Latin music?
Latin music is the label given to the set of Latin American rhythms that have triumphed in some way among the general public and, above all, in the North American music industry and, let's say, international taste in recent years. Bachata, vallenato, cumbia and a long list of styles from different countries were heard for decades in Latin communities and, occasionally, had international repercussions to some extent. If during the 20th century artists such as Antonio Machín, Celia Cruz or Buena Vista Social Club, among others, had their moments of glory, the scope of their commercial success was limited, in part, by the physical business model at that time, as well as due to the limitations of dissemination and advertising on a global scale. Carlos Vives, Shakira and Juanes were some of the Latin American artists who crossed their borders around the turn of the century and, in some way, paved the way for new music and musicians who, in the 21st century, have burst onto the charts, radio and streaming all over the planet. Reggaeton, perhaps as the spearhead, with its multiple nuances, definitely opened a commercial gap in the United States, which, being the main producer and exporter of music in the world, opened the doors to success in practically all of them. parts.
The rhythm, the attitude and the protest
Although the origin or root of current Latin music is found in the folkloric traditions of the southern regions, in many cases a rural origin, what we know as Latin music in its form and global projection is considered urban music, since It has developed in city neighborhoods, to a large extent.
The Puerto Rican connection, especially, with its status as an unincorporated territory but associated with the United States, was a protagonist with Daddy Yankee, for example, in the commercial penetration of Latin music. Following the evolution of what is sometimes called Caribbean Hip Hop, adding a characteristic flow derived from the use of the Spanish language and walking to the beat of the famous dembow, a solid base was formed for reggaeton artists and other elements to find the right point of originality, exoticism and accessibility for the general public. For the North American public, the rhythmic element, the novelty itself, the dance potential and the uninhibited attitude were tempting and, with Miami and its producers and mixers as the entry channel, adjusting the sound of these new proposals to the majority taste, resulted in a practically inevitable seduction. For the artists, on the other hand, the vindication of their origins and their rights as first-class citizens, often with considerable political weight in their themes, gave strength and credibility to their figures as representatives of millions of real people from those times. corners of the world. And we cannot forget the aesthetic and visual component, which went hand in hand with the music and also integrated Hip hop, simply Pop and the colorful and peculiar Latin styles.
International Latin artists
As we have said, since ancient times, the Latin imprint has been present in popular genres born in North America. Jazz, Rock, Pop and other musical genres had Spanish-speaking representatives and received musical influences with distinctive contributions. Throughout the 20th century, Bamba, Santana, Los del Río and some other songs and artists had successes in the North American market, but they were, in a way, isolated exceptions. At the end of the century, with Gloria Stefan, Ricky Martin or Shakira, among others, the Latin presence in the media and the consumption of this type of music by English-speaking audiences around the world increased until, in the 20th century, , with the song “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and the consolidation of the so-called urban music, Latin music, in its enormous variety, began to become omnipresent.
Calle 13 and Residente, later, J Balvin, Bad Bunny or Rosalía herself, among many others, have been adding success and authority both to their own musical proposals and their commercial impact as well as to the group that we know as Latin music.
Conclusions
Anyway, Latin is in fashion, as they say. Especially the genres that have adopted Hip Hop elements or characteristics of contemporary Pop, have been having more and more presence and importance in the commercial framework of music and their popularity has spread throughout the world. With contemporary sounds, Trap influences, on the one hand, or black music in its multiple forms, Latin styles have infiltrated almost every relevant level of current music. With avant-garde or harsh touches, sometimes, and with resources of local music or traditional emotion, Latin remains unstoppable and vital in its journey to the top of the music business. Whether we like it more or less, the fact is that so much modern music in Spanish has never been heard throughout the world. Whatever it is, let's write songs, how we feel them, how this crazy world that we have had to live in resonates with us. How long it lasts or what remains only time will tell. #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_form { } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_column_with_background { padding: 10px; } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_form_column:not(:first-child) { margin-left: 20px; } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_paragraph { line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_segment_label, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_text_label, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_textarea_label, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_select_label, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_radio_label, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_checkbox_label, 3 .mailpoet_list_label, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_date_label { display: block; font-weight: normal; } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_text, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_textarea, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_select, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_date_month, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_date_day, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_date_year, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_date { display :block; } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_text, #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_textarea { width: 200px; } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_checkbox { } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_submit { } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_divider { } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_message { } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_form_loading { width: 30px; text-align: center; line-height: normal; } #mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_form_loading > span { width: 5px; height: 5px; background-color: #5b5b5b; }#mailpoet_form_3{border: 1px solid #fcb900;border-radius: 40px;text-align: center;}#mailpoet_form_3 form.mailpoet_form {padding: 20px;}#mailpoet_form_3{width: 70%;}#mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_message {margin : 0; padding: 0 20px;}#mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_paragraph.last {margin-bottom: 0} @media (max-width: 500px) {#mailpoet_form_3 {background-image: none;}} @media (min-width: 500px) { #mailpoet_form_3 .last .mailpoet_paragraph:last-child {margin-bottom: 0}} @media (max-width: 500px) {#mailpoet_form_3 .mailpoet_form_column:last-child .mailpoet_paragraph:last-child {margin-bottom: 0}} Please leave this field emptyDo you write songs or would you like to?
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