Latin Music

From LoveToKnow Music

Latin music does not refer to one single style of music but rather encompasses the rich and vibrant beats of a variety of genres that originate from the Latin American world. The music is a melting pot of influences from around the globe, with a mixture of indigenous instruments to styles popular in Europe, the US and the English speaking Caribbean. In terms of world music, Latin music is one of the top selling genres.

First Things First – Latin Music Defined

Latin music is defined by both region and genre. Taking region first, Latin music is music from Latin America – that is to say that although the so-called “Latin” world includes parts of Europe, especially Spain and Portugal, Latin music specifically comes from Central America, South America and the non-English speaking Caribbean. Predominantly, the languages used in Latin music are Spanish and Portuguese, but there is also some French and Latin based Creole and patios, especially in the music from Dominica and Haiti.

In terms of genre, there are several different styles of music that fall into this category but they all share a few basic influences and characteristics. Some of these characteristics include:

  • Syncopation – Syncopation is the practice of placing musical accents on the weak beats in the song instead of the strong one. It is a very distinctive style and apparent in many Latin musical styles.
  • Rhythm driven – Most Latin songs are driven by rhythm rather than melody. The rhythm comes from heavy use of percussion instruments.
  • Decima – Ten line songs with eight syllables in each line

Influence for Latin music is global. Although there are some indigenous music influences, musicologists believe that the role they have played overall in shaping the sound of Latin songs is negligible, simply because the area is so large and so many of the indigenous groups live in such isolated areas. Far more important influences are African music, European music, especially that from Spain and Portugal, American jazz, and the music of the English speaking Caribbean – especially reggae and calypso.

Latin Genres of Music

Some of the genres of music most associated with the Latin world are:

  • Salsa
  • Meringue
  • Latin Jazz
  • Tango
  • Samba
  • Cumbia
  • Boleros
  • Mariachis
  • Kompa
  • Bomba
  • Plena
  • Huayno
  • Gaita
  • Bachata
  • Mariba
  • Tejano
  • Reggaeton
  • Bossa Nova

Latin American Music in Focus: Tropicalia

One of the best known and most influential styles of Latin music is the Brazilian Tropicalia, also known as Tropicalismo. Tropicalia rose to prominence in the 1960s and was part of a broader cultural revolution in Brazil that also encompassed film, literature, politics and art. Tropicalia music was inspired by avant garde poetry, especially a group of avant garde poets active in Brazil beginning in the late 1950s.

Musicially, Tropicalia was a mixture of Portuguese fado music with bossa nova, jazz, rock, Bahian folk and percussion based African music. The musicians were also very active politically; one of the brightest stars, Gilberto Gil, was detained by the military regime in Brazil for nine months for his campaigns for democracy. The ties between the musicians and the political arena helped stunt the growth of the genre in the 80s, but it rose to popularity again beginning in the 1980s. Gil still performs as a musician and is also now a politician.

Tropicalia has been a source of inspiration for many musicians, especially David Byrne, Arto Lindsey and Beck. In the mid 1990s, Os Mutantes, one of the central groups in Tropicalia, experienced a resurgence of popularity in the American indie rock scene. Since then, Brazilian music, especially music from the Tropicalia era, remains extremely popular among indie musicians.

Listen to Latin Songs for Free

Are you new to the world of Latin music? For music lovers, there is much to discover here. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend any money to begin exploring all of these rich and varied musical styles. You can download and stream Latin songs for free here from LTK Music. Check out our free Latin music downloads list.

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