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Latin

 
 

Description of Latin

 
Today more than ever, no single style defines Latin music. In much of the United States and Mexico, regional Mexican styles dominate, with Banda, Cumbia and Norteno musicians vying for space with slicker Latin Pop stars on the airwaves. Latin Pop itself gravitates between pop, traditional, and -- increasingly -- American hip-hop and R&B influences. Salsa and Merengue have ballooned beyond their Caribbean origins and are the soundtrack for dance parties around the world. The leftist songwriters of the Nueva Cancion movement revived pride in regional styles, while Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla raised the bandoneon to the status of a lead instrument and transformed Tango. Regardless of the genre, there is a palpable joy at the heart of Latin America's vivacious music, and Latin artists will continue to be major players on the world stage.
 

Latin Key Artists

 
Aterciopelados

Colombia's premier rock
group hinges on the twice
Grammy-nominated
songwriting team of Andrea
Echeverri and Hector Buit...

Aventura

This New York-based boy
band dresses bachata up in
hip-hop and R&B influences.
Singer/songwriter Anthony
Santos heads the group, t...

Cafe Tacvba

This unconventional
Mexican rock band is at the
vanguard of Latin Rock.
You'll hear everything from
Cumbia to Industrial. 1999'...

Celia Cruz

Cuba's enduring queen of
Salsa, Celia Cruz entranced
fans with her huge voice
and innovative style for
over four decades. Growi...

Daddy Yankee

Puerto Rican reggaeton
superstar Daddy Yankee
launched his rep in 2004
with the hit single
"Gasolina." Daddy Yankee'...

Jose Alfredo Jimenez

Jose Alfredo Jimenez was
one of the most loved and
talented romantic singers in
the history of Mexican
music. Miguel Aceves Meji...

Juan Luis Guerra

Massively popular in his
native Dominican Republic,
Guerra has achieved
success worldwide. Juan
Luis Guerra won six Latin...

Juanes

Talented, original,
self-made, a
singer-songwriter and
guitarist -- Juanes is
everything pop stars usua...

Julieta Venegas

Venegas, once one of
Mexico's up-and-coming
alternative
singer-songwriters, now
tops the pop charts. She's...

Los Tigres del Norte

Los Tigres have been
pushing quality
Tex-Mex/Norteno for over
three decades and they're
still going strong. Los Tigr...

Mana

Mexican rockers Mana have
won four Grammy Awards
and taken home five Latin
Grammys. The band are
rabid environmentalists; t...

Manu Chao

A Latin Rock star turned
genre-bender, Chao's
delightfully eclectic solo
work is hugely popular with
world music audiences. M...

Marc Anthony

Bespectacled salsero Marc
Anthony began as a
songwriter but quickly
became a Salsa superstar
with a slew of hits in the '...

RBD

A pop group spawned by
the highly successful
telenovela "Rebelde," RBD
includes the six hot young
stars from the series. Com...

Shakira

Colombia's prodigal
daughter, Shakira has
garnered Latin Grammys,
critical accolades and
popular success for her s...

Soda Stereo

A seminal group who arose
after the demise of
Argentina's military
government, Soda Stereo
were relentlessly innovati...

Electronics

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