Sunday, June 5, 2011

How Latin Music Has Influenced US Music

By Veronica Mendez


Wherever you go in the country, you can bet that someone there is a fan of Latin Music. Even if you say that you prefer rock and roll or double-step, all of these genres have all been affected by the Hispanic music of the previous century. It's not just the cultural songs and dances of South America that can be called Latin Music, but many of the different sub-genres that have evolved in many cities all throughout the United Sates.

These early developments weren't just influenced by the nearby dances. One dance craze that hit the US was from the Central American country of Argentina. The tango made waves in the early nineteen thirties, and its popularity spread to many other countries around the world. Just like jazz, many musicians adapted the tango beat into their own style. In particular, Hollywood became enamored by the sound and it wasn't too long that some movies featured the tunes into their tracks.

With the rising popularity of the radio and its availability to the masses, many cultural dances became instant hits in many other countries. One of those dances was the Argentinean tango. It wasn't just in the US that it found a fan base; many countries around the world soon featured a bandoneon player in their dance halls. After a few years, the US took the tango and made it its own by incorporating the popular Hollywood musical influences of that time with the strong beats of the Argentine dance.

After a few decades, rock and roll dominated the radio waves, but it wasn't the end of the Hispanic touch. Indeed, the Spanish tinge was still very much in style and it found its way into many popular rock songs.

If you've wondered how much this type of Latin music has influenced your own choice of favorite artists and songs, just take a look at their own influences. It's not unusual to find the top performers today citing an old but popular song or musician as a big inspiration for them.




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