As an avid listener of old-school Latin music, I was interested in finding out why this eccentric genre is not generally pushed through mainstream music anymore. It has remained a strong force throughout the years, with 2023 being the biggest year for number 1 Latin hits on Spotify, mainly generated by the Latino community itself. Back in the ‘70s, the likes of Jorge Ben Jor, Fania All Stars and Eddie Palmieri were hugely influential across Western media, in the way they mixed traditional sounds of salsa, samba rock and jazz to create unique fusions of Latin and American culture. Their presence within the music industry has brought together a diverse audience, ignoring cultural and linguistic barriers that have pervaded society for centuries. Even before then, in the 1950s, Afro-Cuban jazz and dance crazes, like the ‘mambo’, swept through American music, before being transformed into the salsa music that became the voice of Spanish Harlem.
So what happened? It seems today that music from Central and South America has sunk further away from public view in recent years, with listeners such as myself having to look beyond radio and streaming to find traditional artists. An example of a longstanding genre that has been subjected to radical change is Reggaeton. It is a genre that has had to evolve a lot to stay relevant to the times, even though it stands as an original essence of the Latino soul. This is apparent when comparing songs such as Tengo Calderon’s ‘Pa’Que Retozen’ to newer sounds, in which artists are starting to incorporate funk from Brazil and Argentina into its original beat. Brazilian artist Anitta, who has recently blown up in the Spanish-Latin market, is an example of an artist who fuses these different genres together, and one who has contributed to the rise of modern Latin music. Although it is understandable that the revolutionary sounds of the 20th century are being replaced by contemporary music, it is still puzzling that even upcoming Latin artists are not receiving the recognition that they have rightfully earned.
Take Kali Uchis, a Colombian-American singer-songwriter, known for her genre-defying mix of Latin soul and R&B. I struggle to understand why artists such as Uchis are rarely broadcasted on mainstream services, with radio hosts commonly opting for the safe choice of Taylor Swift or Dua Lipa. Her play on words, often combining Spanish and English songwriting techniques, may have something to do with it, as Western music is dominated by English-speaking artists. With that being said, the 21st century has arguably birthed some of the biggest and most popular Latin musicians we have ever seen, with contemporary artists such as Rosalia and Alicia te Quiero rising to fame over the last five years. Similarly, in 2022, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny made it to No.1 on the USA Billboard’s Top Artist chart of the year, with his hit album Un Verano Sin Ti also reaping success. So, will Latin music ever come out on top? Whether this recent rise in popularity has been generated by Spanish listeners or a more broad fanbase, it proves that this vibrant, creative and soulful genre can one day lead the way in exploring and crossing musical boundaries, as it once did before its modern evolution.
