Salsa, Reggaeton, and Merengue: The Spanish Music Genres

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Salsa
Merengue
Reggeaton
Conclusion
Work Cited

Introduction

The Spanish culture is one of the most famous in the world due to its authenticity. The sphere of music did not become an exception, where a lot of Latin genres appeared. They are different from both European classics and Asian motifs, which unites them into a separate group. On the example of several of the most common genres, it is necessary to find out the history of their creation, as well as the main distinctive elements.

Salsa

One of the most significant genres for Spanish music and Latin American culture in general is salsa. The genre itself originated at the very end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. The official name or term “salsa” is attributed to Tito Puente, who was the king of the mambo (Castelo-Branco and Fernández 53). Salsa is a temperamental genre, which allowed it to quickly develop and gain popularity. By the 1930s, salsa had spread throughout the Latin American continent. There were more and more performers, more people who liked this dance (Castelo-Branco and Fernández 54). For me, the most striking composition in the salsa genre is El Cantante by Hector Lavoe. The song has a cheerful, danceable character, and the melody uses traditional Spanish guitars and drums, and sometimes castanets. In addition, a characteristic 4/4 time signature is heard, which is different from other genres.

Merengue

The next important and most widely spread genre is merengue, which originated in the Dominican Republic. This genre is one of the most widespread and incendiary dances in the world. Previously, it was not so popular, but in recent years it has managed to conquer many people living outside of Latin and North America (Castelo-Branco and Fernández 21). The merengue dance has existed since the early days of the Dominican Republic. For me, the most striking song of this genre is Mi PC by Juan Luis Guerra, because this song is extremely fast and fun, it has all the elements of the genre. Firstly, it is the rhythmic tempo, which does not change with the continuation of the song and maintains its speed. Secondly, the song consists of three parts, namely rhythmic, melodic and vocal. Finally, merengue is characterized by the use of guira and tamboro. In this song it is possible to hear both instruments, the essence of which is to add a beat to which you can dance.

Reggeaton

The third genre that most clearly characterizes Spanish culture is reggaeton. This genre originated in the 70s of the last century, when Jamaican emigrants brought with them a new musical style of reggae for the United States. Incendiary motives quickly conquered the youth, however, the authorities categorically suppressed the development of this musical direction (Castelo-Branco and Fernández 78). Frivolity, vulgarity and excessive frankness of the dance did not correspond to the moral principles of the government, so all attempts to organize discos for reggaeton were suppressed by the police. The dance gained recognition and popularity only in the 90s, thanks to Gerardo Krueta, Dj Playero and Dj Negro, who managed to radically change the opinion of society (Castelo-Branco and Fernández 79). For me, the most interesting song of the genre is Head to Toe by Sean Paul. The fact is that this composition has an unusual and vivid motive, which is typical for the entire genre. Separately, it is worth noting the unusual tools with which the beat is made. The author’s style of singing corresponds to the character of reggaeton, namely, relatively vulgar and unprincipled.

Conclusion

On the example of salsa, reggaeton and merengue, it is clearly seen that Spanish genres are unique and unrepeatable. Their evocativeness is condemned by the fact that for the most part they are extremely fast, cheerful and rhythmic. Thus, one can argue about their light and free character, which is complemented by traditional Latin musical instruments. At the same time, it is worth emphasizing that each genre is fundamentally different from the other without looking at some similarities. Based on this, the musical Latin culture is extremely multifaceted and immense.

Work Cited

Castelo-Branco, Salwa E. and Fernández, Susana M. Music in Portugal and Spain. Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. Oxford University Press, 2019.

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Salsa, Reggaeton, and Merengue: The Spanish Music Genres

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