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Latin Music Songs for Beginners

By , About.com Guide

One of the best ways of getting into a new kind of music is by creating a connection with something that you already like. The following playlist of Latin music songs has been divided according to various genres. Whether you are into Hip-Hop, Rock or Jazz, I am truly conviced you can find in this list something you may like. Hopefully, this list can help you to find your way through the wonderful sounds of Latin music.

If You Are Into Rock...

Photo Courtesy AriolaPhoto Courtesy Ariola

There is plenty of music in this field. However, I would like to highlight some of the tracks that defined the golden era of Rock en Espanol as well as those from some of today's most popular Latin Rock artists. The following are my music suggestions for Rock fans:

If You Are Into Hip-Hop and Rap...

Photo Courtesy SurcoPhoto Courtesy Surco

Latin Urban music is one of the hottest genres in Latin music. Thanks to the influence of American Hip-Hop and Rap as well as the recent popularity of Reggaeton, there are several tracks that can seduce all of those who are into Hip-Hop and Rap. The following are some ideas:

If You Are Into Jazz...

Photo Courtesy Red General CatalogPhoto Courtesy Red General Catalog

My music picks in this field fall into two main categories: Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz and Brazilian Jazz. While the former has been shaped by the beats of Cuban music, the latter has been mostly defined by Bossa Nova. If you are into Jazz, you will probably like these Latin music songs:

If You Are Into Alternative and Indie Music...

Photo Courtesy Sony U.S. LatinPhoto Courtesy Sony U.S. Latin

In recent years, there has been an explosion of Latin Alternative music. Several artists in Latin America and the US have been producing some of today's coolest tunes. The following selection includes classic and contemporary tracks for those who are into Alternative and non-mainstream sounds:

If You Are Into Blues...

Photo Courtesy Universal LatinoPhoto Courtesy Universal Latino

There are not that many Latin music songs that incorporate Blues. However, very often when a Latin music artist brings Blues into a song, the result can be quite pleasant. The following are my picks for people who are into Blues:

If You Are Into Pop...

Photo Courtesy WEA LatinaPhoto Courtesy WEA Latina

Besides the hits from well known artists like Shakira, Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, I would like to share with you the next ideas regarding Latin Pop music:

If You Are Into Punk...

Photo Courtesy CulebraPhoto Courtesy Culebra

Lots of Latin Rock bands have produced songs defined by styles such as Punk and Ska. For instance, the first albums produced by the popular Colombian band Aterciopelados had a very Punk sound. The following are a couple of titles that may appeal to fans of these genres.

If You Are Into Country Music...

Photo Courtesy FonovisaPhoto Courtesy Fonovisa

This is probably the toughest category to match just because Country music has different flavors in different nations throughout Latin America. Some of this expression include Sertaneja music from Brazil, Llanera music from Colombia and Venezuela, and Norteno from Mexico. That said, I think the following Latin music songs may be appealing to American Country music fans:

If You Are Into Dance Music and Electronica...

Photo Courtesy Luaka BopPhoto Courtesy Luaka Bop

Nowadays, Cuban-American rapper Pitbull is one of the most popular Latin music stars of the Dance genre. Besides Pitbull, other Latin music artists have been mixing Dance and Electronic beats with traditional flavors from the Americas. Let's take a look at some tracks:

If You Are Into Heavy Metal...

Photo Courtesy Roadrunner RecordsPhoto Courtesy Roadrunner Records

The popularity that Heavy Metal enjoy around the world has been also embraced by some Latin bands. Apart from the famous Brazilian group Sepultura, there are other bands that have estabished a Heavy Metal presence within the Latin music world. The following are just a couple of tracks for Heavy Metal fans:

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