Music Analysis: Popular Mexican Music

Mariachi is one of the most popular and influential music styles in the world. Mariachi stems deep in the roots of Mexican culture, as it has become a major staple of the nation's identity. Mariachi is not only a cultural icon at home, but abroad as well, especially for those who have migrated to the United States. In a place like Los Angeles, Mariachi has a heavy influence on the Mexican population, but what conformities or standardizations did Mariachi go through in its transition to a different place like Los Angeles. In my research, I wanted to go to Mariachis origin in order to fully understand how it has become standardized through its many innovations of style and music. Mariachi has been and continues to be influenced by social, political,

Music plays a huge role in my life. From having a bad day, to turning it to a happier day; and with other songs, they move me. But the type of songs that makes me feel like this is the Mexican music, or “Regional Mexicano”. I have noticed that these types of songs are what most Mexicans prefer to listen to. Usually they listen to them when they are sad about something, probably because his girlfriend left him, or just because he woke up on the wrong side of the bed ha-ha. Or just because Mexicans are happy, they listen to the most joyful songs they can hear.

Selena Quintanilla was known as the “Queen of Tejano music”. She could sing in both the English language and the Spanish language. She was a very famous singer. Unfortunately, she was murdered when the founder of her fan club shot her, this person being Yolanda Saldivar. Movies and musicals were made about her.

Indigenous traditions, European-derived music, and African-inspired musical activity make up the music of Central America, South America, and Mexico.

Selena inspired many people while she was alive and even after her death. Her story and death touched many people. So many people love her, theres a day to celebrate her, Selena Day on April 16. There is a film named “Selena” which allowed other stars to rise to fame, such as Jennifer Lopez. She won’t ever be forgotten, she's still winning awards even after her death. Selena's music is still popular, with more than 7 million albums sold since her death. In the 21st Tejano Music Awards, a NEW Award was added to the ceremony in memory of Selena called "The Selena Lifetime Achievement Award". She made history for latinos. Tejano music is mostly dominated by males so when she, as a female, got famous using that genre of music, many people thought of her as a legend. This allowed other latinos to take pride in their cultural identity. She let them be proud of themselves.

Socially and politically reinforced negative racial perceptions of indigenousness and blackness in Mexico have kept Afro–Mexican musical traditions largely hidden from modern music industry. However, the culture of African-descended populations remains alive in embodied musical practices of Mexico, specifically in the regional music and dance forms preserved in many rural states. Among the most prominent of these living traditions is son jarocho, a musical tradition rooted in resistance of African slaves to colonial oppression in the ports Veracruz. Their musical tradition has endured a history of oppression and silencing by both political and religious forces. Through an analysis of the racially driven institutionalized oppression of son jarocho in its early history and the transition to its current role in the immigrant social movement in Chicano communities, Son jarocho’s political and musical essence has prevailed to influence changes in racial, economic, and gender equality.

First, he contends, “it was due to the role played by local independent Tejano companies committed to recording this type of music after the Second World War.” Two, was the demographic boom in the United States—increased immigration spurred on by the Bracero Program and growing birth rates. Miguel also logs, “the increase in the number of cantinas and pubic dance halls, and of conjunto music in general, was largely a direct result of workers’ migration to the cities.” During this period recording industries and radio in Texas and Northern Mexico increase. Local media and mass media cohabitate in a cultural interspace setting a dynamic tension. As Peña argues, the local or regional media develops marketing strategies that challenge the commodification of culture by grounding the music to community and people’s identity. At the same time, as major record labels like RCA and Decca concentrated on “mainstream American music to the exclusion of more marginal markets such as that of the Mexican community in the United States” local recording companies fill in the vacuum. Peña also notes that the major labels concentrated on the Mexican market, “establishing a permanent studio in Mexico City…[While] Mexican music reigned supreme in radio stations everywhere in the Southwest except Texas, where on many stations conjunto music was simply too much in demand to cede its

Over the years the Mexican Culture has been known to be very diverse compared to the United States. The Mexican culture undergoes different customs and traditions compared to the U.S,they have a very unique way of doing things. The Mexican Culture in my opinion is more put together then the U.S, they have fewer criminal problems and a better government. If you keep reading ahead I will be telling you about the beliefs of Mexicans and their way of doing things unlike the U.S or other countries. Believe it or not the Mexican culture is very diverse but they have a few similarities to the United States.

Of all of the worlds music Flamenco is probably the most misrepresented. For decades people have thought of Flamenco as a soundtrack to two weeks on the beach. Behind the postcard image of Flamenco lies music full of passion and beauty and you do not have to look far to find it. Many people think that Flamenco is a Spanish Folk music. However historically Flamenco was only to be found in one province which was Andalucía. How it became to be synonymous with Spain has much to do with how the country was sold to sun seekers by Western Europe’s most enduring

By the 1920s Los Angeles was booming in Latin music with recording and live performances by Latino artists from the Southwest, New York and the Caribbean. The styles of music that they had in LA we're Banda rap, Chicano Rock, Corrido, Latin jazz, Latin Rock. The vigorous R&B, rock and roll, punk and hip-hop scenes of L.A.’s Chicano Eastside have helped shape American popular music, even as the constant infusion of immigrant laborers from Mexico and Central America continue to provide new musical ideas and identities. Almost half of Los Angeles County’s 9 million residents are

Tito Puente, the Jazz musician, composer, arranger and cultural icon, is known, variously as “king of timbales and mambo”, “sultan of salsa”, and most famously as El Ray - the King - of Latin Music. His Latin identity is often emphasized in a way that is somewhat unusual for Jazz musicians. Indeed, Ella Fitzgerald, or more recently, Diana Krall, do not have their cultural backgrounds so heavily stressed. Perhaps the emphasis on culture stems from the fact that Puente is Latin Music’s most prominent Jazz musician. “Perhaps it stems from more complex issues of nationalism and music culture, as Steven Loza suggests in his fascinating study, Tito Puente and the Making of Latin Music. Nevertheless, a close look at Puente’s background,

The study of music has greatly contributed to the refinement of subcultures. The relationships between music, location and globalization has demonstrated the

Introduction: As mentioned by Gloria Estefan, a woman who has in truth, changed the Latin music world: “The most beautiful thing about Latin music is that it transcends most anything”. Determining from what Estefan has brought up of Latin pop, she seems to have had a great influence to this genre. Consequently, it will be examined how Estefan's music defines this genre and elaborated onto the point of the context and backgrounds of Latin pop. Origination of Latin Pop: Throughout the course of history, Latin Music has been influenced by various factors of society and genres.

Latin Pop and Rock en Español have been shaped by the foreign sounds of Rock, Alternative and Pop music. This paper will elaborate and explain how Salsa is a melting pot for Latin Culture The great migration of Puerto Ricans to New York City in the 1940s influenced the birth of Salsa. Harvest Of Empire written by Juan Rodriguez shows how the migration of Puerto Ricans to the United States had a great influence on music and culture developed at that time. Puerto Ricans would be known as NewYorkRicans and Salsa would later become their identity.

Flamenco is a Spanish musical genre that embodies a complex musical and cultural tradition (New World Encyclopedia). Although considered part of the culture of Spain in general, flamenco actually originates from Andalusia (New World Encyclopedia). However, it is thought to be influenced by many world cultures, including Latin American, Cuban and Jewish traditions. Flamenco dance and music became popular in the early 19th century as café entertainment (wonderopolis). Flamenco is more popular today both in Spain and abroad due to the new generation of flamenco performers who have broadened flamenco’s appeal internationally (Spanish fiesta, 2015). Flamenco is made up of three parts: guitar playing ("guitarra"), song ("cante") and dance ("baile") (wonderopolis)