This post has been sitting in my drafts for a while now but with recent big singles in the Latin Rock space, I figured it was finally time to pull it all together. Especially now that Juanes’s latest project Origen is out (read our review here), it’s time to talk about the genre.
Juanes, Mana, Soda Stereo, and others immediately come to mind when Latin rock is mentioned. Other artists have dabbled in rock over the years. Artists like Bad Bunny have even dipped his toes into the Latin rock pool with songs like Yo Visto Asi and Tenemos Que Hablar.
Before we really get into this, we need to talk about the differences between Latin Rock and Rock en Espanol.
Latin Rock
Latin Rock is its own genre. Generally speaking, it’s a combination of Rock music (at its core) with local genres and varieties. For example, Juanes’s La Camisa Negra is Rock at its core but with a gaucho twist.
Other forms of Latin Rock have sprouted up across South America. One of the leaders in forging new genres and musical experiences was Soda Stereo. The Argentinean group was a pioneer in mixing alt rock with a number of local genres. Their influence has been felt throughout the Latin scene since their breakup in 1997. Their song Tratame Suavemente was the subject of last week’s Throwback Thursday.
Probably the most recognizable Latin Rock song of all time is La Bamba. The song was originally a Mexican folk song from Veracruz. Valens, initially reluctant to use a Mexican folk song, eventually came around to not only performing the song but performed it in Spanish. The result was a massive hit that brought Latin music into the mainstream. The song transformed what people in the US thought music could sound like, especially as it related to hearing a song in Spanish.
Carlos Santana is also credited with helping to pionner the genre of Latin rock. His combination of Latin jazz with American rock has earned him credit as one of the greatest guitar players of all time. His impact crossed over with songs like “Maria Maria” and “Smooth” in the 1990s.
Rock en Español
This is a little more obvious and easy to understand. This is just rock and roll in the Spanish language. In that sense, it is very much an umbrella term. While Latin artists fall into this category, you will also find a number of mainstream American artists who have recorded in Spanish.
One of the earliest examples of rock en Español comes from Jay and the Americans. Jay and the Americans were one of those classic American rock bands from the 1960s. They never reached the pinnacle of American rock but put out a number of hits. One of their biggest hits was their 1964 song “Come A Little Bit Closer”. While not as popular, they re-recorded the track in Spanish. If it sounds familiar, it’s because it was featured in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel that came out in 2017.
Further on, bands like the Chilean group La Ley carried the traditions of Latin rock and rock en español forward. While they certainly skewed toward the aforementioned Latin Rock category, songs like “Ya no estas” which was released in 2016 certainly fit in well with the mainstream of American rock.
The State of Latin Rock
Juanes has been the standard bearer for Latin rock over the last decade or two. While Juanes is the leader, there are plenty who follow in his steps. Artists like Mana Cafe Tabuca, and No Te Va Gustar have helped carry the torch over the years.
As I mentioned in the opener, there are plenty of artists who flirt with rock. Bad Bunny is a great example but artists like Khea and Dani Martin are probably even better examples.
Beyond artists like those I just mentioned, it’s hard to really pinpoint any artist that’s really a leader in the genre. It’s also uncommon to see rock artists dominating the chart. The same trend is occuring in the US market. Despite a small resurgence in pop punk, there’s been a major lack of hard rock artists that have been able to dominate the charts like bands of yore.
Personally, I’ll always believe there’s an important place for Latin rock in music. Case in point, Juanes’s newest album is our highest rated album of the year so far. Bad Bunny’s latest album also had a number of rock influences which really distinguished it from other releases in the urban space.
It looks like the direction of the genre, for now, will be to adapt and latch on to urban artists. Latin pop will also continue to influence the direction of the genre, but to a much lesser degree. It remains to be seen if in either English or Latin music rock will reemerge once again or if rap and urban music will continue their reign.