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Recorded Authors for the Archive of Hispanic Literature on Tape

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Recorded Authors for the Archive of Hispanic Literature on Tape (Hispanic Reading Room, Hispanic Division, Area Studies, Library of Congress).

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About this Item

Title

450 Years of Spanish Poetry in the United States

Summary

The Hispanic Division and Argentinian-American poet Luis Alberto Ambroggio sponsored the celebration of "450 Years of Spanish Poetry Written in the United States." Poet and translator Moraima de Semprun Donahoe read poems by Odon Betanzos, who could not attend due to health reasons. Other readers included Chicano poet Tino Villanueva, Ambroggio, Puerto Rican poet Naomi Ayala and Cuba-American poet Maricel Mayor Marsan.

Event Date

September 22, 2006

Notes

- Maricel Mayor Marsan is a Cuban-American poet.

- Naomi Ayala makes her residence in Washington, D.C., where, until recently, she served as the coordinator for curriculum and instruction at the National Council of La Raza's Center for Community Educational Excellence and the program director for Celebra la Ciencia: The Hispanic Community Science Festivals Project of the Self Reliance Foundation and the Hispanic Radio Network. As a freelance writer and consultant, Ayala currently helps develop, edit and promote curricula and other educational materials - in both her native Spanish as well as English - for innovative education programs and national organizations. She runs professional development workshops for teachers, conducts specialized residencies in public and private schools (K-12), while presenting her poetry to diverse audiences around the U.S. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Teaching for Change, and serves as an advisor on its Teaching for Equity advisory board. Ayala is the author of one book of poetry, "Wild Animals on the Moon" (Curbstone, 1997), selected by the New York City Public Library as one of 1999's Books for the Teen Age. Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies around the U.S. and beyond - among them, Callaloo, The Village Voice, The Caribbean Writer, The Massachusetts Review, Red River and Potomac Reviews, Hanging Loose and Terra Incognita. Ayala is the recipient of the 2001 Larry Neal Writers Award for Poetry of the District of Columbia's Commission on the Arts and Humanities, received Special Congressional Recognition for Community Service from U.S. Congresswoman Rosa deLauro, the Connecticut Latinas in Leadership Award, the Trailblazer Arts Award and the 2000 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy of Environmental Justice Award.

- Luis Alberto Ambroggio is the author of nine collections of poetry published in Argentina, Costa Rica, Spain and the United States. He was recently appointed to the Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Espanola (North American Academy of the Spanish Language). His poetry has also been selected for the Archives of Hispanic-American Literature of the Library of Congress.

- Born on December 11, 1941, in San Marcos, Texas, Tino Villanueva worked as a migrant worker, assembly-line worker and an army supply clerk. He is the founder of Imagine Publishers, Inc., and editor of "Imagine: International Chicano Poetry Journal." Author of the book length poem "Scene from the Movie GIANT" (Curbstone, 1993), Villanueva has published three other volumes of poetry, "Hay Otra Voz Poems," "Shaking Off the Dark" and "Chronicle of My Worst Years/ Cronica de mis anos peores." Villanueva won the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation for "Scene from the Movie GIANT" in 1994. He teaches at Boston University.

Related Resources

Poetry Resources at the Library: https://www.loc.gov/poetry/

Hispanic Reading Room: https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/

Running Time

1 hours 28 minutes 48 seconds

Online Format

video

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Credit Line: Library of Congress

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Chicago citation style:

450 Years of Spanish Poetry in the United States. 2006. Video. https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-3921/.

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(2006) 450 Years of Spanish Poetry in the United States. [Video] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-3921/.

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450 Years of Spanish Poetry in the United States. 2006. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/webcast-3921/>.

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450 Years of Spanish Poetry in the United States

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The Hispanic Division and Argentinian-American poet Luis Alberto Ambroggio sponsored the celebration of "450 Years of Spanish Poetry Written in the United States." Poet and translator Moraima de Semprun Donahoe read poems by Odon Betanzos, who could not attend due to health reasons.

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¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now

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In the 1960s, activist Chicano artists forged a remarkable history of printmaking that remains vital today. Many artists came of age during the civil rights, labor, anti-war, feminist and LGBTQ+ movements and channeled the period's social activism into assertive aesthetic statements that announced a new political and cultural consciousness among people of Mexican descent in the United States.

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Celebrate Latino artists from across the Americas

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You likely recognize that the depiction of Latin American immigrants in politics today - as a menacing mass of recalcitrant Spanish-speaking invaders - is overwhelmingly negative.

What you may not know is that stereotypes suggesting that Latin Americans represent a threat to United States culture are not just morally repugnant - they're also historically inaccurate. Spanish-language literature actually predates the Puritans' writing in English by nearly a century.

As my research reveals, many renowned Latin American writers actually produced some of their finest work while living in the United States. Latina and Latino writers have made exceptional contributions to American literary history.

For a fresh take on what it means to be a Latina or Latino in the U.S. today, check out these five literary luminaries.

1. José Martí (Cuba, 1853-1895)

For Cubans, José Martí is the equivalent of George Washington, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman combined. Born in 1853 in Havana, Cuba, Martí wrote the bulk of his 28 volumes of prose, poetry and speeches in late 19th-century New York.

Working as a diplomat, translator, Spanish teacher and journalist, Martí interpreted current events and cultural questions from his office on Front Street, in lower Manhattan's South Street Seaport.

Wikipedia

He witnessed immigrants arriving by the boatload to New York - except the Chinese, who were banned in 1882. He knew about the lynching of black Americans and of atrocities against Native Americans. These stories found their way into Martí's thinking about Latin America and its diaspora in the United States.

Martí also wrote dazzling accounts of New York, his adopted hometown, likening the cables of the brand-new Brooklyn Bridge to sated "colossal boa constrictors" resting atop towers.

Upon the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty in 1886, Martí alluded to the fact that his distant island home, Cuba, remained a Spanish colony: "Those who have you, O Liberty, do not know you. Those deprived of you must not merely talk about, they must win you."

Martí died in 1895, fighting for Cuba's independence. In 2018, he was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame, alongside local luminaries Colson Whitehead and Alexander Hamilton.

2. Julia de Burgos (Puerto Rico, 1914-1953)

Puerto Rico's greatest poet also migrated from her Caribbean home island, where she was a teacher, to the isle of Manhattan. Julia de Burgos recounts this literary journey in one of her most famous poems, " Yo misma fui mi ruta " - "I was my own route."

De Burgos' inventive, daring poetry did indeed forge a new path for feminists, Latina and otherwise, in the early 20th century.

Against pressure to identify as white, the mixed-race de Burgos proclaimed her African heritage, calling herself "Black, of pure tint."

William Arthur Fine Stationery/flickr, CC BY-ND

In one experimental 1938 poem, de Burgos addresses the distance between her liberated identity as a writer and her constricted role as a woman.

"You in yourself have no say; everyone governs you; your husband, your family," she writes in " To Julia de Burgos." "In me only my heart governs, only my thought; who governs in me is me."

In 1953, de Burgos was found dead, without identification, in uptown Manhattan and buried anonymously in a potter's field on Manhattan's Hart Island. A month later, her compatriots retrieved her remains and reburied her in Puerto Rico.

The New York Times featured de Burgos - a "poet who helped shape Puerto Rico's identity" - in its overlooked women's obituary series in May.

3. Gloria Anzaldúa (Texas, 1942-2004)

The poet and essayist Gloria Anzaldúa came from a family of Mexican-American farm laborers.

Sandstein/flickr, CC BY

Her ancestors had for generations lived in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, near the border that Anzaldúa memorably defined as "an open wound where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds."

Anzaldúa's work often celebrates her community's bilingualism. She portrays it as an act of survival against the "linguistic terrorism" of the U.S. public school system, which required English-only teaching and offered "accent elimination" classes in a part of the U.S. that used to be Mexico.

Anzaldúa found such insults to her nonstandard way of speaking excruciating. "Until I can take pride in my language," she once wrote, "I cannot take pride in myself."

Anzaldúa is increasingly recognized as one of the 20th century's most influential feminist and anti-racist essayists.

4. Sandra Cisneros (Chicago, 1954-present)

No list of Latino authors is complete without Sandra Cisneros, author of the beloved " The House on Mango Street," which has sold nearly 6 million copies and has been translated into over 20 languages.

Why Cisneros has not received the same acclaim as Junot Díaz - a childhood sexual assault survivor who was recently accused of his own sexual impropriety - is perplexing.

Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA

My favorite of her novels is " Caramelo." In this transnational coming-of-age story, a Mexican-American woman digs into her family history.

Learning from her abuela, Soledad, she discovers hidden truths about family tensions, border crossings and why her doting migrant papá, Inocencio, is not so innocent after all.

5. Cristina Henríquez (Delaware, 1971-present)

Cristina Henríquez, who was born in the U.S. after her Panamanian father went there to pursue graduate studies, is the best novelist you've never heard of.

Featuring first-person perspectives of Central and South Americans and Caribbean migrants, her books dramatically expand the popular conception of the U.S. Latino, long centered on Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans.

" The Book of Unknown Americans " tells the story of recent arrivals from Paraguay, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Puerto Rico and Mexico who live in a dingy apartment complex, enduring the back-breaking labor of harvesting mushrooms. Sometimes, after a 12-hour shift in the dark, they eat only oatmeal for dinner.

The teenage love story between the characters Maribel and Mayor - written in prose that The Washington Post says rises " to the level of poetry " - may help American readers appreciate the myriad reasons why Latin Americans migrate north, including dictatorships, a lack of specialized health care and violence.

That is, I think, Henríquez's hope. As one Mexican character angrily states, in the U.S. he feels both invisible and vilified.

"I want them to see a guy who works hard, or a guy who loves his family," he says. "I wish just one of those people, just one, would actually talk to me. ... But none of them even want to try. We're the unknown Americans."

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5 Latino authors you should be reading now

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You likely recognize that the depiction of Latin American immigrants in politics today - as a menacing mass of recalcitrant Spanish-speaking invaders - is overwhelmingly negative. What you may not know is that stereotypes suggesting that Latin Americans represent a threat to United States culture are not just morally repugnant - they're also historically inaccurate.

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Our editors independently selected these items because we think you will enjoy them and might like them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY.

In a year defined by quarantines, lockdowns and suffering, books have provided millions of Americans a respite from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. That so many people have rediscovered the joy of reading may be one of the few bright spots during a challenging time. So whether your tastes run to gothic mystery, poetry, or revelatory memoirs, here are "12 Latino Books for Christmas 2020."

1. "Afterlife" by Julia Alvarez

From the acclaimed author of "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" and "In the Time of the Butterflies" comes a thoughtful novel about love, loss, and isolation. "Afterlife" tells the story of Antonia, a recently widowed writing professor facing the challenges that life (literally) brings to her doorstep. A Dominican American literary pioneer, Alvarez told NBC News that she was surprised at how prescient her story's themes turned out to be. "When I wrote it, I felt like we were living in these elegiac times, where we're seeing the end of so many things that we cherished. It is very much about a person facing a broken society."

2. "Mexican Gothic" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A creepy mansion, a young woman in danger, and a mysterious, handsome Englishman. No, it's not the classic "Rebecca," but Moreno-Garcia's New York Times best-selling suspense novel set in 1950s Mexico. After receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin pleading for help, Noemi, a socialite, sets off to a remote country manor to check up on her. There she is drawn into a web of family secrets in a dangerous, seductive place. Described by Kirkus Reviews as a "terrifying twist on classic gothic horror," this book is currently in development as a TV series for Hulu.

In the acknowledgments of her book, Vera writes, "As the daughter of Puerto Ricans who were taught little of their own country's history, I've been obsessed with learning about my heritage for years." Her sprawling novel carries readers from the hills of Puerto Rico to the sugar plantations of Hawaii. Set in 1898, on the eve of the Spanish-American War, this is the story of a young couple struggling to survive amid epic events. The Washington Post hailed the tale of love and endurance as a kind of Latino "Grapes of Wrath."

The New York Times economics reporter argues that all Americans have been made poorer- as he told NBC News in an interview-because throughout history, the country opted not to extend benefits and policies to all if they were also going to help Blacks, Latinos and others seen as different by whites. As a result, the U.S. is falling behind other industrialized nations in nearly every marker of social health and collapsing "into a heap of pathologies simply due to a lack of empathy." Although released just as the Covid-19 outbreak struck, "American Poison" seems even more relevant amidst the pandemic's ongoing devastation.

An NPR "Best Book of the Year," this memoir examines the trauma of displacement and illuminates the human lives behind the immigration headlines. When Castillo crossed the border from Mexico as a child, he suffered a temporary, stress-induced blindness. Although he regained his sight, this episode became a metaphor for his new existence-which required him to live as though he and his family were invisible. "It didn't matter how good I was at hiding, "Castillo writes after an encounter with ICE. "I knew they would always find me if they wanted."

In every presidential election cycle, pundits predict that Latinos will overwhelmingly vote for Democratic candidates. Most Latino voters do tend to favor Democrats, but there is a significant segment of the Latino community that votes Republican. This is a longstanding pattern, according to Cadava, an associate professor at Northwestern University. "Since Nixon's re-election in 1972, Republican candidates have pretty consistently won between one-quarter and one-third of the Hispanic vote," Cadava told NBC News in a recent interview about his book. Cadava explains how the Republican Party has created a deep sense of loyalty among some Hispanics, and why this bond often confounds political observers.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic of The Washington Post uses the books of the Trump era to argue that our response to his presidency reflects the same failures of imagination that made it possible. Lozada read over 150 books about Trump, his administration, and what his election says about our country. "The books that matter most right now are not necessarily those revealing White House intrigue ... or official scandals," he writes. "They are, instead, the books that enable and ennoble a national re-examination."

The veteran journalist takes readers on a journey through her professional and personal life in this memoir. In addition to offering a primer on U.S. immigration policy, the host of NPR's "Latino USA" presents a revealing look at her own struggles, heartbreak and triumph. "As Latinos, as women, as immigrants, some of us can have it all - and some of us can lose it all," Hinojosa told NBC News. "But the pain and trauma we go through and survive makes us more demanding and exacting of the country we love."

The Univision news anchor charts her path from a tiny town in Colombia to becoming one of the most visible Afro-Latinas in broadcasting. Calderón's upbringing was so rustic that she took a boat or a canoe to cross the river to school each day. Once she left home, though, racism became an unavoidable part of her life. "Ugh, not even my horse is black," a classmate sneered at her in high school; in 2017, a KKK leader threatened her in an on-camera interview. But Calderón persevered, making headlines as she proudly embraced her identity. "Representation matters," says Calderón. "When other kids see people like me on screen, it means they can make it."

In 2015, journalist (and longtime activist) Lovato was visiting a family detention center in Texas when a child migrant showed him a drawing on his hand of a skull with sharp teeth. The boy said that it represented what it was like back in El Salvador, where his uncle had been shot by a gang through his teeth. Lovato came away from this encounter transformed-and determined to explore his family history and Salvadoran heritage. El Salvador and the U.S. are bound together by history, Lovato told NBC News, and he wants to "help people move beyond simplistic, inaccurate narratives about Central America."

A finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Poetry, "the wounds inflicted by America"onto Indigenous people "are allowed to bloom pleasure and tenderness," writes the publisher. "Here is an origin-story wherein we "know finally that we will only ever be / as much as we are willing to save of one another,"" wrote the National Book Award judges about the acclaimed Latinx, Indigenous and queer writer's second poetry collection.

In this New York Times "New and Notable" poetry book, Paredez tells her story as a daughter of the Vietnam War. The title refers to 1970, the Year of the Dog in the lunar calendar, which was the year that she was born and the year her Mexican-American father was being sent to Vietnam. "I wanted to create work that was a Latina feminist retelling of that time," said Paredez. "Women of color who were active in the anti-war movement, and who were witnesses to war, helped transform us all."
Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Hispanic and Latino musicians like Selena, Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony and Carlos Santana have conquered the music world, breaking barriers in many genres.

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Some songs run in your veins. They take you home, your heart swells with memories, and maybe you can't help but go grab your dancing shoes.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I've gathered a list of those songs here: 25 traditional songs in Spanish everyone should know.
The Latin music scene is so varied it's not easy to make a list like this! But all the songs here are among the greats.

If you know these, you'll have a solid intro to music in Spanish across its many different genres.

I had to leave out some of my own favorites to concentrate on just the most famous Spanish songs for you!
Related: The Best Spanish Love Songs
25 CLASSIC SPANISH SONGS

This lists includes the classics as represented by various styles, regions, and time periods.

Get ready to be transported around the world as we take our tour of these iconic songs.

1. Guantanamera

Guantanamera is is a classic folk song from Cuba, written in 1929 and based on a José Martí poem. The version below is performed by Celia Cruz, the legendary Cuban singer known as "The Queen of Salsa" and also famous for her song La Vida es un Carnaval.

The tune has evolved through the years and used in struggles for peace and justice across Latin America and the U.S. It has been recorded by a remarkably long and diverse list of artists, including Joan Baez, the Fugees, Jimmy Buffett, Jose Feliciano, Julio Iglesias, Pete Seeger, and numerous others - Live About

2. Bamboleo

This rumba-flamenca classic was penned in 1987 and performed by a Gitano-French group, the Gipsy Kings. Some of the lyrics were borrowed from the Venezualan folk song Caballo viejo. The word bamboléo means to sway, as when dancing. Though the group is French, they were very influenced by Spanish culture.

3. La bamba

La Bamba represents a historical crossover between music in Mexico and the United States.

It was the late 1950s when a 17-year-old boy took an old Mexican folk song and set it to a rock 'n' roll beat. La Bamba" made rock 'n' roll history when it became the first Latin-based song to cross over to the pop and rock audience. That teen-ager, Ritchie Valens, was made famous.

Although Ritchie Valens died tragically in a plane crash at a young age, this catchy tune remains one of the most iconic Spanish songs on a global scale. The 1987 cover by Los Lobos is one of the only three Spanish-language songs to be No 1. in America.

4. Los caminos de la vida

From Colombia, Los caminos de la vida is a classic example of a " vallenato," or in this case, a " cumbia vallenato." It looks back on a difficult childhood; offering tribute to a brave mother fighting for her family.

5. Oye cómo va

Oye cómo va is a cha-cha-cha written by Latin Music king Tito Puente. Puente was born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, and his music was a fusion of dance, Afro-Cuban jazz, and mambo.

The song only grew in fame when it was covered by guitar master Santana, and it was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.

6. Como la flor

This is one of the most famous songs from Selena Quintanilla, and won the Tejano Music Award in 1994.

In her short career, Selena dominated Latin charts. She broke into the US charts as well, with her fusion of pop, cumbia, and, dance music. She was known as "the Madonna of Tejano music" and is famous for Amor prohibido and Bidi bidi bom bom as well.

7. Cielito lindo

This is perhaps the oldest song on this list, composed in 1882. The folk song is a staple in Mexican history and the famous refrain "Ay, ay, ay, ay- canta y no llores..." is known the world over. Cielito Lindo is played by mariachi bands, part of countless serenades, and even sung in soccer stadiums.

8. Querida

Querida was composed by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel in 1984. Juan Gabriel, a flamboyant and passionate performer, was known as "El Divo de Juaréz." His wildly successful career broke barriers in the music scene, especially in Latin America.

The version below is a 2015 version featuring Juanes.

9. Bésame mucho

In 1941, Consuelo Velázquez composed this famous love song at just 25 years old. Despite the passionate lyrics, she says she had never been kissed at the time of writing the lyrics.

Bésame Mucho" is not so much an enduring standard as a global phenomenon. Translated into dozens of languages and performed by hundreds of artists, the song has been an emblem of Latin identity, an anthem of lovers separated by World War II and perennial grist for lounge singers everywhere. - The New York Times

10. De música ligera

Soda Stereo is likely the most influential and classic rock band in Latin America. The Argentinian group received an MTV Legend Award and sold over 20 million albums. According to Google Arts and Culture, their 1990 song De música ligera:

...is one of Soda Stereo's most famous and symbolic songs, whose musical influence has been remarkable in the history of Latin rock for over two decades. Due to its popularity, the song is considered an anthem of rock en español.

11. Bailando

Performed by Enrique Iglesias, Bailando holds the record for the longest-running No. 1 spot on the Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart- for 41 weeks. It also received 3 Latin Grammys.

The song, performed with Gente de Zona and Descemer Bueno, is a fusion of reggaeton, flamenco, and dance music.

12. Llorarás

From Oscar D'Leon, Venezuelan musician and singer, Llorarás is one of the best examples of salsa. It was produced in 1974, with D'Leon and the group Dimension Latina.

13. El rey

A Latin Grammy Hall of Fame song, José Alfredo Jiménez wrote El Rey in 1971. It's among the most famous mariachi songs of all time, with many covers.

The one below is performed by Vicente Fernández and shows the impact on many different artists.

14. Historia de un amor

Panamanian Carlos Eleta Almarán wrote this bolero in 1955, after the death of his brother's wife. It inspired a movie by the same name and various covers in year since. Renowned Mexican singer Pedro Infante covered the song as well, which became one of his most famous hits. The cover below is sung by Guadalupe Pineda.

The song tells of a man's suffering after his love has disappeared. It holds the world record to be the most popular song to be translated and sung across the world in various languages by various singers from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. - Google Arts and Culture

15. Caballo viejo

Caballo Viejo is a Venezuelan folk song, written and composed by Simón Diaz in 1980. This is one of the most classic examples of traditional tropical music, and the version by Roberto Torres y su Charanga Vallenata is included the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame.

16. Eres Tú

Juan Carlos Calderón was the famous songwriter behind the song Eres Tú. It was released by the Spanish group Mocedades in 1974, and was actually Spain's entry song for the Eurovision Song contest in 1973. The song reached international fame and hit #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

18. La rebelión

This classic salsa song was written by Joe Arroyo in 1986. Though the upbeat tempo and music may make you want to get up and dance, the story is based on a story suffering in the context of the slave trade in Colombia, during the Spanish rule.

Known as "El Joe," Joe Arroyo is a significant symbol not only of salsa but also in Afro-diasporic music. His Afro-Latino storytelling was empowered through a variety of African beats that are present in Colombian music like champeta and porro as well as styles like soca, calypso and merengue.
- People en español

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWBf9hfW_4Y

18. Dile Al Amor

Romeo Santos is one of the legends of bachata, and his roots with the group Aventura brought the genre into mainstream music. Dile al Amor hit #1 on Billboard Hot Latin Songs in 2009.

19. La gota fría

La gota fría is an early example of a vallenato folk song, written in the 1938 by Emiliano Zuleta. The version released by Carlos Vives in 1993 both popularized the genre and helped launch Vives' career. This style influenced many major artists such as Shakira.

20. Macarena

Macarena was originally a flamenco-pop song. It was written in 1992 by two Spanish musicians, Antonia Romero and Rafael Ruiz, under their group name Los Del Rio. An American label released an English version 1995 and it exploded in popularity the summer of 1996, and hit #1 for a record fourteen weeks.

21. Inevitable

Although Shakira has more recently popular music, her groundbreaking work and classic sound can be found in songs like this one. Shakira is sometimes called "The Queen of Latin Music," with a globally recognized name and songs that top charts in both English and Spanish.

23. Hoy

Hoy is one of the most successful singles released by Gloria Estefan and won an International Latin Billboard Music Award. The tropical-dance pop song was composed by Peruvian songwriter Gian Marco Zignago and filmed in Machu Picchu.

Gloria Estefan is a pioneer in the music industry, paving the way for other Latin artists after her. She is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and 7 Grammys, and is in the VH1 and Billboard lists for Top 100 greatest artists of all time.

24. Quizás, Quizás, Quizás

Quizás, quizás, quizás is a cha-cha-cha written by Osvaldo Farrés in 1947. It has been covered by many famous artists like Nat King Cole and Doris Day, and Julio Iglesias.

25. Livin' the Vida Loca

Livin' la vida loca is an iconic 1999 Latin pop song that took the world by storm. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks and was named on the list for Best Latin Songs of All Time. Ricky Martin, a Puerto Rican singer is one of the all-time most famous Latino performers.

Honorary Mention: Despacito

Despacito is more recent than most that made this list, but its sheer popularity makes it notable. The pop-reggaeton song burst onto the global music scene 2017 and made history on both the Spanish and English music charts. It is the most-watched YouTube video of all time, with almost 8 billion views. Luis Fonsi wrote the original song, and the remix features Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber.

Is it too soon to be considered a classic? Probably so, but it will undoubtedly be included in any future lists!

More Information on Famous Spanish Songs

What are the main Genres of Spanish Music?

This in not an exhaustive list, but here are some of the core genres:

What Is the most played spanish song?

This is hard to measure, due to covers and metrics from older songs. However, Despacito ranks highest as the single most-streamed song in Spanish by YouTube metrics.

What Is the Most famous Latina Singer?

It's difficult name just one and depends if we are measuring by views, awards, or name-recognition.

Here are five Latinas that must be included in the top 5:

1. Gloria Estefan (Latin Dance pop, has sold 70 million+ albums)

2. Celia Cruz ("The Queen of Salsa")

3. Selena ("The Queen of Tejano Music")

4. Shakira (Among the most-streamed and Billboard Top 10 in the past decade)

5. Jennifer Lopez (Global name recognition)

What Is the Most famous Latino Singer?

Again, these answers can vary. The Latin music has tended heavily toward male artists, and there are a lot of famous names.

Again, this is not a list of the most historical artists, just listed in terms of sheer popularity. Here's a starter list:

1. Enrique Iglesias ("The King of Latin Pop")

2. Daddy Yankee ("The King of Reggaeton")

3. Luis Miguel (Latin Pop and other genres)

4. Julio Iglesias (Sold over 100 million albums)

5. Santana

What Is the Most famous Love Song in Spanish?

Bésame mucho is probably the most famous romantic Latin song, of all time.

What Is the Most famous Song in Spanish?

Despacito is the most-streamed Spanish song ever, at over 8 billion views.

Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano probably ranks number 1 for global recognition.

La bamba is probably the most recognized song in Spanish, in the past century.

What Is the Most famous Mexican Song in Spanish?

La bamba by Ritche Valens, or Querida by Juan Grabriel.

What Spanish Singer Has the Most Grammys?

The Latin Grammy began in 1989, so this list reflects that!
Most Latin Grammys by a male artist:

1. René Pérez Joglar (31)

2. Eduardo José Cabra Martínez (24)

3. Juanes (23)

4. Juan Luis Guerra (18)

5. Carlos Vives (14)

Most Latin Grammys by a female artist:

1. Natalia LaFourcade (14)

2. Shakira (12)

3. Rosalía (8)

4. Maria Rita (7)

5. Mercedes Sosa, Julieta Venegas (6)

Most Latin Grammys by a group:

1. Calle 13 (22)

2. Café Tacuba, Banda el Recodo (9)

3. Maná, Jesse & Joy, Los Tigres del Norte (6)

4. Molotov (5)

5. Grupo Pesado (4)

Now you tell me what I missed! Comment with your favorite traditional songs in Spanish below.

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Classic Spanish Songs Everyone Needs to Hear and Know

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Inside: A guide to the classic Spanish songs that made history and shape Latin music today. Some songs run in your veins. They take you home, your heart swells with memories, and maybe you can't help but go grab your dancing shoes.

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Afro-Latino artists have had a huge impact on music in both Spanish and English. This post zeroes on Afro-Latino artists who have songs in Spanish that can work (read: are appropriate) for the Spanish classroom.

Though I encourage you to look for ways to present diverse artists to your students year-round, Black History Month is the perfect time to highlight Afro-Latino artists and take a look at your current music selection in class.

The music of West Africa, where a majority of those enslaved in the Americas came from, was diffused through both an indigenous and Spanish filter to become the distinct sounds and rhythms that we know today.

Cumbia, bachata, mambo and son jarocho are all quite distinct from each other and are still very vibrant expressions of tradition. But, more importantly, they also inform and influence a tidal wave of new expression, mixing with hip-hop, electronic, rock and jazz to form the musical bedrock of Alt.Latino.
- NPR, alt.Latino

There are many well-known artists I haven't included because their music is mostly in English or won't work for a classroom setting. If you stumbled on this post looking for the a list of top Afro-Latino artists, here are some influential names not on my playlist:

If any of those artists drop a great song Spanish teachers can use, let me know in the comments below! Please comment as well if you know of some Afro-Latino artists you'd like to see on this list.

Afro-Latino Music for the Spanish Classroom

Let's get started with our songs that great for the classroom. Below, you can find music videos. If you prefer, listen to this more complete mix on Spotify:

ChocQuibTown

ChocQuibTown is a fantastic Afro-Colombian group. I like them so much it was hard not to flood the Spotify playlist with mostly their music, and I bet your students will connect with their sound as well. Here are some of my favorite songs from them.

Celia Cruz

Celia Cruz, an afrocubana, has to be the most iconic Afro-Latina musician. I think these two songs will serve as a good introduction for your classes. Here's a short biography from the BBC about here life and career.

Systema solar

Another Colombian group, Systema Solar plays a fusion of music with Afro-Colombian, rock, and Caribbean influences.

CimaFunk

Cimafunk is a new-ish artist who produces a combination of African-American and Afro-Cuban funk.

From The New York Times, "While he showcases the power of blending African American and Afro-Cuban music, Cimafunk is also engaging in a cultural mixing that celebrates a kind of Latin American hybridity, on his terms. He sees himself as part of a new generation that is destined to bring change. "

Here's a bio to get to know him:

Don Omar

A top global artist, and known by some as 'El rey del reggaetón,' most of Don Omar's music and videos unfortunately won't work in a school setting. Pura Vida, though, has great lyrics and a student-friendly video that make this song a good choice. This interview from 2019 (in Spanish) may be useful for learning more about him.

Alex Cuba

A Latin-Grammy award winning artist, Alex Cuba is known for his jazz music.

Kazzabe

I bet your students are not used to you saying that you have a Honuduran artist lined up. This video does involve a good bit of hip-shaking, so it's your call, but the music is great. You can read more about the group Kazzabe here on CNN Español.

Ozuna

Even though Ozuna is wildly popular across the world, most of his songs won't work for the classroom. These lyrics might work though, with a good video to boot.

Gente de zona

AnDdy Caicedo

You will obviously want to make the call on whether the dancing in these videos works for your classrooms, but both are great songs with well-produced videos that show everyday backgrounds. You can always use the lyric videos if needed!

El Chojin

"El Chojin" is from Equatorial Guinea, so while he is not Afro-Latino in the technical sense of the word, he is "hispanohablante" and African, so I think his work great way to explore the term with your students. "Soy y no soy" has pretty comprehensible lyrics as well.

Koffee el kafetero

The sound of champeta music might be new for your students. He has some more popular songs, but this video and lyrics are better suited for school.

Lido Pimienta

Calling herself the "anti-Miss Colombia," Lido Pomienta- an indigenous Afro-Colombian immigrant to Canada- challenges stereotypes with her music. Read more about her story here.

Alex Quin

Learn more about Alex Quintero (his real name) in this interview.

Susana Baca

A prominent Afro-Peruvian artist, Susana Baca has helped to "bring back" traditions of música afroperuana. You might know here from the song "Latinoamerica" with Calle 13.

Ibeyi

A group formed by two sisters, Ibeyi performs in both Spanish and English

Herencia de Timbiquí

Sech y Nicky Jam

Xtreme

Joe Arroyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWBf9hfW_4Y

Oscar D'Leon

Eva Allyón

Eva Allyón, another legend in Afro-Peruvian music, sings the song below with Los Kipus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF0B3xi94FI

Deltino Nguema

DIAFAR

Lil Silvio & El Vega - Tienes La Magia

Kadencia - No me quite el tambor

This is a beautiful example of música afropuertorriqueña, with scenes of traditional dancing and instruments.

LaLO Ebratt

I had trouble finding a Lalo Ebratt video that can be used in school (many of his videos have millions of views), but this duet with Juanes is catchy (preview for how the religious imagery works for your context).

Mr. Black

An example of champeta, this video and song are a celebration of his actual wedding day (you can read a short article in Spanish here about it).

Bahía Zokus

Another example of champeta, a reader recommended this song (one of her former students is in the band!). I couldn't help linking to their song Jerusalema too!

Vincente y Kumary Sawyers

Puerto Rico's Bomba, A Dance of The African Diaspora

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Afro-Latino Music: Songs and a Playlist for Spanish Learns

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Inside: a collection of songs from Afro-Latino music and artists, performing in Spanish. Afro-Latino artists have had a huge impact on music in both Spanish and English. This post zeroes on Afro-Latino artists who have songs in Spanish that can work (read: are appropriate) for the Spanish classroom.

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Inside: Roberto Clemente quotes, along with a collection of resources for learning about his extraordinary life and career. Once in while, a celebrity comes along whose professional accomplishments are as remarkable as the integrity and kindness in their personal...

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The Famous Hispanic Artists and Latino Creators You Should Get to Know

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Inside: A list of the most famous Hispanic artists (Spanish-speaking artists) and Latin American artists (or Latinx artists). As part of my (upcoming!) series on famous Latin Americans and Hispanic leaders, this post zeroes in on the most iconic and beloved artists in the Spanish-speaking world.