
Music Of The Caribbean 101: Everything You Wanted To Know
- Calypso The calypso style is one of the most recognized traditional music in Trinidad and Tobago, San Andrés, and Providencia Islands. ...
- Zouk The genre Zouk is considered Afro-Caribbean heritage, specifically from the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. ...
- Reggae Reggae is one of the most representative genres of Caribbean music. ...
- Salsa ...
- Bachata ...
- Merengue ...
- Quelbe ...
- Cumbia ...
What are the characteristics of Caribbean music?
Lesson Summary. Caribbean music is colorful and diverse. It comes from a complex mix of influences, including African cultures and European colonialism. Styles of Caribbean music include calypso from Trinidad and Tobago, which also produced the distinctive sound of steel bands; ska and reggae from Jamaica; and merengue from the Dominican Republic.
What are the different music genres in Jamaica?
Dig deeper and learn more about some of these fantastic Caribbean genres. Reggae is the best-known of Jamaica's many styles of music and finds its roots in traditional mento music, ska and rocksteady.
What are the popular music genres in the Dominican Republic?
However, the most popular musical genres in the Dominican Republic, the music for which the country is known, are merengue and bachata. While meringue has been part of the Dominican musical repertoire since the mid-19th century, it was in the 1930s that merengue became the dominant musical genre on the island.
What are some popular dance styles outside the Caribbean?
Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside the Caribbean include, bachata, merenque, palo, mombo, denbo, baithak gana, bouyon, cadence-lypso, calypso, chutney, chutney-soca, compas, dancehall, jing ping, parang, pichakaree, punta, ragga, reggae, reggaeton, salsa, soca, and zouk.
What is the most popular music in Haiti?
What is the melting pot of cultures in the islands and coastal areas surrounding the Caribbean sea?
What is reggae music?
Where did the calypso come from?
Is salsa popular in Cuba?
Who is the most famous reggae artist?
Is baachata a popular genre?
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What kind of music is played in the Caribbean?
What kind of music is played in the Caribbean? Various genres of Caribbean music are played in the islands. Though a variety can be found throughout, English-speaking islands typically play calypso, soca, reggae, and dancehall. Spanish-speaking typically islands play salsa, merengue, and reggaeton.
What are three popular Caribbean music genres?
Dance To The Beat Of The Origins And Facts About 12 Caribbean Music Stylesreggaetón. Bad Bunny is one of the most streamed artists in the world, meaning he's taken the genre known as reggaetón far beyond the countries of Puerto Rico and Panama, where it originated. ... cumbia. ... bachata. ... merengue. ... cha-cha-cha. ... bomba. ... plena. ... salsa.More items...•
What kind of music does Jamaicans listen to?
The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres, such as mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub music, dancehall, reggae fusion and related styles. Reggae is especially popular through the international fame of Bob Marley.
What is the most played song in the Caribbean?
The Kid LAROI - STAY (with Justin Bieber)Lil Tjay - Calling My Phone.Lil Nas X - MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)Giveon - Heartbreak Anniversary.Lil Nas X - INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow)Doja Cat - Need to Know.Olivia Rodrigo - good 4 u.Dua Lipa - Levitating (feat. DaBaby)More items...•
Which is the most popular in the Caribbean?
The Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is the most visited island in the Caribbean. With its seemingly endless white-sand beaches, the Dominican Republic is a popular getaway for tourists in search of an idyllic vacation, plenty of outdoor adventure, and a tinge of colonial history.
What is another name for Caribbean music?
Crossword answers for CARIBBEAN MUSICClueAnswerCARIBBEAN MUSIC (3)SKACARIBBEAN MUSIC (7)CALYPSO1 more row
What is Jamaica's most popular music?
Mento is commonly referred to as Jamaican calypso and although, to some extent, it resembles Trinidadian calypso, it is distinctly different in the beat. The music also holds pride of place as being Jamaica's first and, in a sense, most indigenous popular music.
What do people listen to in Jamaica?
Jamaica is known around the world for the diversity and rhythmic originality of its folk and popular music genres. These include Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, Reggae of course, Dub and Dancehall (see box).
What is modern Jamaican music called?
ReggaeReggae (/ˈrɛɡeɪ/) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora.
Who is a famous Caribbean singer?
1. Rihanna (Barbados) It's been a long climb for an island girl from Barbados to the top of the worldwide music charts. Pop and R&B superstar Rihanna came from modest beginnings.
What music do they listen to in Aruba?
Aruba does not discriminate and represents ALL music genres. Each year the island offers music festivals for everyone's taste, including House, Techno, Underground, R&B, Hip Hop, Latin, Reggae, Reggaeton, Jazz, and more!
What is the most popular dancehall?
The 50 Best Dancehall Songs of All TimeBam Bam. Sister Nancy. Sister Nancy. ... Murder She Wrote. Chaka Demus & Pliers. Chaka Demus & Pliers. ... Under Mi Sleng Teng. Wayne Smith. Wayne Smith. ... Ring the Alarm. Tenor Saw. Tenor Saw. ... Ghetto Red Hot. Super Cat. ... Who Am I. Beenie Man. ... Punanny. Admiral Bailey. ... Ramping Shop. Vybz Kartel & Spice.More items...
What is the main music in the Caribbean?
Reggae is one of the most representative genres of Caribbean music. This style emerged in the 60s of the last century. Its training is due to the mixture of contemporary sounds of North American rock and soul, with traditional Jamaican music such as Calypso and Ska.
Is reggaeton a Caribbean music?
Reggaeton is regarded as one of the most popular music genres in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, in countries including Puerto Rico, Panama, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela.
Is Hip Hop Caribbean music?
Most Hip Hop historians claim that Hip Hop was formed in the South Bronx, during the 1970's, in the poor Afro- Caribbean, Latino – Caribbean, and African American mixed neighborhoods.
What are the main Caribbean instruments?
The Musical Instruments of the Caribbean IslandsBuleador. One of the most recognizable drums in the Caribbean is the buleador. ... Steel Drums. Steel drums are another variety of drum that are very important in the Caribbean, and have come to represent the region in popular culture worldwide. ... Maracas. ... Guitar. ... Guiro. ... Palitos.
Caribbean Music History – Caribcast
Caribbean Music History Caribbean islands have a rich and diverse history. The music and the festivals of Caribbean are rich and cultural. There are several different styles of music that originated on these islands. The genres include traditional Puerto Rico Aguinaldo and the Jamaican Mento and even the salsa and reggae. Caribbean music has influenced the European and American music to a ...
Caribbean Music Styles (An Introduction to Caribbean Island Culture)
The transatlantic slave trade, which lasted from the 16th to 19th centuries, found millions of people taken from their homes in central and western Africa and shipped across the ocean to work in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Toiling as unpaid laborers on sugar, coffee, cocoa and cotton plantations, in gold and silver mines, and as servants in houses, these enslaved people took ...
Caribbean Music – The Integrationist
The music of the English-Speaking Caribbean region is a reflection of its diverse history and its cosmopolitan culture. These rich mixes of factors have given rise to some of the most celebrated music known across the globe: calypso, reggae, dancehall, and soca, to name a few.
What is the name of the music that Grenada plays in the Carnival?
Grenada’s J’ouvert, the start of Carnival festivities is known to feature the Jab Jab traditions. Jab jabs are a popular character in both Carnivals of Grenada and Trinidad. Jab Jab is a character of traditional mas and represents an expression of freedom. Grenada’s Jab Jab traditions includes the Jab Jab music. Jab Jab music was influenced by soca, with many soca artists mentioning ‘jab jabs’ and ‘jabmolassie.’ But Grenada truly embraces the jab jab as this genre is considered ‘an aggressive soca’ where masqueraders go wild to the sound of jab jab music. Two of the genres most famous artists include, Tallpree and Mr. Killa.
What is the Dominican Republic's national dance?
Merengue and the Dominican Republic go hand in hand. It is both the national music and national dance of the Dominican Republic and truly captures the spirit of its people. Merengue was developed in the mid-1800s and has both Spanish and African influences. The instruments used in a typical merengue ensemble represents the make-up of the Dominican culture as the accordion, the tambora, güira are used. These instruments represent the European, African and Taíno (indigenous people) influences.
What is soca music?
Soca is a genre of music that was developed in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1970s. The creator of soca, Ras Shorty I a.k.a Lord Shorty, defined it as the soul of Calypso, African and East Indian rhythms. Soca became popular in the latter half of the 20th century and now defines a part of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean’s culture. Soca is an important element to Carnival in the Caribbean.
What is calypso music?
Calypso is an Afro-Caribbean music genre that was created in Trinidad & Tobago. Calypso was developed from the West African influences of Kaiso and canboulay. Modern calypso became popular due to its association with Carnival. Calypso became the music that represents Carnival with the popularity of calypso competitions and the inclusion of calypso in Mas.
Where did Cadence Rampa originate?
Cadence rampa or is a dance music and modern méringue popularized in Haiti and the Caribbean by Haitian sax player Webert Sicot in the early 1960s. It spread to the French speaking Caribbean, Martinique and Guadeloupe and influenced Dominica’s music.
What is punta rock?
Belizean punta, more commonly known as punta rock, is a genre of music that derived in Belize. Created by Pen Cayetano, this music genre features traditional punta rhythms influenced and stylised by the Garifuna people. The Garifuna people are mixed African and indigenous people and this is reflected in their culture, art and music. In the Caribbean, Belize has some of the most Garifuna settlers.
Where is Chutney music from?
Chutney music is an Indo-Caribbean genre of music that developed in the southern Caribbean by the Indian indentured servants. It is popular in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and other parts of the Caribbean. It is a mixture of Bhojpuri Music, with traditional Indian music influence and local influences. It is sung in both Bhojpuri/Hindi and English.
What are the different types of music in the Caribbean?
Styles of Caribbean music include the following: Calypso, which developed out of West African tribal songs that come to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago when French settlers brought African slaves to Trinidad. We learned that it also produced the distinctive sound of steel bands, which were developed on Trinidad by combining earlier African percussion traditions with used oil drums; ska, which developed in Jamaica out of calypso and rhythm and blues and features an upbeat tempo, aggressive use of horns, vocal harmonies, and staccato riffs; reggae, which was also developed in Jamaica and refers to the syncopated beat of the music, where emphasis is placed on dragged beats; and finally merengue, which is a style of music and dance from the Dominican Republic that features a two-beat or four-beat rhythm and uses instruments like the saxophone and the accordion, which came to the island through German traders. We also learned that it makes crucial use of the tambora, a double-headed drum that provides the driving rhythm, and the guira, a metal percussion instrument that's played by scraping it.
What is the Caribbean music?
Caribbean music is colorful and diverse and comes from complicated influences. It grew out of traditions from African cultures and indigenous peoples, European colonialism, and the unique character of places separated by water. For example, some music is important to the festival of Carnival, which, like Mardi Gras, comes before Lent. The custom comes from Catholicism brought by French colonial rule. World War II introduced this music to American servicemen who spent time in the islands and helped spread its popularity beyond local shores.
What is calypso music?
It's often satirical, commenting on people or current events. Calypso plays a huge role in Carnival celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago. During the season, competitive calypso tents feature rival singers. It's upbeat, infectious music that uses percussion to great effect.
What type of music was used in Trinidad during World War II?
During World War II, a related type of music, the distinctive sound of steel bands, developed on Trinidad by combining earlier African percussion traditions with used oil drums, which were the cast off materials of war.
What is the Calypso tradition?
Calypso features a steady driving rhythm, elements of call and response, and improvised verses. It's often satirical, commenting on people or current events.
What is merengue dance?
Merengue is considered a style of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. Its history is a bit murky and different sources suggest influences from competing Caribbean islands, as well as from Spanish customs (again, there's that connection to colonialism), but we know it was played and became increasingly popular during the mid-19th century. Merengue always features a two-beat or four-beat rhythm and uses instruments like the saxophone and the accordion, which came to the island through German traders. Crucial to the music is the tambora, a double-headed drum that provides the driving rhythm, and the guira, a metal percussion instrument that's played by scraping it.
What is Jamaica's musical style?
In the late 1950s, ska developed out of calypso and rhythm and blues. It features an upbeat tempo, aggressive use of horns, vocal harmonies, and staccato riffs.
What is the most representative genre of Caribbean music?
Reggae. Reggae is one of the most representative genres of Caribbean music. This style emerged in the 60s of the last century. Its training is due to the mixture of contemporary sounds of North American rock and soul, with traditional Jamaican music such as Calypso and Ska.
When is Music of the Caribbean 101?
Music Of The Caribbean 101: Everything You Wanted To Know. June 30, 2021. The Caribbean area has an extensive and rich musical history. Its music roots connect with socio/cultural events from the indigenous migration to the European colonization, the wars of liberation, and the current Music industry display.
How was the Zouk formed?
The Zouk was formed through this cultural combination known as misik Zouk. Along with this music, different genres were created, such as the beguine (Martinique and Guadeloupe), the compas (Haiti), the cadence (Haiti), and the cadence-lypso (Haiti / Trinidad and Tobago).
What is the Zouk style?
The Franco-Caribbean group Kassav stands out as one of the most recognized Zouk groups. This musical style has a marked French Antillean character, so it is easy to find in other French Caribbean colonies such as French Guiana. The Zouk was formed through this cultural combination known as misik Zouk.
What is Zouk music?
Like other Caribbean musical genres such as calypso, Zouk music is known for its speed and danceable character associated with festive and carnival events. Its period of splendor took place in the 70s of the last century. The Franco-Caribbean group Kassav stands out as one of the most recognized Zouk groups.
What is the most popular music in Trinidad and Tobago?
Calypso . The calypso style is one of the most recognized traditional music in Trinidad and Tobago, San Andrés, and Providencia Islands. Its cultural language and its music are very diverse. As a result, calypso has positioned itself as one of the most influential West Indian areas.
Where did Zouk originate?
Zouk. The genre Zouk is considered Afro-Caribbean heritage, specifically from the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Its name comes from the word Mazouk that identifies the European genus Mazurka transferred to the Caribbean during European colonization. Like other Caribbean musical genres such as calypso, Zouk music is known for its speed ...
What is the Caribbean music style?
As such, most Caribbean music, however unique to its own island culture, includes elements of African music - heavy use of percussion instruments, complex rhythmic patterns, and call-and-response vocals.
What are the influences of Caribbean music?
Caribbean music genres are diverse. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and Indigenous influences, largely created by descendants of enslaved Africans (see Afro-Caribbean music ), along with contributions from other communities (such as Indo-Caribbean music ). Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside ...
What is the music of Honduras?
The music of Honduras is varied. Punta is the main "ritmo" of Honduras, with other sounds such as Caribbean salsa, merengue, reggae, and reggaeton all widely heard especially in the North, to Mexican rancheras heard in the interior rural part of the country. Honduras' capital Tegucigalpa is an important center for modern Honduran music, and is home to the College for Fine Arts.
What is twoubadou music?
Twoubadou is another form of folk music played by peripatetic troubadours playing some combination of acoustic, guitar, beat box and accordion instruments singing ballads of Haitian, French or Caribbean origin. It is in some ways similar to Son Cubano from Cuba as a result of Haitian migrant laborers who went to work on Cuban sugar plantations at the turn of the century. Musicians perform at the Port-au-Prince International Airport and also at bars and restaurants in Pétion-Ville .
What is Shanto music?
Shanto is a form of Guyanese music, related to both calypso and mento, and became a major part of early popular music through its use in Guyanese vaudeville shows; songs are topical and light-hearted, often accompanied by a guitar. Other genres include:
What is tumba dance?
Performance is often competitive in nature. Tumba is a style of Curaçao music, strongly African in origin, despite the name's origin in a 17th-century Spanish dance. Traditional tumba is characterized by scandalous, gossiping and accusatory lyrics, but modern tumba often eschews such topics.
When was reggae invented?
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.
What is the most popular musical genre in the Dominican Republic?
However, the most popular musical genres in the Dominican Republic, the music for which the country is known, are merengue and bachata. While meringue has been part of the Dominican musical repertoire since the mid-19th century, it was in the 1930s that merengue became the dominant musical genre on the island.
How did Dominican music start?
There are many different genres of Dominican music which got their start from the diverse population Spanish settlers brought to the island through the slave trade and immigration.
What is the difference between bachata and merengue?
On the other hand, bachata emerged significantly later but had about as much of an impact on the Dominican culture as merengue did.
What is the most haunting Latin music of the last century?
From its discovery and subsequent colonization in 1493, the Dominican Republic's dark history of slave labor and native genocide yielded perhaps some of the most hauntingly beautiful Latin music of the last century, giving birth to such genres as merengue and bachata.
Where is the Dominican Republic?
The Dominican Republic occupies a little over two-thirds of the island, while the remaining third is the country of Haiti. The first permanent settlement, at Isabella, was established in 1493. The Spaniards found the docile Taino Indians living there — as they found them in Puerto Rico — but this indigenous population soon began to die off.
Who is the most famous Dominican musician?
The most famous Dominican musical artist today is undoubtedly Juan Luis Guerra. In the 1980s, Guerra took the limelight with his salsa -influenced merengue sound, incorporating high-quality production in his albums. In 1984 he formed his band "Juan Luis Guerra y 440," where the 440 were his backup vocalists and the number 440 represents the number of cycles per second of the "A" note.
Is bachata popular in Dominican Republic?
Bachata is quickly overcoming the popularity of merengue as the favorite Dominican musical genre.
What is the most popular music in Haiti?
Haiti is an incredibly rich island, musically, and compas is the island's most popular genre. Like basically all other Caribbean music, compas is a blend of African rhythms with the music of the Native Caribbean people and European musical elements. Some of the more popular current artists include Tabou Combo, Les Freres Dejean and Sweet Micky, who ran for and won the Haitian presidency in 2011. Other styles you'll find in Haiti include rara, mizik rasin, kadans and meringue (which is related to the merengue music of the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.)
What is the melting pot of cultures in the islands and coastal areas surrounding the Caribbean sea?
The melting pot of cultures in the islands and coastal areas surrounding the Caribbean sea have made this region one of the most fertile breeding grounds for music anywhere in the world.
What is reggae music?
Reggae is the best-known of Jamaica's many styles of music and finds its roots in traditional mento music, ska and rocksteady. With its characteristic one-drop rhythm and largely conscious and spiritual lyrics, reggae has widespread appeal among listeners all over the world and has had a major influence on hip-hop music, as well as rock and soul. The best-known reggae artist of all time was undoubtedly Bob Marley, who gained worldwide fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Other artists worth exploring are Peter Tosh, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Jimmy Cliff and Burning Spear.
Where did the calypso come from?
Calypso comes from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago and gained quite a bit of popularity (in an albeit somewhat sanitized form) during the folk revival when Harry Belafonte and some others brought some of the greatest old calypso songs to the international stage. The genre is very much alive, and there are a number of popular genres that are based in calypso, as well, including soca, chutney and rapso.
Is salsa popular in Cuba?
This genre is inextricable from its accompanying high-drama dance, which certainly explains its popularity among international audiences. Salsa is not only popular among Cubans in Cuba; there are vibrant and active salsa music communities in all major cities with large Cuban-American populations, particularly New York City and Miami.
Who is the most famous reggae artist?
The best-known reggae artist of all time was undoubtedly Bob Marley, who gained worldwide fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Other artists worth exploring are Peter Tosh, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Jimmy Cliff and Burning Spear.
Is baachata a popular genre?
Bachata has grown to rival Merengue as the Dominican Republic's most popular genre of music. It's a sad music, often equated with the blues, and with deep roots in Iberian guitar music (think flamenco and fado) but, in modern form, has a broadly appealing pop sensibility that is an easy sell to a wide audience.

Overview
Caribbean music genres are diverse. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and Indigenous influences, largely created by descendants of African slaves (see Afro-Caribbean music), along with contributions from other communities (such as Indo-Caribbean music). Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside the Caribbean include, bachata, merenque, palo, mambo, denbo, baithak …
Antigua and Barbuda
Benna is an uptempo Antiguan folk song, also spelled bennah and known as ditti. It is characterized by lyrics that focus on scandalous gossip, performed in a call and response style. It has also been a means of folk communication, spreading news and political commentary across the island. Other genres include:
• Extempo
Bahamas
• Goombay
• Junkanoo
• Rake-and-scrape
• Bahamian Rhyming Spiritual
Barbados
• Folk
• Tuk
• Spouge
• Fling
• Calypso jazz
Belize
• Punta
• Punta rock
• Chumba
• Fedu
• Brukdown
Colombia
• Berroche
• Bullerengue
• Champeta
• Chandé
• Chalupa
Cuba
• Abwe
• Afro-Cuban jazz
• Areito
• Bakosó
• Batá and yuka
Dominica
Chanté mas (masquerade song) is a tradition from the music of Dominica, based in Carnival celebrations and performed by groups of masquerading partygoers. They use the call-and-response format, and lyrics are often light-hearted insulting, and discuss local scandals and rumors. Other genres include:
• Bélé