Latino Music
Good evening. I just registered today so I'd like to begin by introducing myself. My name is Ernesto Rebollar and I'm DJ & owner of Universal Sounds Entertainment based out of Austin, TX.
I was immediately drawn to this thread since I'm hispanic and am very familiar with all types of spanish music. Just from reading some of the replies, I believe many make the misconception that all latino music is alike. Well here in Texas you'll get booed off stage if you play the wrong music for the wrong hispanic crowd and you really have to know the people you're playing for.
Take for example the mexican culture...there are two main types here in Texas: there are Mexican nationals, which prefer a regional Mexican format, and then there are "chicanos" (Mexican-Americans) which prefer Tejano music aka "Tex-Mex". Both of these sub genres are so different and neither group cares for the others' music format.
Then you have your other hispanic groups which would be puerto ricans/dominicans/cubans/central&south americans. Salsa, merengue, bachata, vallenato, punta, reggaeton, spanish pop, etc would be their respective preferred genres.
(I hope I haven't offend anybody as I just wanted to give a simple generalized educated example of hispanic cultures & their music preferences)
With all this being said, I'll start by providing a popular list of mexican artists to be played for their respective sub genres:
Regional Mexican format (these sub genres belong to their respective regions of Mexico and may help you narrow down the style to play for your audience on any given night):
Banda (originated in the state of Sinaloa & neighboring states): La Arrolladora Banda El Limón, Banda El Recodo, Banda MS, Los Dareyes De La Sierra, Banda Cuisillos, Banda Pequeños Musical, Banda Los Recoditos, El Chapo De Sinaloa, Valentin Elizalde, Banda Machos, Julion Alvarez, Julio Preciado
Chihuahuense (originated in the state of Chihuahua): Los Rieleros Del Norte, Adolfo Urias y Su Lobo Norteño, Conjunto Primavera, Polo Urias y Su Máquina Norteña
Cumbia Colombiana/Mexicana (popularized in the city of Monterrey and surrounding areas): Aniceto Molina, Celso Piña, Chon Arauza, La Mission Colombiana, La Tropa Colombiana
Cumbia Comarka Lagunera (originated in the state of Coahuila): Chicos De Barrio, Massore, Los Capi, Poder Urbano, Sabor Kolombia, Los Colombinos
Cumbia Sonidera (popularized in southern regions like Mexico City, Puebla & neighboring states): Grupo Kual, Los De Akino, Super Grupo Colombia, Super Grupo G, Grupo Macao
Cumbias Sonora: (popularized in the state of Coahuila): La Sonora Dinamita, La Sonora De Margarita, Sonora Eskandalo
Duranguense: (originated in the state of Durango - popularized in Chicago, IL): El Trono De México, K-Paz De La Sierra, Alacranes Musical, Grupo Montéz De Durango, Los Horóscopos de Durango, La Apuesta
Gruperos Inmortales (popularized during 80's in the northeastern part of the country): Fito Olivares, JLB y Compañía, Renacimiento '74, Tropical Panama, Bronco, Grupo Pegasso, Los Hermanos Barron, Liberación, Toppaz
Hyphy (popularized in the northern part of California, U.S.A.): Los Amos De Nuevo Leon, Los Inquietos De Nuevo Leon
Mariachi (popularized in the state of Guadalajara): Vicente Fernández, Pepe Aguilar, Pedro Fernandez, Alejandro Fernández
Norteño (popularized in the state Nuevo Leon & surrounding regions): Los Tigres del Norte, Ramón Ayala, Los Cadetes de Linares, Los Huracanes Del Norte, El Poder Del Norte, Los Cardenales de Nuevo Leon, Los Invasores de Nuevo Leon, Los Traileros del Norte, Pesado, Intocable
Tierra Caliente (popularized in the state of Guerrero & Michoacan): Beto y Sus Canarios, La Dinastia, Los Pajaritos, Los Player's, Tierra Cali, Triny Y La Leyenda, Josecito Leon Y Su Banda Roja
Pop/Rock En Español (popular on an international level): Thalia, Paulina Rubio, Alejandra Guzmán, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Camila, Enanitos Verdes, Gloria Trevi, Luis Miguel, Maná, Juanes, etc (too many to list)
There are also other dance crazes in the regional mexican category like "cumbias tribales" which have a tribal dance beat and are very popular at the moment: Hechizeros Band - "El Sonidito", Huichol Musical - "Cusinela", Los Karkis ft. DJ Chombo - "Arremangala Arrempujala (tribal remix)", etc.
As far as popular mexican line dances, there's the "Achy Breaky Heart" spanish version by Caballo Dorado - "No Rompas Mas" & always follow it with Caballo Dorado - "Payaso De Rodeo". Other crowd movers are "Sigue Al Lider" (Follow The Leader) by SBS, "1, 2, 3" - El Simbolo, Mach & Daddy "Pasame La Botella", Azul Azul - "La Bomba", Banda Blanca - "El Venado", Celia Cruz - "La Vida Es Un Carnaval", Pedro Fernández - "La Bala", Jean Carlos - "De Reversa", etc.
Well that's it for now and I will continue this in-depth thread at another time. I hope I have given some of you ideas that will help you with specific latino crowds. While Elvis Crespo's - "Suavemente" is a big hit, it's not the only song latinos like to hear, let alone the only merengue song out there. Latinos are very passionate about their music so if you want to 'hit'em in the heart', you have to have a good flow and know what you're working with.