What is the Most Popular Music and Dance in South America?

Some of the most popular music in South America is also popular worldwide. For example, Shakira, Marc Anthony and Enrique Iglesais have all enjoyed fame and success in South America throughout the past decade.  Although the top "pop" songs at any given time will change based on what the trend-of-the-moment is in South America, and the latest info on big-music sellers in South America can be found by looking at the Billboard Music charts. However, traditionally, the most popular music to come out of South America is the Tango.

The Tango has a long tradition as a form of popular music in South America. The Argentinian tango was first developed as a dance, with the recognizable tango music coming along later to accompany the dance.  The origins of the dance go back to the 1900s and an influx of immigrants to South America from European countries.  These immigrants were seeking work as farmers, but when they could not find that work, they moved to the cities. There, they would go to bars and clubs and bring their native styles of dance to the people of South America. This created a musical melting pot that gave birth to the Tango.

In the 1930s, the tango returned to Europe, where it was celebrated as an entirely new form of dance.  At this time, the creation of the standard tango band took place.  The tango band includes a number of different instruments as well as a singer.  Some of the instruments commonly seen in a tango band are the violin and piano, but guitars are also used occasionally. 

Today, the tango is seeing an increase in popularity in the United States because of its prominent role on such television shows as “Dancing with the Stars.”  The tango has also been featured prominently in a number of films, including the film “Scent of a Woman,” where a blind army veteran named Al Pacino famously dances the tango with a young woman.  It is clear that there is little to no chance of the tango diminishing in popularity any time soon.