Folk, Rock and Tango!

Music in Argentinean has a verity of European influences. Due to the fact, most of Argentina's population is immigrants from Europe. It is common to hear an accordion in their folk music, a steel guitar in their rock, and a verity of instruments in their tangos.

Argentina's folk music is quite popular. Instead of the songs being about their loves in the past, most of them have to do with problems facing Argentina. One song comments on the large amount of homeless children, another on how life caries on after disastrous times, these songs make the listener think about their world. It also drives them to consider if the impact they are making is positive or negative.

As one can imagine, the rock music is quite different from the folk. Argentinean rock music was first developed and successful in the mid 1960s. It was the first Spanish speaking rock music to be a hit outside of its nation. The words are less poetic than the folk music, and the focus is given mostly to the instruments. Most of the bands are hard rock, steel guitars, heavy drums, and very loud. There are a few, however, that tend to lean toward soft rock. Fito Paez, is one of the most successful rock musicians. His music is a blend of soft rock and techno.

Opposed to rock music, which had a relatively new appearance on the scene, the tango has been around for much longer. The tango dwells on the heartache of the people, mainly love gone wrong. The dance is a key part of the tango, although people listen to tango without dancing. The dance is in a way a story, like a hula dance. The graceful, strong, yet sorrowful movements propel the heart into sadness. This art form is taught to generation after generation. The tango is a key part of Argentinean life.

The music of Argentina falls into those three main categorize. The success of the latter two have leaked out into the rest of the world and influenced the music that they listen to. The folk music leaks into the heart of listeners making them discern what needs to be done in their nation.