Spanish Language Music
One of the things I’ve enjoyed is picking up some Spanish language music to listen to. The great thing about music is that you will be listening to tunes over and over. Eventually you’ll know things so well that you’ll be singing parts of the song and you’ll be working on pronunciation and comprehension at the same time. Part of the trick is to find music with very present vocals so you can make out the lyrics. But the most helpful is to find something that you like listening to.
I think one of the good things about listening to music in the language youŕe studying you will likely sing along at some point and can practice and improve your pronunciation as you do so.
One thing that’s fairly important is having access to the lyrics to make sense of what you’re hearing. I would encourage you to read along occasionally and add any words you don’t know to your deck of study words (with definitions.) Online lyric sites can be dangerous in a sense… many illegitimate sites have drive by downloads, popup ads and who knows what else… I HIGHLY recommend legit lyric sites such as MetroLyrics.com or Yahoo’s Music Lyrics section. They both have paid for the right to have access to the REAL lyrics of songs. So, there are two advantages to using their sites 1) you can actually see what the REAL lyrics are, not what somebody has guessed the lyrics are. 2) they are more reputable sites and you have a lower chance of spyware/malware infections from visiting them.
Some artists I’ve listened to: (Links are to lyrics)
RBD – co-ed pop group spin-off from a Mexican teen sopa opera. (Fuego, Solo Quedate en Silencio among several others.)
Juanes – (Mi Sangre) One of the giants of Latin Rock… (Tu Guardian, La Camisa Negra, Sueños, Que Pasa, Volverte a ver)
Franco De Vita – latin pop giant – (Mi Sueño)
La Oreja de Van Gogh (LOVG) is a group out of Spain with a recent release:
Cd version:
and Download version:
I’ve also heard several other artists via their work for soap operas:
Belinda (Vivir)
Roque Valero (Vengo a Contar Contigo)
Sin Bandera (Amor Real)
Placido Domingo
Christina Aguilera – Mi Reflejo (El Beso Del Final, Si No Te Hubiera Conocido, Contigo en la Distancia…)
Fortunately there are lot’s of lyric (letras) sites out there to find out what the words are. Although I’d encourage you to try to get by without the lyric sites if possible. I remember one in particular I read the lyrics online early on and it didn’t make sense, the more I listened I was convinced they had it wrong and as I learned to find more reliable lyrics sources I was right.
This list from the Wikipedia may help you find Spanish language singers you’re interested in hearing:
A
Victoria Abril
Pepe Aguilar
Christina Aguilera
Manuel Agujetas
Ailyn
Alaska (singer)
Javier Álvarez
Francisco Javier Álvarez Colinet
Carmen Amaya
Remedios Amaya
Anahí
Thomas Anders
Marilia Andrés Casares
Andrés Cepeda
Marc Anthony
Rosana Arbelo
Imperio Argentina
Belén Arjona
Soraya Arnelas
Brenda Asnicar
Luis Eduardo Aute
B
Joan Baez
Devendra Banhart
Bebe (entertainer)
Ana Belén
Lucecita Benítez
Beth (musician)
David Bisbal
Andrea Bocelli
Miguel Bosé
Lou Briel
Sarah Brightman
David Broza
Urs Bühler
Concha Buika
Virginia Buika
Enrique Bunbury
Ernst Busch (actor)
David Bustamante
C
Fito Cabrales
Camarón de la Isla
Ainhoa Cantalapiedra
Manolo Caracol
Mariah Carey
Roberto Carlos (singer)
Nydia Caro
Vikki Carr
Raffaella Carrà
Manuel Carrasco
Luz Casal
Cristian Castro
Cecilia (Spanish singer)
Antonio Chacón
Manu Chao
Jennifer Charles
Christian Chávez
Chenoa
Christell
David Civera
Conchita (musician)
Celia Cruz
D
Lupita D’Alessio
Dalida
Sergio Dalma
Silvestre Dangond
Danny (singer)
Guillermo Dávila
Maria de Barros
David DeMaría
Lila Deneken
Sully Diaz
Jeanette (singer)
Addys D’Mercedes
Lila Downs
Dulce María
Rocío Dúrcal
Dyango
E
Edurne
El Fary
Emilio
Enrique el Mellizo
Gloria Estefan
Gala Évora
F
Lara Fabian
Falete
Fanny Lú
José Feliciano
Nuria Fergó
Nilda Fernández
Jorge Ferreira
Mercedes Ferrer
Tiziano Ferro
Antonio Flores
Lola Flores
Lolita Flores
Rosario Flores
Luis Fonsi
Fosforito
Connie Francis
Marie Fredriksson
Frijoles Romanticos
Nelly Furtado
Laura Fygi
G
Danna García
Kany García
Manolo García
Carlos Gardel
Gisela (singer)
Eydie Gormé
Juan Luis Guerra
H
Michael Hennet Sotomayor
Alfonso Herrera
Taylor Horn
I
Idaira
Enrique Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Ishtar (singer)
Miss Issa
J
Roberto Jordan
Jorge Drexler
Jorge Villamizar
José José
José Jiménez Fernández
Juan Carlos Echeverry
Juanes
Rocío Jurado
K
Beyoncé Knowles
L
La Niña de los Peines
La Serneta
Frankie Laine
Las Supremas de Móstoles
Héctor Lavoe
Yasmin Levy
Lissette
Jennifer Lopez
Rosa López
Trini Lopez
Lorena (singer)
Los del Río
M
Mayte Macanás
Madonna (entertainer)
Antonio Mairena
Malú
Víctor Manuel
Victor Manuelle
Celia Mara
Pepe Marchena
María Isabel
Angélica María
Marisol (actress)
Dani Martín
Ricky Martin
Alejandro Martínez
Martirio
Antonio Martos Ortiz
Mireille Mathieu
Melendi
Melody (singer)
Katie Melua
Paolo Meneguzzi
Mai Meneses
Luis Miguel
Miguelito (artist)
Milva
Mina (singer)
Mísia
Ericson Alexander Molano
Antonio Molina
Ricardo Montaner
Andy Montañez
Amaia Montero
Sara Montiel
Santiago Morales
Marcela Morelo
Enrique Morente
Nana Mouskouri
N
Nada (Italian singer)
Nek
Bola de Nieve
Nika (singer)
Nina (singer)
Achinoam Nini
Nino Bravo
O
Natalia Oreiro
Antonio Orozco
P
P-Star
Isabel Pantoja
Paola e Chiara
Niña Pastori
Laura Pausini
José Luis Perales
Peret
Belle Perez
Maite Perroni
Esteban Piñero Camacho
Elsa Pinilla Osuna
Dulce Pontes
Rebeca Pous Del Toro
Romina Power
Patty Pravo
Arianna Puello
R
Eros Ramazzotti
Raphael (singer)
Axelle Red
Juanita Reina
Yolanda del Río
Miguel Ríos
Jerry Rivera
La Mala Rodríguez
Natalia (Spanish singer)
Verónica Romeo
Raquel del Rosario
Christina Rosenvinge
Marina Rossell
Paulina Rubio
Frankie Ruiz
Andy Russell (singer)
S
Joaquín Sabina
Paloma San Basilio
Marta Sánchez
Alejandro Sanz
Lhasa de Sela
Selena
Inma Serrano
Ismael Serrano
Joan Manuel Serrat
Camilo Sesto
Shakira
Shery
Pastora Soler
Adrienne Bailon
Natasha St-Pier
Pedro Suárez Vértiz
Só Pra Contrariar
T
Esmi Talamantez
Thalía
Tontxu
Manuel Torre
Manoella Torres
Ana Torroja
U
Álex Ubago
Christopher Uckermann
Amaya Uranga
Izaskun Uranga
Álvaro Urquijo
Enrique Urquijo
Estibaliz Uranga
V
Juan Valderrama
Cristina del Valle
Vega (singer)
Concha Velasco
Juan Fernando Velasco
Caetano Veloso
Yolanda Ventura
Franco De Vita
Carlos Vives
X
Xuxa
Y
Yuri (Mexican singer)
Z
Zucchero
Daniel Zueras
Here’s a listing of Spanish Musical Groups:
A
* Aerolineas Federales
* Alaska y Dinarama
* Amaral (music group)
* Eva Amaral
* Amarok (Spanish band)
* Amistades Peligrosas
* Amparanoia
* Andy & Lucas
* Atrium Musicae de Madrid
* Aviador Dro
B
* Baccara
* List of bands from Spain
* Barrabás
* Bellepop
* Betagarri
* Boikot
* Los Bravos
C
* Celtas Cortos
* Che Sudaka
* Cheb Balowski
* Los Chunguitos
* Contradanza (band)
D
* DarkSun
* Darna (band)
* Dixebra
* Dulce Locura
E
* El Canto del Loco
* El Último Vals
* El Último de la Fila
* Elefantes (band)
* Eskorbuto
* Estopa
F
* Facto delafé y las flores azules
* Family (Spanish band)
* Fangoria (band)
F cont.
* Fito & Fitipaldis
* Forever Slave
* Formula V
G
* G.a.s. drummers
H
* Hamlet (band)
* Hidrogenesse
* Héroes del Silencio
I
* Itoiz
J
* Jarabe de Palo
K
* K-Narias
* KUDAI
* Kortatu
L
* La Buena Vida
* La Musgaña
* La Pandilla
* La Polla Records
* Lole y Manuel
* Los Chichos
* Los Gandules
* Los Nikis
* Los Pop Tops
* Los Toreros Muertos
* Los del Mar
* Los del Río
* Lunae
M
* Macaco (band)
* Marlango
* Mecano
* Milladoiro
* Mocedades
* Azúcar Moreno
* Muñeca de Trapo
N
* Nacha Pop
* Narsilion (band)
* Negu Gorriak
* Nena Daconte
N cont.
* Nivram
O
* OBK
* Ojos de Brujo
* La Oreja de Van Gogh
P
* Parchís (group)
* Pastora
* Pata Negra
* Pignoise
* Presuntos Implicados
* Princessa
* Puedes Contar Conmigo
Q
* Quartet de Barcelona
* Quique González
R
* Radio Futura
* Reincidentes
S
* Santa Fe (group)
* Sauze
* Sexy Sadie (band)
* Ska-P
* Skalariak
* Sonblue
* Soziedad Alkoholika
* Spiderworld
* Stravaganzza
T
* Tahúres zurdos
* Template:La Oreja De Van Gogh
* Tess (girl band)
* The Killer Barbies
* The Unfinished Sympathy
* Trilogy (band)
* Triquel
U
* Un Pingüino en mi Ascensor
* User:Starfarmer/Jarcha (group)
W
* WarCry (band)
from the wikipedia.
Also Mexican Musical Groups: (from this Wikipedia Page
A
* AK-7
* Adolfo Urías
* Akwid
* Alejandro García (producer)
* Allison (band)
* Amduscia
* Antidoping
* Azul Violeta
B
* Los Bukis
* Banda Jerez
* Banda Machos
* Banda Maguey
* Banda el Recodo
* La Barranca
* Belanova
* Blue Meanies (tribute band)
* Grupo Bronco
C
* Caifanes
* Camila (band)
* Chikita Violenta
* Coda (band)
* Conjunto Atardecer
* Conjunto Primavera
* Cuca (band)
D
* Delasónica
* Delux
* División Minúscula
* Druidas
* Dueto Voces del Rancho
* Los Dynamite
E
* El Poder del Norte
F
* Fandango (band)
* Flans
* Frolic Froth
G
* Garibaldi (group)
G cont.
* Genitallica
* El Gran Silencio
* Grupo Bryndis
* Grupo Climax
* Grupo Límite
* Grupo Oasis
* La Gusana Ciega
H
* Ha*Ash
* Humus (band)
J
* Jaguares (rock band)
* Jeans (band)
* Jumbo (band)
* Juventud En Extasis
K
* K-Paz de la Sierra
* Kabah (band)
* Kobol (band)
L
* La 5ª Estación
* Los Angeles de Charly
* Los Baby’s
* Los Cadetes de Linares
* Los Dug Dug’s
* Los Fugitivos
* Los Huracanes del Norte
* Los Narcos de S.L.P
* Los Pikadientes de Caborca
* Los Temerarios
* Lu (duo)
* Luzbel
M
* Magneto (band)
* Maldita Vecindad
* Maná
* María Daniela y su Sonido Lasser
* Mindelight
* Mister Loco
* Moderatto
* Mœnia
M cont.
* Molotov (band)
* Morbo (band)
* Muñecos de Papel
N
* Nikki Clan
* Nortec Collective
O
* OV7
P
* Los Panchos
* Panda (band)
* Panteón Rococó
* Patrulla 81
* Pito Pérez
* Plastilina Mosh
* Polymarchs
* Porter (band)
R
* RBD
* Reik
* Los Relámpagos del Norte
* Los Rieleros del Norte
* Rodrigo y Gabriela
* Rusty Eye
S
* Santa Sabina (band)
* Sentidos Opuestos
* Sin Bandera
* Smoking the Century Away
* Stomago Sagrado
* Sussie 4
* Sweet Electra
T
* Terrestre
* Tijuana No!
* Titán
* Transmetal (band)
* Trío Calaveras
U
* Los Updates
V
* Volován
Z
* Zurdok
There are also a wide variety of styles of music available across the Spanish speaking world, just like the English speaking world. So, I’m sure you’ll find something to like. It’s interesting, I’ve found that some styles have grown on me as I’ve listened. So, several years on I’ve started to appreciate some of the variations on the traditional Mexicana styles.
