Music of Colombia Facts for Kids

The Afro-Colombian group Monsieur Periné mixes cumbia sounds with a gypsy-swing style.

The music of Colombia is a big part of Colombia's culture. It has many different styles! Modern Colombian music is a cool mix of sounds from Africa, native Colombian traditions, and Europe (especially Spanish music). You can also hear influences from more modern American and Caribbean music, like music from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, and Jamaica.

Rock Music in Colombia
Traditional Colombian Sounds
Images for kids
See also

Rock Music in Colombia

In the late 1950s, Mexican rock stars like Enrique Guzmán and Cesar Costa became super popular in Colombia. Soon, Colombian rock bands like Los Speakers also became very well-known. Starting in 1967, some Colombian bands, like Genesis, began to mix native music styles (like cumbia) with rock music. This created a unique sound!

Traditional Colombian Sounds

Cumbia is a famous Colombian music style. It's a blend of Spanish and African music. African people brought their music to Colombia when they were brought there as slaves. In the 19th century, Colombia ended slavery. After that, people from African, Indian, and other ethnic groups mixed even more in Colombian music. Styles like bambuco, vallenato, and porro became very important. When the waltz dance became popular in the 19th century, Colombian musicians created their own version called pasillo.