Section 5 · Before Streaming
It did not start in 2018
The forms and figures that made the present possible — nueva canción, the Movida, Camarón, salsa in New York, and the late-90s crossover.
Brass and requinto on a small stage: the format radio files as regional Mexican.Photo: Caleb Oquendo / Pexels
The Movida Burned Briefly and Changed Madrid Permanently
The Movida Madrileña — roughly 1977 to 1985 — was a post-Franco cultural explosion centred on Madrid's bar and club circuit.
Before Streaming
Camarón and Paco de Lucía Broke Flamenco and Rebuilt It
The 1969 collaboration between Camarón de la Isla (vocals) and Paco de Lucía (guitar) produced a series of records that moved flamenco out of the tablaos and into the concert hall.
Before Streaming
Salsa Was Made in New York, Not in the Caribbean
The Fania Records label — founded in New York in 1964 — synthesised Cuban son, Puerto Rican rhythms and jazz into what became known as salsa.
Before Streaming
The Late-Nineties Crossover That Set the Template
Selena's posthumous Dreaming of You (1995), Ricky Martin's eponymous English-language album (1999) and the Santana Supernatural moment (1999) form the documented arc of the Latin crossover.
Before Streaming