Throughout the day, there are tons of opportunities to enjoy music, whether it's on your daily commute, belting out your favorites in the shower or discreetly listening to your guilty pleasures with the aid of headphones. Music plays such a big role in our daily lives and we sometimes take for granted how much it actually affects our mood and actions.
It has been said that music is a universal language, and that is certainly true when you think that it can connect us and bring us closer to other cultures. You can also learn a lot about a person from the songs they like to hear. But have you ever stopped to think that they could also be a useful learning tool?
Think about it. Next time you're dancing along to the rhythm of your favorite Spanish-language song, try to really listen to the words and see which ones you recognize. Searching for the lyrics online can help you know the correct spelling, and playing the songs a few times can certainly help you nail their pronunciation.
Popular music charts are usually dominated by American and English-speaking artists. However, the music industry has been catching a "Latin fever" as of late, which not only makes the musical landscape more diverse but it could also prove helpful in your quest to learn Spanish.
Sure, taking online Spanish courses is the first step, but you have to agree that you'll learn faster when your homework consists of listening to some fun songs by some of the most popular artists in the world. Maybe next time you visit a karaoke bar you can dazzle the audience with a tune in Spanish? They'll never see that coming! Here are some recommendations to get you started.
"La Macarena" was a huge hit back in 1995, and put Spanish music on the worldwide map. The phenomenon repeated itself last year with "Despacito" (which means "slowly"), by Puerto Rican superstars Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. This reggaetón track, the biggest Spanish-language song in a long time, was even nominated for Song and Record of the Year at the Grammys. Check it out below if you haven't heard this huge hit yet, or listen to it for the hundredth time.
Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade first burst onto the scene back in 2002 with a very special type of alternative pop for youngsters. Since then, she's had quite the musical evolution and has tried a bit of everything. Her latest artistic phase has her proudly displaying her mixed heritage like the crown of flowers that sits atop her head, and paying homage to legendary composers like AgustÃ?ÃÂn Lara. Recently, she sang the theme from Disney/Pixar's "Coco" at the Oscars, alongside actor Gael GarcÃ?ÃÂa Bernal and singer Miguel, who has Mexican heritage on his father's side.
Already a huge star in her native Colombia and the rest of Latin America, Shakira released her first English album in 2001 and became a worldwide superstar, as well as one of the most successful Latin artists in history. Since then, she's sung in both Spanish and English, and even a handful of other languages, too. Like most commercial pop, her music has recently taken a step towards reggaetón and urban rhythms, but her classics still stand.
These are just a few examples of Spanish-speaking artists that have succeeded outside of their countries and taken Latin music to new levels. Soda Stereo, from Argentina, was one of the biggest rock bands of the 80's, for example, and Enrique Iglesias, from Spain, still enjoys a huge crossover success and sells out arenas worldwide. Who's your favorite Spanish-speaking artist?
It has been said that music is a universal language, and that is certainly true when you think that it can connect us and bring us closer to other cultures. You can also learn a lot about a person from the songs they like to hear. But have you ever stopped to think that they could also be a useful learning tool?
Think about it. Next time you're dancing along to the rhythm of your favorite Spanish-language song, try to really listen to the words and see which ones you recognize. Searching for the lyrics online can help you know the correct spelling, and playing the songs a few times can certainly help you nail their pronunciation.
Popular music charts are usually dominated by American and English-speaking artists. However, the music industry has been catching a "Latin fever" as of late, which not only makes the musical landscape more diverse but it could also prove helpful in your quest to learn Spanish.
Sure, taking online Spanish courses is the first step, but you have to agree that you'll learn faster when your homework consists of listening to some fun songs by some of the most popular artists in the world. Maybe next time you visit a karaoke bar you can dazzle the audience with a tune in Spanish? They'll never see that coming! Here are some recommendations to get you started.
"La Macarena" was a huge hit back in 1995, and put Spanish music on the worldwide map. The phenomenon repeated itself last year with "Despacito" (which means "slowly"), by Puerto Rican superstars Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. This reggaetón track, the biggest Spanish-language song in a long time, was even nominated for Song and Record of the Year at the Grammys. Check it out below if you haven't heard this huge hit yet, or listen to it for the hundredth time.
Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade first burst onto the scene back in 2002 with a very special type of alternative pop for youngsters. Since then, she's had quite the musical evolution and has tried a bit of everything. Her latest artistic phase has her proudly displaying her mixed heritage like the crown of flowers that sits atop her head, and paying homage to legendary composers like AgustÃ?ÃÂn Lara. Recently, she sang the theme from Disney/Pixar's "Coco" at the Oscars, alongside actor Gael GarcÃ?ÃÂa Bernal and singer Miguel, who has Mexican heritage on his father's side.
Already a huge star in her native Colombia and the rest of Latin America, Shakira released her first English album in 2001 and became a worldwide superstar, as well as one of the most successful Latin artists in history. Since then, she's sung in both Spanish and English, and even a handful of other languages, too. Like most commercial pop, her music has recently taken a step towards reggaetón and urban rhythms, but her classics still stand.
These are just a few examples of Spanish-speaking artists that have succeeded outside of their countries and taken Latin music to new levels. Soda Stereo, from Argentina, was one of the biggest rock bands of the 80's, for example, and Enrique Iglesias, from Spain, still enjoys a huge crossover success and sells out arenas worldwide. Who's your favorite Spanish-speaking artist?
