Afro-Cuban music

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

Afro-Cuban music is a vibrant genre that blends Spanish and African musical influences, creating a unique sound found in both traditional and popular Cuban music. This fusion is evident in genres like son, rumba, and salsa, which have significantly impacted music across the Americas. The African influence is particularly strong, contributing complex rhythms, call-and-response patterns, and distinctive dance movements characterized by hip and knee flexion, and core-body undulation.123

Afro-Cuban music has also deeply influenced jazz, leading to the development of Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban jazz, or "Cubop". This genre's rhythmic complexity and instrumentation, including percussion instruments like congas and bongos, are hallmarks of its sound. The worldwide success of groups like the Buena Vista Social Club has further introduced these rich musical traditions to a global audience.451

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

10 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

percussion instrument
The Americas
…of Nigeria are played in Cuba; the claves, a pair of cylindrical percussion sticks of Haiti and Cuba, are standard equipment in Western rhythm bands. The xylophone may already have entered the Western Hemisphere in pre-Columbian times. Known chiefly as the marimba, it has been accepted in Western musical culture.…
Read More
…of Nigeria are played in Cuba; the claves, a pair of cylindrical percussion sticks of Haiti and Cuba, are standard equipment in Western rhythm bands. The xylophone may already have entered the Western Hemisphere in pre-Columbian times. Known chiefly as the marimba, it has been accepted in Western musical culture.…
Read More

salsa
…hybrid musical form based on Afro-Cuban music but incorporating elements from other Latin American styles. It developed largely in New York City beginning in the 1940s and ’50s, though it was not labeled salsa until the 1960s; it peaked in popularity in the 1970s in conjunction with the spread of…
Read More
…hybrid musical form based on Afro-Cuban music but incorporating elements from other Latin American styles. It developed largely in New York City beginning in the 1940s and ’50s, though it was not labeled salsa until the 1960s; it peaked in popularity in the 1970s in conjunction with the spread of…
Read More