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Which regions are included in the musical traditions of Latin America?

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ceramic flute — Latin American music Flute, slip-painted ceramic, Nopiloa, southern Veracruz, Mexico, 300–500 ce; in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 35.56 × 17.15 × 10.80 cm.

The musical traditions of Latin American music encompass the regions of Mexico, Central America, and those portions of South America and the Caribbean that were colonized by Spain and Portugal.1

These traditions are defined by a complex, tri-ethnic heritage—blending Native American, African, and European influences—that varies significantly by country, social group, and specific region. While European colonial influence introduced the Iberian musical system, including tonal melodies and stringed instruments like the guitar, these were adapted to local aesthetics.213

For example, Mestizo music in the Andean regions is distinctively influenced by Quechua pentatonic melodies, while Afro-Iberian styles across the Caribbean and South America are characterized by syncopated rhythms, call-and-response patterns, and the use of diverse percussion instruments of African origin. Consequently, the musical landscape of Latin America is not a monolith but a collection of distinct national and regional styles, such as the samba of Brazil, the tango of Argentina and Uruguay, and the merengue of the Dominican Republic.23