New Song movement

folk music

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July 19, 2026

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The nueva canción movement was a pan-Latin American genre of popular music that gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. It is best known for its role in a powerful populist political movement, particularly in countries like Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Cuba. This music drew inspiration from the region's rural traditions, with the guitar being a central instrument, often accompanied by indigenous Andean instruments like zampoñas (panpipes) and quenas (flutes).1

Nueva canción aimed to represent the struggles for social justice of marginalized peoples. Its lyrics, often rich in metaphor and imagery from rural life, promoted social awareness and responsibility. While not always overtly political, the music served as a rallying point against social inequity. Key figures like Violeta Parra and Victor Jara were instrumental in shaping the genre, collecting and revitalizing old songs into a more contemporary format that spoke to and for ordinary people.1

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Nicaragua
The arts
In the 1970s the “New Song movement,” a form of traditional Latin American folk music mixed with political and social commentary, was led by Nicaraguan brothers Luis Enríque Mejía Godoy and Carlos Mejía Godoy, who continued to perform into the 1990s, often with other artists, including Katia Cardenal and…
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In the 1970s the “New Song movement,” a form of traditional Latin American folk music mixed with political and social commentary, was led by Nicaraguan brothers Luis Enríque Mejía Godoy and Carlos Mejía Godoy, who continued to perform into the 1990s, often with other artists, including Katia Cardenal and…
Read More