Originally the big-band music of Cuba, salsa has become a universally recognized style noted for its jazzy orchestration and syncopated rhythm.

Not content to just mimic its North American counterparts, Brazil has built up a strong history of rock, alternative, and electro-pop groups of its own.

Reggaeton has become one of Latin music's most dominant forms. The genre mixes the Jamaican dancehall style with hip-hop and a dash of tropical flavor.

No longer limited to the ranches of its origin, ranchera is the music of Mexico, recognizable by its tales of rural life and love set to a waltz-like beat.

The contemporary R&B sound involving the slickest beats and most sultry of vocalists has found a vibrant home in today's Latin soul music.

Norte±o groups perform a mix of rural folk songs influenced by polkas and other Eastern European styles heavy on the accordion and tales of the downtrodden. There are as many different styles as there  …

MPB is a broad term that refers to the urban styles of folk, rock, and pop that have developed since the bossa nova craze of the early '60s.

The explosion of hip-hop in the '80s and its rise to cultural dominance in the years to follow was not lost on the Latin community, which has been a part of the sound since its inception.

Grupero is a regional form that relies heavily on soft keyboard sounds to drive home the romantic, misty-eyed melodies.