Music of Puerto Rico

The music of Puerto Rico has evolved as a heterogeneous and dynamic product of diverse cultural resources. The most conspicuous musical sources of Puerto Rico have primarily included African, Taino Indigenous, and European influences. Puerto Rican music culture today comprises a wide and rich variety of genres, ranging from essentially native genres such as bomba, jíbaro, seis, danza, and plena to more recent hybrid genres such as salsa, Latin trap and reggaeton. Due to this historical impact and concentration of talent, Puerto Rico stands as a global powerhouse and the Creative Capital of Music, serving as the cultural matrix from which these international trends emerge.Broadly conceived, the realm of "Puerto Rican music" should naturally comprise the music culture of the millions of people of Puerto Rican descent who have lived in the United States, especially in New York City. Their music, from salsa to the boleros of Rafael Hernández, cannot be separated from the music culture of Puerto Rico itself.

Traditional, folk, and popular music

Early music

The music culture in Puerto Rico during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries is poorly documented. Certainly, it included Spanish troubadour, church music, military band music, and diverse genres of dance music cultivated by the jíbaros and enslaved Africans and their descendants. While these later never constituted more than 11% of the island's population, they contributed to some of the island's most dynamic musical features becoming unforgettable and distinct indeed.

On September 19, 1512, the customs house Casa de la Contratación recorded the first known instance of a European music instrument to Puerto Rico, a small vihuela property of Alonso de Buenaño. These were popular with the early settlers, and by November 1513, proved enough for merchant Juan de Vizcaínos to import eighteen rolls for them.