Listening to Spanish music is a fantastic way to improve your language skills! Here, Jamaica Plain, MA tutor Christopher S. shares 5 suggestions for famous new Spanish musicians to check out…
There is a world of great Spanish music out there, and so much of it is by artist or bands we, Americans, have never even heard of. Much of this is due to geographic location, because it is quite likely that unless you’re in Spain, you’re not going to know the best and most recent artist becoming popular there. In this article, I will introduce five new famous Spanish musicians who have have been topping the charts in Spain.
In addition to these all being amazing songs, one great thing I find from listening to music in a different language is that it actually helps you learn the language! I’ve met many people who have learned a language just from studying and listening to music! Songs are good for learning because they often repeat lyrics, which helps you learn vocabulary while listening to an awesome beat. Also, the singers usually sing words slowly, so you get lots of pronunciation practice when you sing along.
In fact, if you want to test yourself and practice learning Spanish with music, take a look at LyricsTraining. This website helps you learn a song by slowing down certain parts for you, and it is a great way to practice the language! Another thing I find especially helpful when trying to learn new vocabulary words or grammar is to listen to songs that have some sort of story that you can follow.
Below, I’ve done my best to choose songs from famous Spanish musicians that tell some sort of story. Please enjoy them, and listen with a conscious ear and a studious mind!
1) Love of Lesbian – “Club de fans de John Boy”
This band represents the music of Spain very nicely: good rhythms, artistic videos, and great lyrics. It’s a good band to know if you’re thinking about learning Spanish.
2) Edurne – “Amanecer”
Edurne is a modern artist who recently released “Amanecer”, soon be the song to represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest of 2015.
3) Xoel López – “Tierra”
Xoel López is a guitarist and singer from La Coruña, and he is a great songwriter! He has a very simple folk-like sound, but he writes beautiful, chill music. Kind of like the Spanish version of Jack Johnson!
4) Maná – “Mi Verdad,” a duet with Shakira
This is a double whammy, because although Maná is from Mexico and Shakira is from Colombia, they are both very popular in Spain and should be recognized in this list. This is a recent song they recorded together.
5) David Bisbal – “Culpable”
David Bisbal is a great singer and artist who writes amazing songs that are staples of the modern Spanish pop music scene. All his songs are great, and this one is slow and easy to understand if you’re new to learning Spanish!
I hope these songs introduce you to some great new music and help you discover the fun benefits of learning languages with music!
Christopher S. teaches in-person Spanish and guitar lessons in Jamaica Plain, MA. He lived abroad in Seville, Spain for two years where he studied classical and flamenco guitar and taught lessons to beginner students interested in classical guitar. He is currently working on his Master’s Degree in Guitar Performance, and has been teaching students since 2004. Learn more about Christopher here!
Photo by Gabriel R C
Suzy S.